During the ongoing CES taking place in Vegas, Flagship Studios revealed that their upcoming action/RPG Hellgate: London–which is shipping in Summer 2007–will sport a subscription-based multiplayer component. Flagship CEO Bill Roper said that the multiplayer portion will mirror features in current MMORPGs, such as guilds, continually developed content, and raid-type gameplay. Both the story and all of the missions from the single player portions of the game will be in the multiplayer portions of the game, along with some exclusive gameplay modes and content.
Pricing for the subscription has not been announced yet, although Flagship Studios will be providing a free trial for Hellgate: London upon its release. Flagship also said that a closed beta will be launching by the end of January, with an open beta planned later. There has been no word as to whether or not the single player portion will include a co-op mode, or if it will be included in the subscription.
Roper said, "I think that just as Diablo and Diablo II started this religious argument over whether they’re RPGs or not, I think that Hellgate will spark that same debate over whether it’s an MMO or not. We are all committed to making Hellgate: London absolutely the best game possible. The anticipation surrounding the game is immense and we are looking forward to its launch being a truly worldwide event."
Following the announcement, fans were immediately split between having to pay a subscription fee for extra features and content, and the notion that the multiplayer aspect is completely optional. Since most of Flagship Studios were formerly of Blizzard North (which created the Diablo franchise, among other popular titles), fans expected the multiplayer in Hellgate to mirror Battle.net, which was free. With this announcement, it appears those expectations have been defeated.
