In the first half of 2019, the MMORPG classic Dark Age of Camelot (DAOC) will be playable for free. However, the Free2Play version has some limitations.
Dark Age of Camelot is an MMORPG from the early 2000s; it belongs to the generation of classics like Ultima Online or Everquest. DAOC is considered by many MMORPG experts today as the game with the best PvP mode of all time: In open zones, three warring realms fought over castles and relics. Today, this “Realm versus Realm” PvP model is used by games like Guild Wars 2 or The Elder Scrolls Online.
Once, DAOC had numerous servers, but a few years after release, with the rise of WoW, the star of the game began to fade slowly. Servers were merged, the company behind it eventually closed down, but Dark Age of Camelot still exists, albeit under new management. One peculiarity: DAOC is still a subscription game as of 2018; unlike many other MMORPGs, DAOC has never transitioned to Free2Play.
Those who want to play Dark Age of Camelot still need to maintain a subscription in 2017.
Dark Age of Camelot: Endless Conquest – Free2Play as an extensive trial
This will change in 2019. Then in the fall, a permanent Free2Play mode will be introduced: Dark Age of Camelot: Endless Conquest. This is a new account type that allows players to play without an active subscription.
This Free2Play mode includes some limitations. While you can participate in PvP, you cannot progress beyond rank 3.9. This is relatively at the beginning of a PvP career. Additionally, you can only create one character and have some further restrictions regarding trading. Furthermore, you will only be able to choose from 4 classes per realm and will face notable restrictions in gaining experience points, gold, realm points, and bounty points.
These blocks and obstacles will be lifted as soon as you convert the trial account into a regular subscription account.
What is already known about the new mode can be read here in an FAQ.
Dark Age of Camelot will therefore not be a “Free2Play title,” but will have a permanent trial version that is relatively generous. Those who want to play DAOC seriously will likely still need a subscription in the future, but it is now certainly more attractive for newcomers.
Not happening in 2018
Update 25.6.2018: As it has now become known, plans have changed somewhat. Dark Age of Camelot intends to continue offering a Free2Play option, but developer Broadsword will not do so – as originally planned – in the fall of 2018. The transition to Free2Play has now been postponed to the first half of 2019. Then the “Eternal Crusade” update should come and bring the change in the business model. This was announced in a producer letter.
Note: This article was originally published on 25.12.2017 – at that time, the fall of 2018 was still given as the target.
The spiritual successor to Dark Age of Camelot is Camelot Unchained, one of the games on our list of the top MMORPGs of the coming years:
