Sony Online Entertainment's Free Realms® Breaks New Ground March 29 as the First Free-to-Play Virtual World Game on the PlayStation®Network

SAN DIEGO, March 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Online Entertainment LLC today announced that free-to-play, family-friendly persistent virtual world game, Free Realms® (www.FreeRealms.com), is scheduled for release in North America on March 29 for the PlayStation®3 Computer Entertainment System.  

"Free Realms continues to break new ground in the gaming industry – it will be the first free-to-play MMO to hit any console, the first family-friendly MMO to hit any console, and the second MMO, after our recent release of DC Universe™ Online, to hit the PlayStation 3 to date," said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment. "As the only online games publisher that creates accessible and diverse gameplay experiences for the full spectrum of gamers, we are committed to burgeoning innovation and growing the MMO genre by leaps and bounds, bringing in players of all ages."

Originally launched in 2009 for the PC and 2010 for MAC, Free Realms has a robust and highly engaged community of nearly 17 million registered players on both platforms combined. Recently recognized by Creative Child Magazine with the 2010 Creative Toy Award Seal of Excellence, Free Realms delivers an endless array of exciting gameplay activities, minigames and adventures to entertain a diversity of players. From ninja fighting and playing soccer to battling pirate ships and training exotic pets, in Free Realms players can be and do whatever they want whenever they want! Free Realms offers a fun, social environment to connect with old and new friends while participating in live events, group quests and community activities.

Featuring the familiar activities, minigames and adventures found in the PC version with a streamlined user interface, Free Realms for the PlayStation 3 capitalizes on all the interactive features the console has to offer and is easily accessible from the PlayStation®Store. Players can use voice chat to lead their group into battle and socialize at a party, while also earning, comparing and sharing trophies.

FEATURES:

Love the thrill of combat? Players can be a ninja, warrior or wizard to battle enemies or duel other players. Combat not for you? Go on adventures with pets, mine for gold, cook up a meal or enter a demolition derby!  When players are ready for a different kind of challenge, they can play a wide variety of completely integrated minigames, pick up a quest, decorate their house, construct a maze or explore the terrain on the back of their T-Rex Ride.  Free Realms is the place to join your friends to discover, explore, compete, create and just have fun!  

• Fun Now, No Waiting: Free Realms is easy to access! Get in the game quickly and easily from the PlayStation®Store, create a character, and adventure in a fully immersive social game world within minutes!  Click on the Game Guide to access the Activity Finder, Events Calendar, 3D and 2D minigames, quests, Match Making and more!
• Be Whoever You Want: With 15 jobs to get into and more than 30,000 wearable combinations, players can find the perfect profession, or try them all! Jobs include: wizard, blacksmith, medic, archer, warrior, ninja, brawler, chef, miner, demolition derby driver, kart driver, adventurer, postman, soccer star, and fisherman.
• Fun for Everyone: With so much to do and see it's easy for players to find something fun for you! Start by playing minigames like cooking, mining, soccer, Demolition Derby, or Pirate's Plunder. Players can decorate their player house with a party dance floor, rocket ship or talking tiki head, or create a maze with any number of items and invite friends over to race through it. The action doesn't stop there; players can participate with the entire community at live event Boss Battles or in holiday quests, attend in-game concerts and learn boom box dance moves.
• Vibrant, Deep Environment: There are eight distinct, unique and breathtaking environments for players to explore. Areas include the snowcapped mountain villages of Snowhill, the dark and mysterious swamps of Blackspore, and the sunny shores of Seaside.
• Connect with Friends: Whether one's meeting up with old friends or finding new ones, Free Realms players can connect, play, quest and adventure together. For group quests and multiplayer battles, players just log in to see what their friends have been up to, select them from your friends list and join them in game.
• Play Free or Upgrade: At its heart, Free Realms is free-to-play, with more than 800 quests and the ability to take each job through level four. But players who want to break through to the next level can become Members with access to an additional 400 quests and the ability to level all jobs up to 20. Memberships are offered in terms of one month, three months, six months and lifetime, which is valid for the life of the game. Members and free players can also purchase a variety of items and wearables through micro-transactions.
• Family-Friendly: Recently recognized by Creative Child Magazine with the 2010 Creative Toy Award Seal of Excellence, Free Realms is a fun online experience to share with the entire family. Parental controls on the PC allow for the customization of safety options, include pre-canned and white-list chat, reporting and filters for younger players. For kids who enjoy playing on the PlayStation®3, robust parental controls are innate to the PlayStation®3 Computer Entertainment System.  

Free Realms is rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and up with content descriptors of Crude Humor and Fantasy Violence. Online Interactions Not Rated by the ESRB. To play Free Realms, visit: www.FreeRealms.com.

About Sony Online Entertainment

Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online game console and wireless devices. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, Untold Legends™, PlanetSide®, and the recently launched DC Universe Online™, as well as the recent kids' phenomena Free Realms® and Clone Wars Adventures™, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Denver, CO, and Tucson, AZ, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development across various platforms and genres for audiences of all ages.

SOE, the SOE logo, EverQuest, Free Realms, and PlanetSide are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. Legends of Norrath is a trademark of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

SOURCE Sony Online Entertainment LLC