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Free Realms closed beta begins, open beta in April

by Andrew Yoon on Feb 26th 2009 3:59PM

Sony Online Entertainment's free-to-play MMO, Free Realms, has just entered closed beta. Unlike its previous efforts, EverQuest and PlanetSide, SOE is trying to target a very casual market, promising a "kid-safe" experience that offers "something for everyone." Players aren't locked into individual classes, for example, and will be able to partake in a number of non-violent activities, such as pet raising and kart racing.

The beta is currently available on PC only, although a PS3 version of Free Realms is also in the works. The closed beta appears to be rather limited, with invites extended to press (you know, the big kids) and "a few selected players." Those that are interested in the open beta, which begins in April, will want to pre-register at freerealms.com.

Tags: beta, closed-beta, free-realms, open-beta, soe, sony-online-entertainment

Reader Comments (37)

Kind of ironic for Sony to be marketing to casuals (something you'd expect from the Wii), for it to also be for the PC (something you'd expect from Xbox), and for it to be free (since what's free for a console nowadays?)

I'll check it out, though. Is it also going to be free for the PS3? If not, would it be a payed download or a payed subscription?

*paid

I knew something looked wrong..

The game copy will cost ofcourse, but no monthly subscription. They are using the DLC model.

Everything is free. It'll be a free download on PSN and you'll be able to go online for free. (Like Home, Free Realms is being paid for by microstransactions.)

Indeed, The game will be free to download and free to play indefinitely. You can access additional features by paying a small monthly fee (I believe $5/mo).

I bet they are going for a similar model to that of Wizard101.

This is how Home should have been.

Home is also free. The only thing I don't like about Playstation Home is having to wait in line to do stuff. Once they allow me to buy a bowling lane, pool table, chessboard etc for my home space I will do it right away.

Amen. Its not just about looks like home is, you have stuff you can actually DO.

So does this mean that sony is making something...to...compete with itself...? Uhhh...k.

The only thing I don't like about Home is everything about Home.

Long live Free Realms! I hope it'll let me import my Quincy.

There are a lot of people hating on Free Realms and writing it off as kiddy crap. That could be the case but seeing as how I have enjoyed Animal Crossing on the Wii this could be right up my alley. It sounds pretty similar except bigger, better and more badass.

Where are these people? I haven't seen any.

It's been going around lately when I mention this game. It's mostly fanboys who want to marginalize any Sony game. The game could be total shit but it could also be pretty fun.

Haven't even heard of the game until today. But it's free so who can possibly complain? I'll be in there playing my very own sexually amiguous character and enjoying it. Free bread is often better than pay-for steak.

Anticrawl, You'd be surprised. People find things to complain about. And they have certainly complained about this game in previous threads, and on different blogs (such as massively).

Is that a man or a woman in the picture?

woman.

Really? It has the chest of a man, the arms and hips of a woman.

I'm thinking its a manwoman.

It's MJ

Nah man it's just a baggy shirt.

So normally a womans sternum sticks out farther than her boobs?

No, it normally doesn't.

Clearly it is a hermaphrodite.

This looks like a Fable 2 screenshot.

It really does! I didn't notice until you mentioned it but it's a very similar art direction as Fable 2.

I also would like to say that's not a knock against Fable 2. Just to be clear.

Good idea clarifying that!
BTW love the video that inspired your name!

& what do you do in said MMO?

Probably like second life without the risk of dildo launching canons.

Oh I see...

dude, I came in to ask the sae thing. This game has potential, but al we've seen is avatars standing around! No action!Chances are if it's free and hasmore substance than Home, I'll play it off and on. I played Gunbound for forever without ever buying anything with real money, so it can be done. There will, of course, be the "elitists" that buy all the best crap and brag about it, but hey, they makeit free for the rest of us.

That screenshot looks like a massive Ripoff of World of Warcraft, in the Alliance area Elwynn Forest.

Not to knock wow or anything. But it is a fairly generic setting, for a peaceful area. I'm sure you can find similar settings in several other games.

I can't wait for this. I'm 29 yrs old too, so it's not just for kids.

I might try this out if it has some form of a tycoon/management thing in it. My favorite part of Neverwinter Nights 2 is still the Keep Management and I would love for this to have something similar. If not, I'll try my hand at real estate scams ;D

"kid safe" why the hell would they do that?? isn't the average PS3 owner in his mid to late 20's?

maybe that's why the PC version is coming out first?

as for the PS3 version, it's not like sony were making a careful selection between the three console platforms based on the demographics of the userbase...

It may be fun, for something free. I'm there.

Breaking News

Free Realms closed beta begins, open beta in April

Reader Comments (37)

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:05PM Shoyz said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:05PM Shoyz said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:14PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:16PM Andrew Yoon said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:21PM ultimateq said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:12PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:33PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:34PM tkashur said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 5:32PM In A World said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:16PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:33PM Anticrawl said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:47PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 5:01PM Anticrawl said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 9:33PM ultimateq said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:22PM Shagittarius said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:34PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:39PM Shagittarius said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:43PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:44PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 5:52PM Shagittarius said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 6:21PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:34PM Anticrawl said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:37PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:45PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:45PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Feb 27th 2009 1:21AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 4:47PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 5:02PM Anticrawl said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 5:17PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Feb 27th 2009 11:10AM Levi said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 5:03PM Greyze said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 9:36PM ultimateq said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 5:06PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 6:03PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 5:48PM PoisonFacecamo said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 6:10PM xxxsam said

Posted: Feb 26th 2009 6:41PM Cirocco said

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