Tuesday morning, respected strategy game studio Petroglyph made the announcement that it is creating a free-to-play action strategy RPG named Mytheon, which will have a business model based around microtransactions.

It's the studio's first foray into the world of microtransactions, an area that has seen only limited success in the West, at least compared with its widespread acceptance in Asia. Mytheon will rely on small virtual item purchases for revenue.

"It is a serious commitment on our part," said Chuck Kroegel, producer for Mytheon and general manager at Petroglyph. "We find [microtransactions] intriguing because we do feel that this could be the way of the future, and if not, it will certainly be at least part of the future. ... Right now, it looks to be viable."

One problem with free-to-play games is that many of these games aren't exactly of the triple-A variety, with many sporting subpar graphics and gameplay when compared to $50 retail counterparts. Gamers realize this.

"I think that's a concern," said Kroegel of the "free" stigma. "We're going to prove ourselves out of the gate. [Mytheon] has triple-A production qualities to it, very similar to the other games that we've done. ... That's what we know, that's what we do and that's what we're doing here. We're putting as much into this as any project we've ever done.

"...This is not your typical free-to-play game."

Mytheon, which "isn't the only project" in development at Petroglyph, runs deeper than some business experiment for the company.

The GM added, "The whole pay-as-you go model that allows you to add-on is a marketing mechanism that's been around for a long time. It's just a matter of applying it to the online arena."

And while Mytheon in its purest form is free, make no mistake; Kroegel wants your money in the end.

"We don't make any bones that as you continue to play the game and have fun with it, we want you to buy the items and the services that enhance your gameplay. But it's our obligation to provide a very compelling game."

We'll have more in a soon-to-be-published interview with Kroegel.