BioWare 'looking into free-to-play' for 'Star Wars: The Old Republic'

BioWare is looking into free-to-play models for its massively multiplayer online game Star Wars: The Old Republic.

BioWare is looking into the possibility of adopting a free-to-play model for its massively multiplayer online game Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Speaking to GamesTM, lead designer Emmanuel Lusinchi stated BioWare Austin was contemplating new business models due to the dynamic market of the genre.

"Unless people are happy with what they have, they are constantly demanding updates, new modes and situations. So we are looking at free-to-play but I can't tell you in much detail. We have to be flexible and adapt to what is going on."

Lusinchi acknowledges that free-to-play games are rising in quality and becoming legitimate competition. While the studio is not going through with any decision as of yet, they see the wave of free-to-play titles as impacting their plans for The Old Republic.

"If it was just free-to-play games and they weren't very good it wouldn't even be a question but there are definitely good games out there and good games coming out, so of course all of this competition impacts your plan with what you want to do."

Star Wars: The Old Republic lost over 400,000 subscribers since February 2012; however at the end of March 2012 it still retained a subscriber-base of 1.3 million users.