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style="font-style: italic;">Is the force strong with BioWare and The Old Republic?

It's no secret that Star Wars: The Old Republic is one of the most ambitious MMOG projects to date, but Bigpoint CEO Heiko Hubertz doesn't believe that EA and BioWare are taking the right approach with the subscription mode and pulled no punches when questioned about the project stating, "With micro-transactions and longer lifetime maybe I see a chance for this game but I don't think that EA or BioWare will be profitable with this game. Ever."

I wouldn't go quite that far without knowing the full number of the budget or projected sales are behind the game, but Hubertz has brought up an interesting point. Is it possible for a game to survive long-term in this evolving market without converting to a more hybrid model which includes the increasingly popular free-to-play option? Turbine made a massive and profitable turnaround with The Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons and Dragons Online by adopting a hybrid option with free-to-play and subscription options. Both games have enjoyed a huge boost in both profits and players. Is this something that all MMORPGs should launch with? Tell us what you think.

[via GamesIndustry.biz]