Open skies: EVE Online launches new free accounts
Free, forever
Intrigue generator/space MMO EVE Online [official site] now has a way to play forever without paying a penny. It's sort of a permanent free trial, as non-paying players are limited to certain skills and ships - but that doesn't necessarily mean they have nothing to do or can't dabble in the PvP shenanigans. The 'Ascension' update has also brought a friendlier new player experience to ease the fresh meat in. Roll up, roll up! Welcome to the wild frontier! Don't get too attached to anything you find.
So, free accounts! All and sundry can download EVE, sign up, and start playing in 'Alpha Clone State' for free. That status means you can only learn how to fly the first few basic types of ship and you can only learn certain basic skills. That doesn't mean you can't join in with the big space sandbox fun, mind. With the right equipment and a little knowledge, even newbies can be mighty handy in spacewar.
Monthly subscriptions now, rather than letting people play at all, let subscribers play in 'Omega Clone State'. They're basically how EVE has worked all along: learn anything and do anything, if you've the time. If their subscriptions lapse, they'll drop down to Alpha state and lose access to a lot of their skills until they resub.
EVE is hugely complex so I'm glad CCP have had another crack at improving the new player experience. Again. Over the years, I must have written a dozen posts about that.
You can download EVE from CCP or through Steam.
I'm currently trying to remember my old password to an account apparently registered to an old address. It's time to dust off the ol' Rifter as an Alpha clone.
Check the patch notes for the full run down on the Ascension update. You can see some of its additions (and some pretty space scenes) in this trailer:
