D&D Online relaunch a success

By Robert Purchese Published 8 September, 2009

Free-to-play model making money.

Turbine spokesman Adam Mersky has indicated that the early-access launch of Dungeons & Dragons Online Unlimited has been a rip-roaring success.

The US-only, free-to-play makeover for the MMO turns regular subscribers into VIP members and gives access to all game content as well as a monthly Turbine Point allowance. But, said Mersky, that's not been enough.

"They all got a ton of points for being loyal subscribers, for being in the beta. We weren't really expecting a ton of sales - they had no incentive to. They already had access to all of the content as VIP subscribers, and we just gave them a butt-load of Points," said Mersky, according to Kotaku.

"They've gone through their points, and we've already sold millions more Turbine points, and we've not even opened up the world to the public yet."

"The hottest selling items are the new Favored Soul class, which is unlockable in-game, but all of our subs just went ahead and spent points on it, unlocked it, and they're playing it right now," he added.

Dungeons & Dragons Online Unlimited opens to everybody else (in America) tomorrow. Alongside the switch to a free-to-play model comes Module 9, which raises the level cap, adds two new storylines, overhauls the combat system and introduces the Favored Soul. Module 9 will be released as a regular free update to European subscribers. Look out for a DDO re-review on Eurogamer MMO soon.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (17) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Irien #1 2 years ago

    Last time I checked this was *euro*gamer?

    Nice to have it rubbed in that it *isn't* free in Europe. Sigh.

    I'd give it a go if it were!

  • miiiguel #2 2 years ago

    Opens to eveybody else... in America ?!!

    I would rephrase that.

  • Xerx3s #3 2 years ago

    "The hottest selling items are the new Favored Soul class, which is unlockable in-game, but all of our subs just went ahead and spent points on it, unlocked it, and they're playing it right now,"

    Wtf is the point of that? Now everybody and his dog will be a clone. :/

  • Rubarack #4 2 years ago

    Yay. Can we have this in EU now then?

  • Starman #5 2 years ago

    I don't know if US only is correct. I registered and played as a UK citizen during beta for DDO Unlimited and purchased points from the store in the current Headstart phase. No regional restrictions are currently in place from what I've seen. Better playing for free than playing on the almost dead EU codies servers.
    Edited by 2 at 08/09/09 @ 13:43

  • hiddenranbir #6 2 years ago

    I had signed up to the NA beta.

    It's not bad.

    Agree with above, no harm in playing on their servers.
    Edited by 1 at 08/09/09 @ 14:15

  • Kremlik Verified Co-Founder, Crash To Desktop #7 2 years ago

    It's open to EU players as well as the US ones - I've been betaing the new version for some time now - DDO is a good title but never really had the content or longivity to warrent a perminate subcription, the F2P model is a good one and kinda proves cash shops can work well if managed well..

    As with Codemaster's EU version they better switch soon otherwise I'll be getting yet another email from them saying they're closing service pritty quickly, much like i did with Archlord and RFO

  • Azazel #8 2 years ago

    Well I was interested to read about it.

  • Oli Verified Reviews Editor, Eurogamer.net #9 2 years ago

    Comrade-Bozzey: come on now. We also posted some news about a developer saying his game was really good.

    Very slow day.

  • joe90 #10 2 years ago

    What the fuck.. i just downloaded a few gigs (the client), and now its non euro.. its says that where exactly on the homepage.. wankers.
    Edited by 1 at 08/09/09 @ 16:20

  • Balboa #11 2 years ago

    @joe90 The client is specifically blocking Europeans now?

  • ChthonicEcho #12 2 years ago

    I wonder how it makes sense to have it as US-only. No, seriously, as an aspiring businessman, I can't help but wonder why the relaunch is US-only. If it's making money, as they say, who's to say it won't be profitable for them to have this in Europe, too?

  • Rack #13 2 years ago

    ^It's a licensing mix up, as far as I can tell Turbine would like to release this in the EU, but Codemasters are sitting on the license at the moment, unwilling to give it any support but not quite ready to pull the plug.

  • Kremlik Verified Co-Founder, Crash To Desktop #14 2 years ago

    I'll be logging in later - if this US-only thing is true, it's only JUST happened, it's a huge kick in the teeth for those over here who put in their time in the beta - but it certainly is true even tho it's 'new', giving Turbine some wiggle room, with CM stamping their feet nd trying to milk the orginal to death (and failing) it could bea while until we can get our hands on it - Funny really eeing as we can play LOTRO from Turbine

  • Dizzy #15 2 years ago

    So US only? Anybody tried?

  • valanice #16 2 years ago

    This IS NOT for the US only, i am from the UK and not only did i take part in the beta for a good few month with out any problems but i've also been playing in the head start since the 1st of sept. I have logged in this morning just to make sure and everything is working fine, so go ahead and sign up and give it a go if you've never played DDO before (even if you have).
    Edited by 1 at 09/09/09 @ 10:02

  • CaoSlayer #17 2 years ago

    Im trying it now.

    The game is 100% quest oriented and instanced. You don't gain xp by killing monsters but for completing quests.

    There is even a bonus for finishing a quest without killing a single being.