Wed, Mar 30, 2011 | 00:32 BST
Free Realms PS3 delayed by technical difficulties
Sony Online Entertainment president John Smedley has explainhed why free-to-play MMORPG Free Realms has only just arrived on the PlayStation Network.
“It was complicated because Free Realms is inherently a streaming title. There’s memory constraints on the PS3 that we had to work within,” he told Kotaku.
Keeping up with the PC version’s regular content expansions within the framework of the console network’s strict policies proved a challenge, too – but a surmountable one.
“Now we’ll be able to do updates a lot quicker, so we intend to be catching up,” Smedley explained.
Asked what would tempt players into the PSN’s first MMORPG, Smedley said housing had becom a serious driving force within the game, and in the veteran-free environment of the PS3 version, there’s a chance to shine.
“It’s the highest engagement, people are spending so much time in housing,” Smedley explained.
“People can build with blocks, just like in MineCraft, only it’s a little less tedious. People have built Notre Dame, some other churches, spaceships, and all sorts of crazy stuff.”
Also? Free Realms is really chill.
“To me, it’s relaxing in a way that other MMOs aren’t. You login and you’re not feeling like you have to go do something,” the SoE president concluded.
Free Realms released on the US PlayStation Network today, and is also available on PC. The free-to-play MMORPG offers one and three month subscriptions, or lifetime membership for $34.95.
Related posts
SCEE blames “technical difficulties” for GT5 PSN no-show
11 
Posted in: MMO, PC, PS3, PSN, RPG, Sony, Sony Online Entertainment
Tags: Free Realms, john smedley
11 comments
#1
onlineatron
30/03/11, 1:31 am
Title reads like it has been delayed again.
#2
Alakratt
30/03/11, 2:20 am
Wow, that title is REALLY misleading! This game came out TODAY on PSN!! And yes, for free!
#3
Lounds
30/03/11, 4:00 am
what about EU?
#4
FredEffinChopin
30/03/11, 4:02 am
@1 & 2
Totally.
#5
Blerk
30/03/11, 8:44 am
Free Realms is for kids, right? Is it suitable for an 8-year-old? Or is it full of sweary teenagers and bearded old men pretending to be sweary teenagers?
#6
sennasnit
30/03/11, 9:06 am
@Blerk
I played the PC version for ages last year, it was really good fun (i’m 37!), ideal for 8 year olds, not sure if the PS3 version will support headsets. I know what you’re thinking why did you play it, well it was free, i’m from Yorkshire we’ll play owt that’s free!
#7
Blerk
30/03/11, 9:09 am
It would be the PC version for us as well, we don’t have a PS3. He’s pretty good at games, just didn’t want to get him involved in something that’s…. well, like the internet.
#8
mojo
30/03/11, 10:00 am
im a total mmorgpxyz newb which leads to massive irritation when reading the last line:
“The free-to-play MMORPG offers one and three month subscriptions, or lifetime membership for $34.95.”
how is it free to play when there are monthly subs?
#9
Blerk
30/03/11, 10:17 am
Free-to-play means just that – it’s free to play. However, most games also offer paid-for modes which get you better stuff or more features or whatever, whereas free modes are micro-transaction-driven – you can play for free and they tempt you to buy little things here and there for small amounts of money.
#10
sennasnit
30/03/11, 10:22 am
Yep, what Blerk said.
The PC version had access to almost the whole world, but you could only reach level 5 in the careers, which could take weeks.
It all seemed very innocent to me just a lot of “mild peril”
#11
mojo
30/03/11, 11:33 am
9: so i can achieve everything in the game without buying said things or do i have a dumbed down version of what could be when i only play for free?
is it like the “time saver” cheats on the psn/xbla where u just get things quicker or aren these things u never get without paying?