WildStar is going free-to-play, so its time to dust off those WildStar accounts and get back to Nexus. A lot has changed since you probably last played, but never fear, this handy guide will get you through the launch unscathed. A lot has and hasn't changed with the game, so if you're familiar with the basics then you shouldn't have any issue with getting back into the game. If you're new to the game, then it's time to enjoy Nexus.

Feel Free to Restart

It's now easier than ever to make a new character in the game. There is a new tutorial that starts with the basics, moves to more advanced subjects, and then puts you down planetside. You can choose to start in either one of these three locations, depending on your skill. So now if you want to make a new class, it's just as easy as one, two, or three - and three puts you down on the planet fast, while one will have you learn the basics such as movement and skill activation.

It's probably even better now to restart a new character, as you transverse Nexus again you can check out some of the new solo dungeons (one new one at level 15) and try a new class out and relearn the game. There is more random events in the world,

Don't Worry if You Bought the Game

Returning players who bought the game retain all of their original limits (decor, bank, character, and costume). New players though will have strict limitations that can be removed by subscribing or unlocking through the store.

You also get all of the loyalty points associated with your purchase, as they're retroactive, meaning that you get even more bonuses on the F2P launch beyond the free limit adjustment.

The Core Game Hasn't Changed

Nothing in the core game has really changed. The classes, races, and game mechanics are still there. However, as the game evolved from its original launch, it has had a few modifications to it. There is more content in the game, a lot of quality of life improvements have come (only 4 genesis keys are needed now instead of 12 for raiding attunement), and everything is much better than before. Stats have been boiled down to be a lot less confusing, runes have been revamped along with crafting to make it easier to understand, and a lot has changed in regards to housing (bigger plots, more options, etc.)

The F2P launch adds in the cash shop, which opens up a ton of new options for housing, character development, etc. along with restrictions to new F2P accounts (that can be removed by spending money). Megaservers have merged the population (see below) and a ton of content updates come with and after the F2P update, along with in the previous year. Leveling, for instance, has constantly been refined and quest rewards tuned to give more gold and better rewards.

However, nothing has really changed with the base game. It's still WildStar at its heart and all classes still maintain similar roles to before.

Megaserver Worries - Don't Fret if you Don't See your Character

If you hadn't played since the megaserver drop, your characters are on the server associated with the region and ruleset (PvP or PvE) for the server you were on. So don't panic if you don't immediatly see your characters, just switch to the proper megaserver and they should be there. Still can't find them? Open a ticket, as your account was probably compromised.

Enjoy WildStar the Way You Want

You'll need to choose, on your return, if you want to be a free player or a subscriber. The subscription plan offers 25% more XP, crafting bonuses, more rest XP (200% vs. 150% total), more auction slots, and much more. However, from my experience, just leveling doesn't really the plan. It makes it faster, but doesn't neccessarily make it better, because many of the bonuses really only impact elder game content vs. leveling up. While you may level slower and won't craft as easily, the game will still be fun, which is a good thing in a free-to-play game.

C.R.E.D.D. stored still work, by the way!

Finally

Be sure to update your client or download it again and get your UI addons updated!