WH40K: Eternal Crusade launches free version

Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade [official site] did not arrive as the PlanetSide-y peristent open-world war MMO once envisioned but, if you are still curious about the game it actually is, you might fancy the free version that's now live. I mean, if you're reading RPS, statistically you do already have an increased chance of wanting to roll into battle with da boyz. And while the original plan was to only let free players be cannon fodder for the Ork waaagh! machine, this here version offers all factions and most classes.

You can nab it on Steam.

The devs explain that the free version of Eternal Crusade lets players lark about with all four factions and four of the five classes, excluding only the Air Assault. Freebo character progression comes at a third of the regular speed, mind. If freefolks want the full version, they can either pay the regular $20/£15 or buy $20 of the in-game virtuacurrency.

Given the change to pricing, folks who previously bought it in any way will get some gifts. Along with $20 of that virtuacash, they're getting a bonus copy than can give to a chum or flog on the Steam Market.

I did dig the original plan of letting free players only be Ork Boyz, five of which would be roughly equivalent to one single Space Marine. They wanted a proper Ork horde, its ranks swelling with non-paying players. But this could only have worked in the huge MMORPG that Eternal Crusade was originally meant to be, the one gabbing about "truly massive conflicts that simultaneously bring thousands of players to bear over territories and other strategic resources." I understand why that game wasn't made -- it'd be a huge task, technically and financially -- but ah, it's still a shame. (If you're curious, MMORPG.com got way more into the game that could have been.)

If you've been Crusading Eternally, reader dear, would you recommend folks give this free version a crack? Yeah yeah, it's not the 40K PlanetSide we dreamed of, but how's the game it actually is?