Hi-Rez announces pricing structure for Global Agenda
by Shawn Schuster 
Oct 20th 2009 at 4:00PM
Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Business models, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Spy, Global Agenda
If you'd like to take part in large-scale Alliance vs. Alliance battles throughout a persistent world, then the subscription model would be for you. This sub model also opens up other features, like the Auction House, mail system and more. This is what any MMO player would want, while the subscription-free option would cater more towards your average Call of Duty fan. Keep reading after the jump for complete details on Global Agenda's payment model, feature comparison and details and their newest projected launch window.
Global Agenda (one time purchase - $49.99 MSRP) includes:
- Creation of up to eight different agent characters
- Character visual customization
- Access to all combat weapons and devices
- Cooperative Player vs. Environment missions against the Commonwealth NPC faction, AI-controlled enemies, and Boss Fights
- Matchmade Player vs. Player missions with five different game types and over 20 unique maps
- Character progression through 30 levels
- Achievement and unlocks system for individual characters
- Player Inventory for suits, flair, dyes, upgrades, and loot
- Virtual Reality practice fighting area
- Vendors and accumulation of in-game currency
- Text chat with multiple channels
- Built in voice chat during missions
- Ability to join an established player-created agency
- All play is on our single-shard, hosted server environment to ensure convenient and consistent gaming experience.
- Ability to sign up for one free month of subscription at registration (credit card required, can be cancelled at any time)
Global Agenda: Conquest ($12.99 per month, $11.49/mo for 3 month, $9.99/mo for 6 month) includes:
- Access to Alliance vs. Alliance (AvA) World Domination gameplay
- A massive scale campaign between player created agencies and alliances over scarce territory and resources on a persistent world map.
- Attack and Defend Territories in zones that match your agency's schedule
- Agency and Alliance Management – Create and maintain persistent player groups and officer ranks
- Creation and Upgrading of Facilities - Control production and output
- Base Raids – involving up to 60 players per side; coordinated between 6 different strike teams within linked territory instances
- Agency Achievement System, Leveling, and Recognition
- Auction House with bidding and buyouts
- Mail System
- Upgrade Text and Voice chat to support multiple channels and strike teams
- Player Crafting with blueprints
- Additional character customization options including elite character suits, dye colors, and seasonal flair
- Ongoing Co-Op content at max character level
- Ongoing AvA content, multiplayer PvP content, and new social areas
Global Agenda is currently in closed beta testing and scheduled to be development complete by the end of this year toward a Q1 2010 release.
As you may have noticed, it says that you can play "through 30 levels" on the free side. We asked Todd specifically about this and he reassured us that the max level of 30 (which has not been announced prior to this) is in effect for both the free side and the sub side. In fact, they made sure not to hinder essential gameplay mechanics on the free side, and this is just an example of that.
Some of our other concerns focused on the balance between sub and non-sub players. Yes, a non-sub player can join an agency with subbed players, with the option at any time to sub-up to join their friends in battle. Yes, subbed players can join their non-sub friends at any time in the instanced battles.
So there you have it. With so many concerns from the rumor mill about Global Agenda actually being defined as an MMO, we can see that Hi-Rez has addressed that concern and utilized it in their payment model. With the newly-updated release date of Q1 2010, we'll be sure to keep you in the loop for any new information on Global Agenda's progress.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Ayonyx said on 4:21PM 10-20-2009
very good!
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Andy P said on 4:26PM 10-20-2009
Perfect.
I was really worried they would be charging for essentially an online FPS, but if I can have those battles I had at PAX without having to sub, I'm in for sure!
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Dblade said on 4:31PM 10-20-2009
Hmm, not a good idea. What happens if a lot of the population decides not to convert to subs, wouldn't that make the AvA and crafting aspects undersubscribed? Are they really worth 13 bucks a month?
I have a bad feeling what will happen is a lot of people will be content with the out of the box features, and the people who sub will be stuck with not enough people to do the premium content to make it worthwhile. I'd just reduce the sub fee to something like $7.00 a month and apply it to all players.
F2P content works because they don't lock actual game modes away for paying players, they just give advantages.The amount of pay versus free players are too low to make things like exclusive areas, especially with recurring fees.
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Razziel said on 5:33PM 10-20-2009
I'm not sure I see why it's a bad idea. The market for MMO and FPS players is very different. The MMO players will pay for a sub to get MMO content. On the other hand, the FPS players, in general would be unlikely to even try the game if they had to make the jump to sub initially.
Dblade said on 5:38AM 10-21-2009
The thing though is that you need the FPS players playing in the MMO modes to make it a decent experience. You need them taking roles in AVA to ensure enough people play it, because it's all large scale action.
What I see happening is that not enough players actually subscribe to make AvA viable, and so all the sub players just wind up playing the FPS modes with slight enhancements, and lose the whole point of subbing in the first place. It would be like doing a Free to Play game where there was one continent where only paid monthly subscribers can access. Players would wind up hanging out in the free lands since that's where a lot of the players will be.
Snowyjoe said on 8:08AM 10-21-2009
I agree with Dblade, but I beleive this" you get what you pay for" idea is a very good apporach for a FPSMMO.
In most F2P MMOs, people that spend money in the item store, pwn in PvP, and that's really not any fun for the players that don't want to keep on spending $30 every week. (kinda gay how your exquipment expire and stuff in F2P MMO...but i guess thats how they get money)
But Dblade is right, there is a higher chance that there are going to be alot of people in the non-subscription zone, compared to the subscription zone.
If crafting and presistant world allowed me open world pvp (with lots of players, active) and allowed me to craft my own custom guns and armor and stuff (devil wings! yaaaaaay) then I'm sure to pay for the monthly subscription, but if it only contains some, press buttons to craft 50 woolen clothes......I'm staying on the freebie side.
Calvin said on 4:28PM 10-20-2009
This game is sounding awesome. :)
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Pingles said on 4:39PM 10-20-2009
I like it. Pretty much Unreal Tournament++. Clever.
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Razziel said on 5:30PM 10-20-2009
I'm a huge fan of this pricing structure. Even though I plan to subscribe, it's nice to know that friends who aren't won't be totally cut off from me. It'll also be nice to be able to come back and play the game from time to time if I ever decide to cancel my sub. Also, cheaper than the industry standard is a definite bonus.
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crisisavatar said on 5:36PM 10-20-2009
Brilliant, just what I wanted to hear really.
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dudemanjac said on 6:04PM 10-20-2009
Here we have real progressive thinking. Let's give these guys a hand!
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Alz said on 7:13PM 10-20-2009
Seems more in line with what the game actually is. I couldn't see myself ever paying any more for this game than I would say a Call of Duty game. This game is more in line with Guild Wars and they should have just followed their path with semi-frequent expansion releases and non-advantage micro-transactions. Not that their decisions really matter for me as I have zero interest in this game after reading about it and watching videos.
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brendon said on 8:18PM 10-20-2009
game company hosted server for free? we'll see how long that lasts. i'll probably stick to the free version as the additional features seem geared toward stuff you'd not want to do in a PUG (if you even CAN do them at all w/o guild support).
the thing is, i would have paid a monthly fee no problem but the features that are included with the fee aren't really things that have me interested in the game. barbie dressup and sitting at a crafting table is not something i care about (when i'm playing a fps). unless i'm missing something 95% of the game is free, and the remaining 5% is $13/mo, 1 extra game mode isn't worth that much to me.
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bigmac70 said on 9:01PM 10-20-2009
When that one extra game mode is the competitive mode....it matters.
Mirkinz said on 10:12PM 10-20-2009
FAIL: "Base Raids – involving up to 60 players per side; coordinated between 6 different strike teams within linked territory instances "
So you telling me I finally get another MMOFPS(long live planetside) and the best they can give me is 10vs10 on a base fight? I dont want UT3 with a bunch of linked instances and some comon zone for us to gang up. Gimme some fricking big fights already!! 6 years later and planetside still is #1, even with mag at 400 people in a fight, sad, sad, sad.....
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Mirkinz said on 10:23PM 10-20-2009
Missed a comma:
"later and planetside still is #1, even with mag, Plabetside still has 400 people in a fight, sad"
Mag is 256, which is a step in the right direction and I will be getting it
Razziel said on 10:48PM 10-20-2009
I personally like the smaller combats. I played planetside, but there were far too many moments during the game when it felt like I was just a face in the crowd or that with numbers that large, the only available tactic was to zerg objectives.
Sean said on 12:42AM 10-21-2009
This seems like the best decision they could have made. The box copy sans subscription will act as demo and incentive for the AvA meta game.
If anyone wants a taste of what that 12.95 a month will buy you, check out this article on mmorpg.com: http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm?feature=3604&game=339&page=1&bhcp=1
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sirvulcan12 said on 3:44PM 10-21-2009
well i for 1 will mostly use the unsub might sub wen i will have more time (like summer) the last mmo i played i quit like 7 times in 2 years cus it wasnt always worth my money im the kinda person who will not play a game for 2 or 3 months so i like this price plan that i can join wen i have alot of time on my hands but then wen i dont i can still play the game.(its kinda a hardcore/softcore deal for if you shud sub.)
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Psychotic Storm said on 4:05AM 10-22-2009
I am sceptical about it, HGL showed that you must go either all F2P or all P2P and release content appropriately.
I would hope they would go P2P with same or lower sub and not have a F2P option.
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