Sony Online Entertainment has announced that DC Universe Online will offer a free tier starting in late October, a measure that SOE President John Smedley believes will give their title a stronger community:
When we launched DC Universe Online, we introduced a very different brand of massive online game driven by fast action combat to PC and PS3 gamers and with that, we discovered a new type of online gamer. We've listened to our community, and we've determined that the free-to-play model is the best fit for DC Universe Online.
The free version will allow players to create two characters, join a league, and access to all current gameplay with all necessary updates and fixes. Contributing $5, however, will grant players premium access with additional character and inventory slots and higher cash limits. Paying $14.99 a month for legendary access gives players all DLC packs for free, a huge number of character and inventory slots, and no limit to in-game currency.
A full breakdown of the three tiers of access can be found here.