Turbine has announced that its MMO game Dungeons & Dragons Online will become a free-to-play title in the US following the release of a digital upgrade this summer.

While the game’s existing subscription structure is to be dropped, a new DDO store will offer players the chance to purchase additional game content and items via microtransactions, while a DDO VIP program offering unlimited access to all premium content will be available for “a single low monthly price.”

“Historically, players of free online games were forced to sacrifice the quality of their experience,” said Turbine CEO Jim Crowley. “Those days are over. The new DDO Unlimited is the most innovative, exciting and graphically rich MMO to ever hit the free-to-play market and it changes the very nature of what it means to be free-to-play.”

European publisher Codemasters currently has no plans to follow suit, confirming that the game’s existing subscription model will remain in place for the time being.

“To clarify, for the time being, DDO Europe will not be assuming this new business model and the European DDO game service will remain a monthly subscription-based game with all new content created available to all subscribers, as has been the model up until now.

“As the beta progresses we will release more information regarding the future plans for EU players.”