ArsGeek

SAGA is something of a new concept.  It’s a collectible MMO which charges $19.95 for the game (you can play for free but lots of things are locked).  Or - you can hit FileFront right now and grab one of the 50,000 free registration keys to essentially get this game for free.

Here’s the press release.

For the first time in FileFront history, the Ziff Davis site is offering a full copy of a released game: SAGA, the world’s first collectible MMO RTS. Players have until May 11th to secure one of 50,000 Retail Keys available at http://www.filefront.com. SAGA can normally be purchased for $19.95 from the official SAGA website and at many hobby stores across America.

SAGA uses an innovative collectible revenue model first implemented by the THQ studio Genetic Anomalies in 1997 and now seen in over 120 online collectible games, such as the upcoming EA collectible RTS BattleForge.

SAGA has no subscription fees. Players pay as little or as much as they decide, by purchasing ‘booster packs’ of random troops and spells, which are traded and customized to create the strategic army of choice for each player.

SAGA can be played for free; however, the unregistered free version disables many of the features that players find most attractive in a collectible game. Using the Retail Key from http://www.filefront.com unlocks trading, guilds, espionage and PvP combat.

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