Red Orchestra 2 Free on Steam to Keep Forever - Update

[Steven Bogos]

Red Orchestra 2 Free on Steam to Keep Forever - Update

For 24 hours, everyone will be able to permanently unlock a copy of Red Orchestra 2 in their Steam libraries.

Update 2: That's all folks! The game has returned to its discounted price of $9.99.

Update: The free period has officially begun, head over to the game's Steam store page [http://store.steampowered.com/app/35450/] to add it to your library by the end of the day!

Original Story: "Free weekends," that is, making certain games free for all players to literally "try before they buy" for a limited time are nothing really new for Steam titles (especially multiplayer ones), but, the team behind Red Orchestra 2 is doing one better, allowing users to play the game for free, and then keep it forever, provided they add it into their Steam libraries at some point during April 23 (tomorrow). This is somewhat similar to the way Valve gave away Left 4 Dead 2 last Christmas [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/130834-Update-Left-4-Dead-2-Is-Free-On-Steam-Merry-Christmas].

Immediately following this period, Rising Storm - Red Orchestra 2's expansion pack - will be getting one of the aforementioned free weekends, where it will also be available to purchase at a discount. A very crafty business move any way you look at it - give away the vanilla game for free in the hopes that people will like it enough to buy the expansion.

"If you've been trying to convince a friend to play Red Orchestra 2 with you, there will be no better time than tomorrow!" said a developer, on the game's official Steam community page [http://steamcommunity.com/games/RO2/announcements/detail/1353639133892980334].

To unlock the game, you simply need to "add" it to your library from its Steam store page [http://store.steampowered.com/app/35450/] during the 24 hour period - you do not have to download it or play it for it to register.

A very nice gesture from Tripwire Interactive. I played Red Orchestra 2 when it first came out, and while it was too hardcore for someone who'd grown up on Quake, I'm sure fans of more realistic military shooters would appreciate it. But hey, can't complain about a free game!

Source: Steam [http://steamcommunity.com/games/RO2/announcements/detail/1353639133892980334]

Permalink

 

[SomeLameStuff]

Oh damn, I bought it when I could have gotten it for free! D=

I mean, sure, I bought it a few months after it came out, but it's FREE now! Dammit!

 

[AWAR]

The game would be much more fun if the devs were focusing more on delivering quality content than cash grabs. Yes, RO2 is free, but the vast majority of RO players play the non free expansion Rising Storm. Unless you pay for it you get only "rifle access" (you can only use 1 class and your experience points are not recorded).

 

[Tanis]

It's not my kind of game.

I prefer my games to be more 'fun', less 'work'.

The whole 'arcade vs simulation'.

 

[Vegosiux]

It's free? Likely going to sit in my "Never played" statistic for a while, but hey, it doesn't cost me anything.

Also, the second digit of today's date is three. I think I'm on to something there, Valve!

 

[FancyNick]

Must not be up yet. It's still showing as $9.99 for me. I'll probably pick it up and try it because free. Thanks for the info

 

[CriticalMiss]

Either the free-ness hasn't happened yet or Valve have reached a new level of exchange-rate-madness where $0.00 = £6.99. I probably won't play the game but it can have a loving home in my backlog of games that will not be played until 2020, they'll appreciate the company I'm sure.

 

[josemlopes]

The game would be much more fun if the devs were focusing more on delivering quality content than cash grabs. Yes, RO2 is free, but the vast majority of RO players play the non free expansion Rising Storm. Unless you pay for it you get only "rifle access" (you can only use 1 class and your experience points are not recorded).

Even if the game isnt all that quality material I think that the "play the expansion for free with some limitations" is a really fucking good deal considering that in most cases you cant try anything. Its basicly a demo that isnt limited by time.

And even for RO it makes some sense, in WW2 there were probably a lot more regular infantry men then there were specialized units so the free players fill those slots nicely.

 

[NuclearKangaroo]

i tried this during a free weekend and it wasnt really my style, but hell free is the best price, at the very least this will only boost my already impressive (if i say so) 136~ games collection on steam, and who knows, if i stop playing FTL or TF2 long enough i might give it a second shot

game's still not free, guess itll become free later on

 

[Albino Boo]

rifles are the only good gun in RO 2.

This isn't COD or CS, you are NEVER going to get close enough to use an SMG or even an AR. You'd get shot well before you get close.

The common distance of engagement is about 300-500 meters. RO2 is basically a hardcore sniper competition. Just like it was in real life.

So you are stuck slowly advancing and scanning the area for snipers. No HUD elements to help you either.

bullets? You have to check it periodically.

Who is around you? You have 2 eyes, use them. No color coded screen names over people's heads here.

scopes? scopes is for dedicated snipers. Who also get harassed more than a hot chick on XBL when someone wants the ONLY scope on the entire team. Better get used to squinting. Just like soldiers had to do in real life.


You have to count your bullets manually, you have to spot your own targets, you have to gauge your own distance, you have to tell who is friend and foe by yourself.

and keep in mind, veteran RO 1 players call this the casual mode. Yeah.

Well I have played 1190 matches won 818 and lost 372. My most used weapon is the MP 40 and I have an overall Kill/death ratio of 1.86. If you want to win and get kills don't camp, run from cover to cover, use the cover of smoke whenever available and always look to flank. To be honest it doesn't matter what weapon you use you will always get more kills by shooting from where people are not looking. The problem with R01 and R02 is not enough people worked out that a moving target is more difficult to hit and not to keep standing in the same place and shoot at the person who killed you standing there last time. They are waiting for you to move there again and already aiming at that point so you will always be at a disadvantage. You know where they are, change your angle and shoot them from where they are not looking. You can just ignore a lot of players by staying out of the obvious lines of sight. Its much easier to get into the objective and bayonet the people standing staring down narrow gaps.

 

[AWAR]

The game would be much more fun if the devs were focusing more on delivering quality content than cash grabs. Yes, RO2 is free, but the vast majority of RO players play the non free expansion Rising Storm. Unless you pay for it you get only "rifle access" (you can only use 1 class and your experience points are not recorded).

Even if the game isnt all that quality material I think that the "play the expansion for free with some limitations" is a really fucking good deal considering that in most cases you cant try anything. Its basicly a demo that isnt limited by time.

And even for RO it makes some sense, in WW2 there were probably a lot more regular infantry men then there were specialized units so the free players fill those slots nicely.

It's a game though, not a WW2 simulation, and you still get anihilated by flamethrowers, smgs, LMGs, snipers etc.
Appart from that, XP is not recorded, rendering it useless if you want to purchase the game on a later date when it's on discount.
My gripe is not that you can only use one gun, my gripe is that overall tripwire adopts policies of douchebag gaming companies, by using cash grab tactics and introducing balance affecting DLCs in RO but mainly in their other games as well.

-snip

Thanks for the detailed guide, but I play RO1 since it was a mod for UT and RO2 for years, and while my K/D isn't extremely impressive, I like to think I know how to play the game quite well.

 

[The White Hunter]

Either the free-ness hasn't happened yet or Valve have reached a new level of exchange-rate-madness where $0.00 = £6.99. I probably won't play the game but it can have a loving home in my backlog of games that will not be played until 2020, they'll appreciate the company I'm sure.

It costs them exactly 6.99 to change the $ to a £ y'know!

Typing ain't free.

Seriously though game prices in the UK fucking suck.

 

[Panzer Camper]

It will be free 11:00 am Mountain time, if you don't know what timezone that is I don't care because it's the only time that matter to me

 

[LiMaSaRe]

If Red Orchestra 2 is as hardcore as it sounds then I can't imagine the veteran players will be very happy about the mass influx of COD kiddies from this date forth.

 

[Clowndoe]

My gripe is not that you can only use one gun, my gripe is that overall tripwire adopts policies of douchebag gaming companies, by using cash grab tactics and introducing balance affecting DLCs in RO but mainly in their other games as well.

How is selling Rising Storm a cash-grab though? They don't sell skins, weapons, ranks, XP or anything. What they are selling are two factions, complete with weapons and maps, that people spent years working on as a job, enough content to be stand-alone, for 20$. There were no balance affecting DLCs in RO, apart from the two overrated weapons you got for pre-order that you could have unlocked in 10 hours of normal play.

 

[Total LOLige]

If Red Orchestra 2 is as hardcore as it sounds then I can't imagine the veteran players will be very happy about the mass influx of COD kiddies from this date forth.

The hardcores are probably still whining about the Humble Bundle players.

I've already got it and I bought the Rising Storm expansion. It's an alright game, pretty boring after the novelty of "super realism" wears off. It's a pity that Rising Storm has stuttered like a ***** for me since it came out of beta.

 

[exobook]

I've already got it and I bought the Rising Storm expansion. It's an alright game, pretty boring after the novelty of "super realism" wears off. It's a pity that Rising Storm has stuttered like a ***** for me since it came out of beta.

The stuttering was something that effected the original RO2 as well, I think its a programming glitch.

 

[MCerberus]

The game would be much more fun if the devs were focusing more on delivering quality content than cash grabs. Yes, RO2 is free, but the vast majority of RO players play the non free expansion Rising Storm. Unless you pay for it you get only "rifle access" (you can only use 1 class and your experience points are not recorded).

You do realize that two of the maps released and both of the new vehicles are for the base game right?
And that Tripwire doesn't charge for map packs.