Naraka: Bladepoint is finally coming to PlayStation 5 on July 13 while also shifting to free-to-play across all platforms. Instead of forking out £18 to give it a try, you can download it and jump in without paying a penny, but there's still DLC up for grabs if you find yourself wanting more.
If you haven't heard of Naraka, it's a Sekiro and Devil May Cry-inspired battle royale set on Morus Isle in which 60 players fight until the last one stands. You can play either solo or in trios with nine characters to choose from--each has two abilities, F skill and Ultimate. Like any battle royale, the zone shrinks, pushing you closer to other combatants, but multiple events can also occur during that time.
New players who sign up to play Naraka when it goes free will gain access to all in-game weapons, maps, and modes, but will not be able to rank until level 50 and will not be able to participate in lobby chat until level 20 (compared to the paid entry levels of 20 and five). Free players will also have access to Viper, Tianhai, Zipin Yin, and Matari, four of the playable heroes. You can earn 35 Hero Coins in a week, and you'll need 100 to unlock a single hero. However, if you're a standard, deluxe, or ultimate player, there is no cap on how many Hero Coins you can earn.
If you've already paid for Naraka, you'll get Gold based on the version you own--standard players get 1,960 Gold, deluxe players get 3,360 Gold, and ultimate players get 4,960 Gold. All paid players will receive an exclusive avatar and Viper Ning outfit, as well as ten Glory Chest Choice Gifts. If you buy the game between now and July 13, you will also get these bonuses.
And if you want to play online on PS5, you will not need a PS Plus subscription. However, "PlayStation Plus players [will] receive a special bundle of items and an exclusive cosmetic item. The contents of the bundle are subject to change and may change based on the current season".
The PS5 version of Naraka is also cross-platform compatible, meaning that you can play with friends on Xbox and PC, but you cannot transfer your accounts between platforms, so if you want to swap consoles on July 13, you'll have to start from scratch.
To commemorate launching on PS5, going free-to-play, and hitting over 20 million players, Naraka: Bladepoint is introducing a new mode called Capture The Spirit Well, a new hero called Tessa, a new Dual Halberd, veteran rewards, and PS5 exclusive items. You can find all of this in-game later this month.