Electronic Arts is shaking the video game publishing model by releasing the fantasy-themed real-time strategy game BattleForge as a free download.

Rare for a freebie, the game comes from a major studio, has pulled down respectable reviews, isn’t a barely-disguised commercial and won’t put you in danger of landing in federal prison.

So what’s the deal here, is EA just doing this out of the goodness of its corporate heart, to reward loyal gamers who shell out ungodly portions of their paychecks to buy their wares? Of course not. The idea is to hook you on the gameplay, which requires you to buy extra virtual playing cards which bolster your battle options. But since EA and other game companies already try to shove paid downloadable content down your throats for games that cost $50 or $60, it’s nice to have a starting price that’s quite a bit more reasonable.

Play BattleForge For Free Right Now [Game Informer]

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