Star Wars: The Old Republic Will Be Free to Play in November

The MMORPG game that EA once hoped would dethrone World of Warcraft is having a bit of a problem; there's currently less than one million paying subscribers. If that doesn't seem so bad, consider this. When the game launched, it managed to gather 1 million subscribers within three days of its launch, making it the world's "Fastest-Growing MMO Ever".

In an attempt to keep the players it has left, as well as recruit a few new ones, EA announced that The Old Republic will become a free to play title beginning in November.

The option will give players access to all eight character class storylines up to level 50, though some features and content will be restricted. Players who are still willing to play to pay will get access to that restricted content. Way to reward your loyal gamers EA...

"Players want flexibility and choice. The subscription-only model presented a major barrier for a lot of people who wanted to become part of The Old Republic universe," said Matthew Bromberg, GM of Bioware Austin.

Sure it all sounds good in theory, but is it too little too late? EA apparently doesn't think so. They're still holding onto hope, dropping the retail price of The Old Republic to $15 this month in an attempt to increase sales. Players who opt for this scheme will also get a one-month free subscription.