DC Universe Online gets release date

PC and PlayStation 3 superhero MMO DC Universe Online will launch in the UK on 14th January 2011, Sony Online Entertainment has announced.

In the US, it'll launch on 11th January, IGN reports.

The PC version will set you back $49.99 and the PS3 version will cost $59.99 (European pricing was not revealed). Both come with a free 30-day subscription. After that expires, you'll need to fork out $15 (€13) a month – or $199 (€180) for a lifetime subscription.

DC Universe Online Game Director Chris Cao dismissed concern that PlayStation 3 owners will baulk at having to pay a monthly fee to play the game.

"A little over a decade ago, people questioned subscription fees on a PC," he said. "They'd never played an MMO before and they weren't sure why they'd pay monthly to play it. Then they stepped into those first worlds, lived online, and came to realize that the experience was worth the expense.

"The same thing is going to happen on the PS3. People are always willing to pay for good games, especially when they continue to grow and change. We've made a great game in DCUO and we're going to keep adding to it with each and every update."

Earlier this year DC Universe had been bumped from its intended November release slot into a vague Q1 2011 window. SOE boss John Smedley explained that the title had been delayed to give it a little extra polish.

"SOE is dedicated to delivering the highest quality game experiences possible," he said. "As the game heads into external beta testing, this extra time will allow us to address community feedback in a meaningful way. When we get deeper into external beta, we'll be able to share more information regarding the new launch date."

Smedley also claimed that DC Universe would be "the first MMO on PlayStation 3". What with Final Fantasy XIV's recent slip, that pledge will come true.