Today Funcom announced that their Real-World MMORPG, The Secret World is shifting from a subscription model to a Buy-to-Play model. You can buy the client once, and get access the entire game as it stands now, with optional DLC and free content updates coming down the pipe. Let'sjust paste the whole announcement below so no details are missed:

Funcom is excited to announce that subscription is no longer required to play the company’s modern-day massively multiplayer online game ‘The Secret World’. The game is now available online and in retail and starting today no subscription fee is required to enjoy any of the game’s content, features or storylines. There are no complicated rules or restrictions, no complex matrixes telling you what you can and cannot access. Pay Once, Play Forever – it’s that simple. 

“With this recent change there is no reason to not join and take part in ‘The Secret World’,” says Game Director Joel Bylos. “Most players end up having a ton of fun once they submerge themselves in myths and legends of ‘The Secret World’, and we believe the game has the potential to be even more successful without the subscription entry barrier. It is an ambitious and very exciting move for all of us!”

Besides working tirelessly to expand ‘The Secret World’ through new content and features, Joel Bylos is also currently preparing for the end of the world, expected to come on December 21 st 2012. Recently, Bylos released the first in a series of videos chronicling his final days on earth. Meanwhile, in the realm of the sane, Funcom is also currently running a special end-of-the-world alternate reality game. 

‘The Secret World’ is one of the most unique massively multiplayer games ever released, breaking the  mold on everything from its modern-day setting to its freeform progression system that is neither built on classes or levels. The game received several glowing reviews after launch earlier this year, with magazines such as PC Powerplay saying “The Secret World is a breath of fresh air in a stale genre” andTenTonHammer reporting that “Funcom has colored outside the tried and true lines of the MMO genre”.As of now, ‘The Secret World’ has a user rating of 8.2 on MetaCritic and 8.50 on MMORPG.com.

Since launch, the talented and dedicated live team working on ‘The Secret World’ has pushed out four major content updates, adding everything from new weapons to an entire raid to the game. This post-launch update plan is among some of the most ambitious in the MMO industry, and the team will continue to create free updates – also called Issues – as well as offering optional paid content packs.

Even though the subscription requirement for ‘The Secret World’ has been removed, there is still a Membership option available which provide exciting bonuses such as 10 USD/EUR per month which can be spent in the in-game store, the ‘Time Accelerator’ item that grants double experience gain for one hour each day, a fixed 10% discount to everything in the in-game store, and more.

The official FAQ on all the changes can be found on the game's forums here.

Are you excited about the change? Is it the right move for Funcom? Let us know in the comments!

Good news!

I´ll give it another go!

Tried the beta but didn´t get hooked on it....now without subscription it´s perfect^^

Sounds like they are trying to get people to try out a game a lot of people have been hesitant to play.  Admittedly some of the quests in TSW were the best I have ever enjoyed in an MMO.  The combat animations are pretty boring but if you can get over that little fact, the game has a lot to offer.

Mostly TSW just sufferes from one of the poorest launch windows ever.  Launching 2 months before GW2, MoP, CoD, & a host of other single players and FPS titles.

This game is great and B2P it's probably what I was waiting for. It's how it should have been since the start.F2P can sometimes ruin your experiance like SW:TOR did to me.

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Originally posted by Rawiz
Good model for new people to pick it up. Lifers get shafted a bit, but overall I like it.

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everyone shouldve seen this coming.. b2p/f2p.. lifers have noone to blame but themselves

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Originally posted by Kenze

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Originally posted by Rawiz
Good model for new people to pick it up. Lifers get shafted a bit, but overall I like it.

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everyone shouldve seen this coming.. b2p/f2p.. lifers have noone to blae but themselves

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I went life. I get everything "for free" still and multiple perks and discounts.

"fee players" are still going to have to buy their "dlc" and other assorted merch which was free under p2p, so you gota ask yourself is the f2p+box really worth it?

Going B2P is beyond epic, respect to Funcom in not just doing the standard restricted f2p route, this actually has a very good chance of brining a lot of people in and keeping them playing.

I agree with the above also, the game launched well but launched at the wrong time, terrible launch window.

Originally posted by Nitth

 

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Originally posted by Kenze

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Originally posted by Rawiz
Good model for new people to pick it up. Lifers get shafted a bit, but overall I like it.

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everyone shouldve seen this coming.. b2p/f2p.. lifers have noone to blae but themselves

 

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I went life. I get everything "for free" still and multiple perks and discounts.

"fee players" are still going to have to buy their "dlc" and other assorted merch which was free under p2p, so you gota ask yourself is the f2p+box really worth it?

Looks like EA has made an offer to buy Funcom. Could be more changes to come ?