Sony Online Entertainment, LLC (SOE) today announced that Vanguard Saga of Heroes, the fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), is now officially free-to-play worldwide. Players can join guilds, level up, battle creatures and explore the vibrant world of Telon for free on PC systems. Vanguard Saga of Heroes’ transition to a free-to-play model marks the beginning of the game’s exciting new direction, including entirely new game enhancements, regular updates and brand new entertaining content.

"SOE recognized the successful evolution of free-to-play online gaming early on and we were one of the first publishers to truly embrace the business model," said John Smedley, President, Sony Online Entertainment. "We have a long history of providing rich and compelling content to our online worlds through the free-to-play model, and with Vanguard’s transition, we continue that legacy with one of our most popular titles."

"Moving to a free-to-play model allows the opportunity to expand the Vanguard universe by adding and tailoring content to appeal to all types of players," said Andy Sites, Director of Development, Sony Online Entertainment. "We have significant plans for new content that we cannot wait to share with the community. The development team is designing and implementing all new quests that take players through some of the most beautiful and challenging areas in the game."

With the transition of Vanguard, SOE now has one of the largest and most diverse free-to-play line-ups of any publisher and continues to expand its leadership position in this growing business model.