Bloodline Champions Will Be Free to Play

Bloodline Champions is a Dota style game being published by Funcom which is best known for its Anarchy Online and Age of Conan MMORPGs. It was originally assumed that Bloodline Champions would be a retail game like Heroes of Newerth, but a new post on the official post clarifies the business model.

Turns out, the game will use a microstransaction supported model very similar to that of League of Legends. Free players will have access to four heroes on a weekly rotation and will be able to purchase new ones along with avatar customization options in the cash shop. Bloodline Champions is only the latest in a series of games that have taken the Aion of Strife (AoS) genre into the mainstream.

While the game will be free to play, there will be an optional ‘premium’ subscription that costs ~$10 every 60 days. Additionally, there are several levels of one-time purchases including Champion, Bloodlust, and Titan Edition.

Now that it is officially free to play, we’ll be sure to put a preview page up for Bloodline Champions! The full details of the Bloodline Champions pricing system were posted on the official sites in the form of a long Q&A. Prospective players looking to learn more can read full text below.

Full Release:

What’s the deal with the business model, are we able to find out what it is now?

Funcom & Stunlock Studios can now confirm that the game will be available as a free to play game with micro-transactions through an in-game store. The store will hold a variety of items, ranging from additional Bloodlines, to weapons, skins and titles.

In addition to the in-game store, a variety of different game packs will be made available through the account pages, containing assorted goodies at a reduced price. The account page is also where the VIP membership (more details further down in this FAQ) can be set up.

Below you can see a brief description of the free offering:

Free Offering

– Four (4) Bloodlines on a weekly rotation

– Unlimited Play

– Blood coins earned at normal rate, with a weekly cap

– One (1) Team Slot for use in team matchmaking

– In-game VoIP with audio advertisement

Further down in this FAQ you can find details about the pre-order packs.

When will the in-game store be available?

The store will open on launch day. That means that you will not be able to use any points for purchases before that time.

So this game is both a retail game and has micro-transactions? Isn’t that a cash grab?

This is not a retail game. The client is completely free. A model like this allows players to pay as little or as much as they would like, and we think it represents great value for the users.

It is important to note that with a system like this we give the players complete freedom to choose what they want to purchase.

So you will never sell power in the game?

No, we are committed to ensuring the game is always a level playing field.

The payment options will just provide players with greater options and more variety.

How do I pre-order my copy of the game?

When the time comes, information about how to do it will be available in the game itself and on the account pages.

How does the early access work?

During open beta everyone who has pre-ordered will be able to play the game with all the content that is part of the pack they have chosen, be it Bloodlines, skins, weapons, avatars, titles, et cetera.

Players who have not pre-ordered will be restricted to what is given as part of the free to play offer.

Is my account with Funcom or with Stunlock Studios?

As the publisher of the game, your game account will be with Funcom.

What are the differences between the different editions of the game that you have planned?

During the pre-order and early access period, these packs will be available:

Champion Edition* ($29.90)

– 16 Bloodlines

– VIP Membership, 60 days. (Starting from the launch day)

– Three (3) Avatars

– Three (3) Titles

– Two (2) additional team slots (Total of three (3))

– Five (5) dollars worth of Points

Pre Order Bonus

– Early Access

– Immediate access to the beta

– 16 Unique Weapons

– 16 “Pre Order” Avatars

– One (1) Chat Icon

– One (1) Title

Bloodlust Edition (Upgrade from Champion Edition, cost $10)

Four (4) Additional Bloodlines:

– The names and abilities will be announce over the next few weeks

– Four (4) avatars (one for each of the Bloodlines)

– Four (4) weapons (one for each of the Bloodlines)

– Early Access, these four (4) Bloodlines will not be available for players without the Bloodlust or Titan Editions until launch

Titan Edition ($89.90)

– All the contents of the Champion and Bloodlust Editions

– Lifetime VIP Membership

– 20 Outfits

– 20 weapons (The four (4) from Bloodlust 16 pre-order weapons that will always be available in this edition)

– 10% lifetime discount on all in-game store purchases

– 20 dollars worth of Funcom Points

– One (1) Chat Icon

– Three (3) additional team slots (Total of six (6))

– One (1) Title

VIP Membership, 60 days, ($9.90)

– Funcom Points equal to $2 in value (Lifetime VIP members do not get this)

– Advanced Stats

– Priority Matchmaking

– Advertisement Free VoIP

– 10% Blood Coin Generation and removal of the weekly cap

– Access to VIP Tournaments

– Access to medium and hard bots in Single Player mode

Do I need to purchase multiple items to get access to all the bloodlines?

That depends on what you prefer to do. After launch each of the bloodlines can be purchased from the in-game store, using either Bloodcoins earned from playing, or Funcom Points you have bought. It is entirely up to you if you prefer to get access to the Bloodlines that way, or by buying one of the packs listed above. (Additional packs may be added at any time).

I made a mistake with my purchase. Can I seek support to correct or refund my order?

Yes, you can contact support via email at: account@funcom.com

Will there be a Retail Collector’s Edition of the Game?

No, at this point in time no retail version of the game is planned.

Will the game be available for all parts of the world at the same time?

Yes, there will be no region restrictions in terms of access to the game.

With that said, at launch the game will have servers in the EU and US, so the gaming experience might not be optimal for people outside of those regions due to latency.

If I am from the US and buy the game, will I still be able to play with European, Asian or Oceanic players, and vice versa?

Yes, you will be free to choose who you play with. With that said, we have not made the final decision about exactly how this will work. The idea right now however is to put players from different regions on the same server but with different ladders.

Example: You can play together in custom games and create teams with players from both US and EU but matchmaking (used for ranked games) will be divided into two regions so either you create your team on the US ladder or EU ladder. It is up to the players to decide which ladder they play on.

Will payment options like PayPal or Paybycash be available?

Yes, in addition to credit cards popular payment providers such as PayPal, Paybycash and many others will be supported.

Will there be retail game-cards available?

Yes, game-cards will be made available through retail. More information on timing and availability will be given later.

Will I need to give a credit card for the VIP pass to recur just like a subscription?

It is possible to purchase a VIP membership in-game with Funcom Points at full price. If you set up your membership in the account pages using a credit card you will get 10% off on your first recurring payment, and 20% on all later recurring payments – provided you maintain an uninterrupted membership paid by credit card. There is quite a bit to be saved by using a credit card for the membership.

Will my beta character carry over once the game launches?

Yes and No, all items you have received during beta (titles, avatars, skins, weapons, emotes) will be transferred over but your account level, grade, stats, rating and teams will be reset on launch day. You will still keep the same account name.

Can we expect further development/updates to the game after it launches?

Yes, absolutely. New bloodlines will be added, as will weapons, skins and maps. In addition to the things mentioned, there will be other types of updates, but it is too early to give any details.