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 While Nick reported yesterday that Hellgate:London was going to be a monthly subscription-based MMO, he may have spoken too soon, according to Bill Roper, CEO of Flagship Studios. While there appears that there will a full-fledged MMO, gamers will have other "options."

Roper noted that Hellgate: London is guaranteed to include some kind of free online mode that gamers will be able to access without any monetary commitment. This mode will likely not include the full MMO features of the game available to full-scale online users. 

I opt for free.

This little tidbit is, in turn, subject to approval and evaluation by publishers EA and Namco Bandai.

So, while Flagship Studios has effectively kicked us in the nuts, I guess they want to make good; however, with only limited features and content, that's kind of like kissing your sister.  

[Via ActionTrip, thanks Ted!]

 

[Editor's Note: Chris Taran pointed out that sports references don't really go over too well on gaming sites, so here's an explanation. Bear Bryant was a legenderay college football coach at Alabama (SEC ftw). He said that "a tie is like kissing your sister." Playing Hellgate for free is like a tie: You don't lose, since you get to play for free; but you don't win, since some content is being left out. Thus, kissing your sister. ]

Continue: More MMO stories





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28 comments | showing # 1 to 28

GENACON's Avatar
GENACON at 01/11/2007 10:05
I really dislike it when publishers kick us gamers in the nuts.

It seems EA is behind a lot of it too.
Snaileb 's Avatar
Snaileb at 01/11/2007 10:09
Destructoid editors telling me how it is to kiss my sister...


...


...it's too early, and I really need help.
Joseph Leray's Avatar
Joseph Leray at 01/11/2007 10:19
Dude, it's a Bear Bryant reference... And if you don't know who he is, you're a commie.
Milofo's Avatar
Milofo at 01/11/2007 10:35
Well money is what speaks to the game makers so if most people opt for the free, then that will send the message that you don't want to pay a subscription.
Snaileb 's Avatar
Snaileb at 01/11/2007 10:38
That's the third time I've been a commie this week. Am I wearing a Nazi emblom on my back or something?? Did I forget to wipe my upper lip after doing 'that dirty thing' with my girl?? WTF. (Work Time Fun)
Joseph Leray's Avatar
Joseph Leray at 01/11/2007 10:48
Teamjesus, ftw.
tazarthayoot's Avatar
tazarthayoot at 01/11/2007 10:57
I don't have a sister to kiss :(
Ballistic90's Avatar
Ballistic90 at 01/11/2007 10:58
I told you people this. I'm a damn prophet.
Ballistic90's Avatar
Ballistic90 at 01/11/2007 11:02
Chances are you'll be able to play with your buddies in the free one, and you'll be able to join a huge community in the pay one.

So the free version of online will probably be like Diablo 2's online, whereas the MMORPG version of online will probably have something in common with Guild Wars and World of Warcraft.

Considering that many of you just wanted another Diablo, I don't think you have much right to complain.
Snaileb 's Avatar
Snaileb at 01/11/2007 11:02
@ tazarthayoot : I'd think your weird, but your gorillaz avatar almost makes up for it.
tazarthayoot's Avatar
tazarthayoot at 01/11/2007 11:03
I can live with that.
Snaileb 's Avatar
Snaileb at 01/11/2007 11:04
speaking of kissing little sisters... ..

Where's Ishaan 'blogging machine' Jaideep??
Chris Taran's Avatar
Chris Taran at 01/11/2007 11:08
You make a sports reference and expect gamers to get it Orcist? That's just crazy talk.

BTW Football sucks!
Snaileb 's Avatar
Snaileb at 01/11/2007 11:11
With the vast knowledge and photography of mullet that you have collected, I would've thought Football to be your number one (besides gaming) hobby.


...that or NASCAR. But whatever's clever. (I played GOW last nite with someone named Mosher13 from D'toid. Entertaining. Someone get my Gamertag on the D'toid leaderboard or whatever. I can't do it.)
Chris Taran's Avatar
Chris Taran at 01/11/2007 11:30
My knowledge of the mullet unfortunately does not cross over into the mullet-bearer's culture. I'll strive to work on that in the future.

For the record I find all professional sports shallow and pedantic.

Speaking of GoW, I played it again for the first time in a long time last night and it's grown on me a bit. I went from actively disliking it because I thought (and still do kind of think) the controls are ass, to getting the hang of them after spending more time with the game. So maybe I'll try out some multiplayer in the near future. Maybe then Snaileb will you have the honor of pwning my ass.

Just to have some sort of on-topic comment, is anyone actually looking forward to this game? Nothing I've seen of it seems to warrant any real excitement.
Snaileb 's Avatar
Snaileb at 01/11/2007 11:35
No..not really. Im not a PC guy though so I guess my opinion doesnt matter.

Chris if you ever want to be on a good fuckin team or just want help on the campaign mode (I beat it on insane, but i'd love to do it again) Then hit me up on live. You'll really appreciate someone helping you through campaign mode, because you can get revived. Seriously, anyone who needs help really, Snail is there.

Gamertag : Snaileb

PS. Patch made the game 10x's better in my opinion. I was really good in the first place, but the reduction of tag/melee distance AND the freezing glitches taken out, its a whole new ball game.

P.S.S. : The new maps; if you play em you will lag. It's not anyone's fault but epic. Don't hate the game, hate the map.
Snaileb 's Avatar
Snaileb at 01/11/2007 12:06
?
Joseph Leray's Avatar
Joseph Leray at 01/11/2007 12:07
@ Chris Taran - professional football is shallow and pedantic. College football isn't. Did anybody else see Florida beat the brakes off of Ohio State?

The Bear Bryant quote is this: "A tie is like kissing your sister." Playing Hellgate for free is like a tie: You don't lose, since you get to play for free, but you don't win, since some content is being left out. Thus, kissing your sister.
Dexter345's Avatar
Dexter345 at 01/11/2007 12:54
I didn't see it, but I was in Phoenix at the time. I just flew out of there, and the airport was full of loud Gators fans in bright orange jackets. I imagine there were also many Buckeyes fans as well, but they were going incognito and not sporting their team jackets.
Snaileb 's Avatar
Snaileb at 01/11/2007 12:54
Man.... where have all the bloggers gone.
BahamutZero's Avatar
BahamutZero at 01/11/2007 13:18
slow news day or did the vegas hookers tie you guys up and rob you again?
Snaileb 's Avatar
Snaileb at 01/11/2007 13:23
I'd put my money on the second one.
brad drac's Avatar
brad drac at 01/11/2007 13:53
To answer mr taran, I've been looking forward to this game for yonks and the news about subscription based multiplayer really pissed me off. Basically, people looking forward to this game = players of diablo 2.

I need to see what the difference between the feature sets will be on this. If they totally gimp the free play, they fail at the universe.
Ballistic90's Avatar
Ballistic90 at 01/11/2007 15:05
Gee, no wonder why a lot of people left gaming. The community is a bunch of people bitching and bitching and bitching until everything is free. I wouldn't mind if running MMORPGs WAS free. You know what? It's NOT.

I got a very good idea. Imagine Hellgate: London as two games. The first, has single player and online multiplayer. This online multiplayer is a lot like Diablo 2, co-op version of the single player portion with some changes to make it better for co-op.

The second game is an MMORPG. It has a lot in common with existing MMORPGs, and needs to have a subscription just like them so they can constantly make new content and keep the massive servers up.

Ok, so the Diablo 2 fans would buy the first, and MMORPG fans would buy the second.

You know what? This didn't happen. They put them BOTH into the same game. With other MMORPGs based on existing game franchises, you'd need to buy it seperately and then pay for the fee. This one, you don't. You get it as kind of a bonus content.

Personally, I think it's a hell of a much better deal than anyone else here seems to be willing to admit.
Civnerd's Avatar
Civnerd at 01/11/2007 15:15
Still lame, still off my buy list.

This is retarded. Either commit it to a MMORPG, or keep it free like Diablo. Don't string people along, because your going to end up with a half-assed product that isn't deep enough to be considered a MMORPG, but shunning all the potential Diablo lovers.
Joseph Leray's Avatar
Joseph Leray at 01/11/2007 15:53
The problem is that the MMO players will get more features, which doesn't seem that bad. But it begs the question -- how bare bones will the regular version be? Will it be able to stand on its own?
inque's Avatar
inque at 01/11/2007 20:04
My problem with subscription based gaming is that $15 is no joke for me, especially where I live where the currency changes drastically after every month. And another reason why I don't like MMOs is because they make you "have" to play, rather than want to because of the subscription fee :(

questworld's Avatar
questworld at 01/13/2007 00:59
"That's the third time I've been a commie this week. Am I wearing a Nazi emblom on my back or something?? Did I forget to wipe my upper lip after doing 'that dirty thing' with my girl?? WTF. (Work Time Fun)"

You, as I'm sure many seem to, confuse what communism is? Being a communist isn't like supporting Nazi rule. Read it up.
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