PlanetSide 2 Will Be Free-to-Play

If you needed any more proof that the pay-to-play business model is dying, today it was revealed that PlanetSide 2 will be free-to-play. In an interview with a Chinese gaming site 17173.com, which was then translated by MMOSite, John Smedley, the President of SOE, not only revealed that PlanetSide 2 would be F2P, but discussed microtransactions,

When asked about the business mode and beta schedule, Smedley reveals that the game will be free-to-play, but it may not be the microtransaction type as he mentions the model of buy to play and Diablo 3’s auction house. Smedley also thinks that EA’s The Old Republic will be the last popular MMO with subscription fee. At last, the beta plan. According to Smedley, PlanetSide 2 will start large-scale test in US at the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012.

While not the best translation, Planetside-Universe got clarification from Mr. Smedly as to what was actual said about microtransactions and they got this reply from him,

On Auction House
We aren’t doing an auction house like Blizzard. They asked me what I thought of that move by Blizzard and I said I liked it and thought it would help with farmers and that we were doing it years ago with Station Exchange. It has nothing to do with Planetside 2 whatsoever. Ive said before the game will be some form of F2P but we aren’t announcing anything specific yet.

On Beta
I did in fact say we are aiming for late this year or early next year. No further comment about that. It’s ready when it’s ready and we are proud of it.

So there you have it, PlanetSide 2 is confirmed as a Free2Play title, microtransactions details will be revealed later and beta should begin by late 2011 or early 2012.