Free-To-Play ‘WildStar’ Now Live Under ‘WildStar: Reloaded’ Content Update
Get ready to travel the Nexus for free. WildStar has officially become free-to-play and has released WildStar: Reloaded, a massive update of the action-oriented sci-fi MMO from Carbine Studios. The free-to-play title is now live with a number of improvements, changes, and more to lure in new players as well as keep veterans of the game interested and satisfied.
The release of WildStar as a free-to-play title also gave developers the opportunity to improve the title even more. Combat statistics were redesigned to be easier to understand, crafting should now be less complex but as flexible as ever, runes were streamlined to be simpler, and the early game has seen a number of improvements. The character creation, the tutorial, and the introductory leveling experience are different from when the game first launched. These experiences are vastly improved for new players or veterans alike to make the beginning of any character’s journey much more enjoyable.
The official WildStar: Reloaded announcement also noted that new, hidden discoveries are now in the game, bonus events are planned for the future, and players can expect a few login incentives for playing the game. Discoveries are “small cracks” found within the game where players can dig up something interesting from the Nexus. There are tons of them and players just might find some awesome rewards for digging around. Bonus events are planned to occur until the end of the year and will give players a chance to play the game a little differently. Bonus experience, faster acquisition of PvP gear, and other events are planned. Not to mention, seasonal events like Shade’s Eve will also make a return. Finally, the daily login incentives for players will reward them with potions, pets, mounts, and even OmniBits.
OmniBits are a new currency to WildStar that debuted with its free-to-play transition. The currency is separate and different from NCoin, the currency purchased with real money, but they are both used within the in-game store. Oftentimes, OmniBits and NCoin can even purchase the same things from the store; however, OmniBits are obtained by simply playing WildStar. OmniBits can drop from enemies and they are sometimes rewarded for accomplishing certain goals within the game. Save up enough of them and buy something nice from the store without spending any money on the game.
Of course, it is a free-to-play title so there are opportunities to spend a little money. As detailed by the Inquisitr, WildStar: Reloaded still has an optional subscription available for purchase while also offering items within the in-game store. The optional subscription for WildStar players is called a Signature service and it grants a number of benefits to the purchaser. More auction house slots, access to more circles, 25 percent more currency, guild creation ability, and much more are a part of the Signature system. Additionally, Signature subscribers gain access to faster rest experience gain, a faster cooldown to the “Wake Here” ability, and they can invite or create warparties. Please note that this does mean that free members cannot create or invite others to circles, guilds, warparties, or arena teams. Interested players can check out the entire list of limitations and unlocks of being a free member versus being a Signature member on the official matrix.
If the optional subscription is not an attractive option for supporting WildStar, players can also purchase NCoin and buy a number of items from the in-game store. Players can pick up boosts, pets, mounts, and other helpful items from the store. Any time players spend money on WildStar, they are earning Cosmic Points which unlock permanent bonuses. As players level through the Cosmic Point Tiers, they will gain access to things that were previously behind the Signature service or they will earn special new rewards. For example, one of the first tier unlocks grants full circle access, full guild access, and full warparty access. Those features, as previously mentioned, are restricted to free players normally, but spending enough money on the game will unlock those features permanently.
Cosmic Points that increase a player’s Cosmic Tier are earned any time the player buys NCoin, spends NCoin, buys Signature service, buys C.R.E.D.D., or spends C.R.E.D.D. purchased from another player. Players that own WildStar keys, the Deluxe Upgrade, and players that bought things like character renames and realm transfers will also have Cosmic Points awarded to them according to the Cosmic Rewards page on the official site.
[Images via NCSoft]
