Durham, USA – May 25th, 2011 – Funcom is excited to announce that the award-winning and critically acclaimed massively multiplayer online game ‘Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures’ will receive a digital re-launch this summer under the new name ‘Age of Conan: Unrated’. As well as reaffirming its position as the sexiest and most savage MMO in the world, ‘Age of Conan: Unrated’ will also feature a hybrid business model allowing anyone to freely roam the vast lands of Hyboria either as free players or premium subscribers with access to extra content.
“With over 1.4 million copies sold, glowing reviews for both the core game as well as the expansion, and a healthy player base ever since launch in 2008, there is no doubt that ‘Age of Conan’ has been a true success story for Funcom,” says SVP of Sales & Marketing Morten Larssen. “Now we turn to another chapter in this story as we thrust ‘Age of Conan: Unrated’ into the world of free-to-play games, a gaming space that is becoming rapidly more popular and profitable across the board.”
The new business model will give players the opportunity to choose whether they want to play for free or become premium subscribers, and Funcom is also introducing an in-game store to the game where both free players and premium subscribers can purchase exclusive content such as weaponry and mounts. For a full overview of what differs from the free and premium offerings, please view the Frequently Asked Questions now available on ‘Age of Conan’ community website.
‘Age of Conan’ has always been a Mature gaming experience, but going Unrated gives the development team freedom to stay even more true to the original works of Conan author Robert E. Howard, and use even more of the barbaric, brutal and sexy setting that is Howard's Hyboria. Funcom is already in the process of developing new locations, monsters, equipment and storylines for ‘Age of Conan: Unrated’. This includes the movie tie-in adventure pack announced yesterday, that will introduce content and characters from the upcoming ‘Conan the Barbarian’ movie.
“Everyone on the team is excited about opening up our world to an even larger audience,” says Creative Director and Executive Producer Craig Morrison. “The online world of Hyboria is constantly expanding as we continue to introduce new gameplay features and new content, and we truly believe that ‘Age of Conan: Unrated’ will offer something truly new and unique to both new players and to those have already experienced the brutal online world of Conan the Barbarian.”
http://www.funcom.com/news/age_of_conan ... nd_unrated
How do the character slots work after the hybrid model launches?
Free players can only make two characters by default, while Premium players get eight character slots. Returning customers get to keep the number of character slots they already had.
How many character slots can I have in total?
All accounts have a maximum limit of 18 slots.
Each account type starts with a basic number of slots (2 for free players, 8 for premium players). Any slots purchased in addition to this base will be added no matter what subscription type you currently use.
What happens if I go from Premium to free?
After downgrading from Premium to free, any characters in the slots beyond the two default ones can not be played, unless enough additional slots have been purchased from the item shop to compensate. Your characters will be there, but any beyond your two slots will be unplayable. You get to pick which characters will be your included slots once you downgrade to free.
What character classes are available to free players?
The following four classes are available for all players of ‘Age of Conan: Unrated’.
● Barbarian
● Demonologist
● Guardian
● Priest of Mitra
The following classes are only available to Premium subscribers:
● Assassin
● Bear Shaman
● Conqueror
● Dark Templar
● Herald of Xotli
● Necromancer
● Ranger
● Tempest of Set
How much of the game can I actually play for free?
All outdoor playfields in Aquilonia, Cimmeria, and Stygia are available to all players.
How do I get access to the expansion content?
Access to the Khitai content is available via an 'expansion pass' - granting access to all of the expansion areas and dungeons. Anyone who already bought the expansion has this enabled automatically. Subscribers who have not purchased the expansion before do not have access to this unless they buy the 'expansion pass'.
Will we be able to play through all of the dungeon content?
Some of the instanced dungeon content will be completely free, and other will be accessed through new passes or expansion purchases.
Free dungeons:
● Tortage Underhalls (solo)
● Acheronian Ruins (solo)
● Bubshur House (solo)
● Abandoned Smuggler Tunnels (solo)
● The Maze (solo)
● Spider Caverns (solo)
● Border Ranges (solo)
● Outflow Tunnels (solo)
● Ice Cave (solo)
● Cannibal Cave (solo)
● Catacombs (group)
● Toirdealbach’s Tomb (group)
● Prison Colony (group)
● Scorpion Cave (group)
● Caravan Raider Camp (group)
● Atzel’s Fortress (group)
● Onyx Chambers (group)
Premium dungeons:
Access to Premium dungeons will work in several ways. Some access passes are a once off purchase, some allow access for a set duration, and some are linked to expansion content.
● Pyramid of the Ancients (solo) –permanent-only purchase
● Treasury of the Ancients (solo) –permanent-only purchase
● Villa Camillus, Amiel, Verde, Paetus, Lentulus (solo) –permanent-only purchase
● Slaughterhouse Cellar (solo)
● Attilius Mansion (solo) – permanent-only purchase
● Black Castle (group) – permanent-only purchase
● The Cradle of Decay (group) – permanent-only purchase
● Sanctum of the Burning Souls (group) – permanent-only purchase
● The Cistern (group) – permanent-only purchase
● Main System (group) – permanent-only purchase
● Ampitheater of Karutonia (group) – permanent-only purchase
● Halls of Eternal Frost (group)
● Imirian Ravine, Oasis of Zaara, Frost Swamp (group ACG)
● Xibaluku (group)
● Crow’s Nest (group)
● Iron Tower (group)
● Khitai Dungeons - accessed through Rise of the Godslayer expansion purchase
Can a free player take part in all the raids?
Free players may access the beginnings of raids and the raid equipment ladder, but they can’t complete tier 1 without switching to Premium access or purchasing entry to more raids, which will be available in the item store.
Free raids:
● Kylikki’s Crypt
● Yakhmar’s Cave
Premium raids:
● Vistrix's Lair
● Black Ring Citadel (all wings)
● Thoth-Amon’s Stronghold
● All raids in Khitai
Can a free player take part in Sieges?
Free players may purchase time-limited passes to the zones related to sieges (Bori and Borderlands), while subscribers may participate in as many sieges as they like, whenever they like.
How much personal bank space does a free player get?
Free players get access to half of the bank slots that are available to Premium players. In the future, further bank and/or inventory slots will be available for purchase.
Do free players earn Guild Renown?
All players may contribute Valor, Glory, and Artistry to their guilds, regardless of their subscription status.
Do free players gain Alternative Advancement (AA) points?
Free players may not earn AA points, even if they are level 80. These are only available to Premium subscribers. Free players can however purchase items to enable AA point gain in the item shop.
Are there limits to which Mount Training can be done on a free account?
Free players may only ride the horses which require the Basic Riding skill by default. Premium players retain all their mount abilities and may learn to ride swift horses, armored horses, mammoths, rhinos, tigers and wolves as usual.
