Fury To Become Free

Auran has announced a new free-to-play mode for its PvP MMOG Fury, which will become available following the Age of the Chosen update on December 14.

Kotaku Australia has reported on a press release from Auran and Gamecock which describes the upcoming cost change in the game, as well as the addition of two new game types: "Carnage," which will feature indirect team competition as they race to kill bots and collect blood tokens, and a 1v1 "Elimination" game, which will result in faster-spawning games and more evenly balanced matches.

The big change, however, comes in the updated pricing model. Players with the update will be able to join a category known as "Chosen," which will give them free access to all game types, weapons and abilities, at the cost of reduced gold and essence earnings and an inability to trade with other players. "Fury was built around giving players options that suit their play style and their wallet," said Auran CEO Tony Hilliam. "'Chosen' players can purchase game gold from the Fury store or upgrade to "Hero" status to earn more Essence and Gold. Retail stores sell the "Hero" status pack, along with a free month of "Immortal" status, so this is a $30 value for the new price of $19.99 (in U.S. stores). As a Hero or Immortal, players can unlock abilities faster and purchase better gear, but the matchmaker then ensures they are playing against other players of similar skill and rank."

On a darker note, the Auran CEO also included a statement with the press release which read, "We will then have some bad news to follow (unless a miracle occurs), but there will be a very positive end to the week." While the exact nature of the "bad news" is unknown, Auran has recently been facing rumors of financial difficulties arising from Fury's weak reception, and confirmed yesterday that the company would be laying off some staff and outsourcing parts of Fury to China.