NCsoft and Paragon Studios announce the launch of City of Heroes Freedom, beginning the free-to-play era for the superhero MMORPG, converging with the launch of the game's issue 21 update, titled Convergence. "Our fans have come to expect great content and with City of Heroes Freedom we’ve clearly raised the bar by delivering the best game play we’ve ever developed, and giving players the choice to truly customize their gaming experience," said Brian Clayton, Executive Producer at Paragon Studios. "We aren’t just flipping a switch and going ‘Free-to-Play.’ We’re embarking on the biggest content and feature update to City of Heroes in its seven-year history." Here's more on the now free-to-play game:

Starting today, the Freedom model allows all players to reach level 50 at no cost, while providing players with the option to purchase new content a la carte to build a one of a kind gaming experience. Kicking off this era of choice, reward and content is Issue 21: Convergence, ready for players as soon as they log in. Issue 21: Convergence and City of Heroes Freedom come packed with a whole new zone, Incarnate Trial, powers, costumes and more, including the new monthly Signature Story Arcs and the Paragon Rewards Program.