Age of Conan: Unchained Free-to-Play Launched

Funcom sent out a press release earlier today announcing the launch of Age of Conan Unchained, the new free to play version of their fantasy MMORPG. Cue the launch trailer:

Followed by the press release:

‘˜AGE OF CONAN’ NOW FREE TO PLAY!

– The best-selling and critically acclaimed MMO based on the world of Conan the Barbarian is now FREE-TO-PLAY around the world –

Durham, USA July 1st, 2011 (No man should live in chains,) proclaims Conan the Barbarian in the new, upcoming Hollywood production set to release later this year. With the words of the most legendary fantasy hero of all time in mind, Funcom today released an all-new, free-to-play version of its critically acclaimed massively multiplayer online game titled ‘˜Age of Conan: Unchained’. The new version replaces the existing version of the game, and players everywhere will now be able to freely explore the sexy, savage, and brutal world of Hyboria with their friends and enemies.

(After 1.4 million copies sold, having experienced fantastic critical acclaim, and still to this day going strong with a large active player base embarking on thousands of daily adventures, there is no doubt that ‘˜Age of Conan’ has made a significant impact on the online gaming genre,) says Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing Morten Larssen. (The great potential provided by the hybrid business model, and with the ever growing interest for free-to-play games, bringing ‘˜Age of Conan’ into this market is undoubtedly the logical next step for the title.)

Players now get to choose whether they want to experience the free offering, or become a Premium member with access to even more game content. An in-game store also allows both free players and Premium members to purchase in-game goods such as weaponry and mounts. For more detail about the differences between the free and Premium offering, visit the new ‘˜Age of Conan: Unchained’ website.

(For the team working on the game, going free-to-play is great because it opens up this great fantasy world to an even larger audience,) says Creative Director and Executive Producer Craig Morrison. (Not only can players now enjoy the content for free, we will continue to add new gameplay features and new content and make improvements to the game. ‘˜Age of Conan: Unchained’ will offer a fantastic experience for both new customers and players who have already roamed the online world of Hyboria. An engrossing story, brutal combat and savage world is waiting for those who dare explore the lands of Hyboria.)

Since the game launched three years ago, ‘˜Age of Conan’ has undergone several changes and a huge amount of new content has been added. Funcom is already in the process of developing new locations, monsters, equipment and storylines for ‘˜Age of Conan: Unchained’. This includes the movie tie-in adventure that will introduce content and characters from the upcoming ‘˜Conan the Barbarian’ movie.

To download the client and play the game for free, please visit the new official Age of Conan website.