‘Paragon’ MOBA On PS4, PC Enters Early Access This Month, All Characters Can Be Unlocked For Free

Epic Games’ upcoming third-person multiplayer online battle arena Paragon is due out later this year, but Early Access to the game is coming in a matter of weeks. The MOBA is coming to PC and PlayStation 4, boasting skill-based competitive play with a number of different heroes and gameplay-altering cards. In fact, all heroes and cards for deck building can be unlocked for free in Paragon.

The approach to avoid the pay-to-win slippery slope is just part of the Paragon announcement today. The game will enter an Early Access period on March 18. Players will have to pay for entrance to the Early Access period since some content is not quite ready yet. Selling Early Access in addition to the sale of aesthetic and convenience items will be the way to support Paragon. A Founder’s Pack will grant players the ability to play in to the Early Access season of Paragon. A Founder’s Pack includes access to the game, boosts, skins, and cosmetic items that can otherwise be unlocked by playing the game, according to the PlayStation Blog.

A couple of different Founder’s Packs will be available to purchase starting on March 14. The cheapest is just $20 and offers players the items listed above. Challenger Packs and Master Packs unlock even more of the listed contents and contain an extra Founder’s Pack to share with a friend. Those packs are more costly at $60 and $100 respectively. It is important to note that nothing will be wiped after Early Access. Any progress made during the Early Access season will carry over to the game’s open beta in the summer.

Not to mention, players will be able to enjoy regular events, different rewards, and the unveiling of new heroes during the Early Access period. New heroes are said to release every three weeks during the Early Access period. Players that wish to wait for Paragon‘s eventual open beta this summer can play the title for free. A beta sign-up is also available for those looking to test the game without the need for a Founder’s Pack purchase. Just head to the Paragon website and click the dark gold “Beta Sign-up” box in the top right section of the site. Several beta weekends are expected to occur before the game’s official launch.

Early Access begins March 18th! Check out all the details here:https://t.co/EWrg7I3417 pic.twitter.com/ndKAicRNqr

— Paragon (@Paragon) March 3, 2016

Paragon is a five-versus-five MOBA that utilizes three-lane maps in competitive combat. Players should plan to see minions, towers, cores, and other common MOBA features in this third-person title. With a focus on skill-based combat, players can choose from a number of heroes to dominate their opponents. Five characters are currently viewable on the official site, for example. Players can even unlock cards from the website when viewing brief previews of each hero. For instance, players checking out the bow-and-arrow-wielding Sparrow can unlock Charging Brute with the truth option. This card centers on dealing damage and buff direct damage. Other choices include different in-game items like Silent Indignation; a card that grants lifesteal and attack speed when used.

Twinblast, Steel, Dekker, and Grux join Sparrow as the first five heroes in Paragon. Players can unlock cards for each of them by visiting the official site right now. Twinblast uses two pistols to harass foes. Unlock cards like Reverberate deal damage and increase his damage against shielded targets. Steel is the shield-using juggernaut in the gameplay trailer. By visiting the site, players can unlock cards like “Rally the Troops” that grants extra attack speed while buffing allies. The same goes for Dekker and Grux; each hero has four cards to choose from which will grant different bonuses while in-game thanks to the deck building feature of Paragon.

[Image via Epic Games]