Enterprising individuals, pouring over Perfect World’s CEO Q2 2011 earnings call question and answers session discovered something interesting about what they intend to do with Cryptic Studio’s properties now that they’ve been aquired: they intend to bring PWE’s free-to-play model to more MMORPGs. As people may know already, PWE acquired Cryptic Studios and much of their IP and thus MMOs back at the hind-end of May 2011; not that PWE wasn’t already on the map before this point, but doing so really stuck the poker in their sparkle pony mount.
One of those properties that belongs to Cryptic Studios happens to be the pay-to-play science fiction MMO Star Trek Online.
However, reading through answers from Perfect World Entertainment CFO Kelvin Lau, we uncovered this gem:
“And also Star Trek Online, after the acquisition, in fact Cryptic is working on the free-to-play model for Star Trek Online,” Lau said. “This is going to be launched by the end of this year as well. So I think free-to-play model we have a bigger potential in US market and also inChina market. Thank you.”
According to Lau, this is part of consolidating Cryptic Studio’s IP and holdings; although they don’t expect Cryptic to give them much revenue in the next quarter, they do expect to reorganize them. As a result, bringing the free-to-play model to Cryptic will be a highly likely event. For everyone who hasn’t played the well known property because they couldn’t afford to play the MMO based on the iconic sci-fi TV series—and not because it’s also widely known to be extremely buggy—will probably be able to join in on that experience by the end of the year.
So, grab a bat’leth, a generic Star Trek alien humanoid with blue skin and forehead applique, and meet me on an away team–just don’t have a transporter accident on the way.
it took em long enough