Sweet. Global Agenda, a game that was sixty bucks in February is now selling for half of that. With the announcement of a new Sandstorm patch and a new free trial, Steam is slashing their prices by 25%, down to 29.99. And don't forget, Global Agenda doesn't have a subscription fee.

The new patch features a lot of improvements to the popular Agency vs. Agency mode as well as some weapon tweaks that balance the competitive gameplay. Find out more about Global Agenda's sci-fi FPS meets MMO gameplay here.

Global Agenda is pulling out the stops to get you, or keep you, interested in fragging each other on their servers. They're now offering a free trial that lets you play until level 12 with up to 8 characters. Plus, Global Agenda dropped their subscription fees months ago, so if you dig the game, you'll only have to pay for it once to keep playing. If you've ever been interested in this Sci-fi FPS/RPG MMO (whew), now's the time to lock and load.

Download the Global Agenda Client here, then sign up for a free trial account here.

Now here's the question... Will they ever go completely free-to-play like Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online and Dugeons & Dragons Online?

Global Agenda (GA) fans around the world were overjoyed today as GA's expansion, Sandstorm, has finally entered Phase 2, with the introduction of some huge new content. Phase 1 took place about a month and a half back, and with it came the introduction of over 30 new Epic Weapons, a new loot system, new PvE game modes, new PvP maps, and a whole lot more. This time around, Phase 2 is set to introduce players to the Sonoran Desert Zone, which is set outside of Dome City. The Sonoran Desert Zone is actually an open PvE Zone, and it's designed primarily for players between levels 5 and 15. In this zone, you can accept missions from NPCs in order to progress along a story-arc, all the while learning more about the neighboring Desert Dweller and Recursive Colony Factions.

In addition to the introduction of the Sonoran Desert Zone comes 10-player defense raids, where players will be able to defend facilities around Dome City against the Recursive Colony Faction. Also on the plate are new co-op PvE missions set in the Sonoran Desert Zone, as well as consumeables, a major revamp of the token system and the introduction of a Salvage system, where players can 'scrap' their useless weapons to get items that can be used towards crafting better weapons.

You can check out the entire patch notes below, or go to the Global Agenda website for more info!

According to a Twitter post from Hi-Rez Studios CEO Erez Goren earlier this evening, the indie developer will no longer charge a monthly subscription fee to play Global Agenda [via Massively]. "Global Agenda going Subscriptions Free," Goren wrote in the Twitter post. Previously, Hi-Rez Studios charged players a monthly subscription fee to access the MMOFPS's full, unrestricted gameplay (in addition to the initial game purchase). Despite several promotions to entice new players throughout the last couple months (free trials, half-price sales), we can only speculate that these and other efforts weren't enough to sustain Global Agenda's subscription-based revenue model.

In a new FAQ about the subscription drop on the official website, Hi-Rez Studios explains: "After receiving feedback from many existing and potential players, we believe that we will have the most thriving community by offering a non-subscription purchase model." The FAQ also states that all gameplay modes of Global Agenda will now be completely free-to-play after customers purchase the game. Players will not be charged for core gameplay updates and patches; expansion packs will pave the way for Global Agenda's new revenue model, in addition to the initial "box" price.  The company also posted a press release about the change in the official forums, apparently slated for distribution tomorrow (the release is dated June 25). Global Agenda is on sale for 33 percent off until July 4 on Steam, according to post. Check out the full details in the official press release after the jump.

Remember Global Agenda's tongue-in-cheek "No Elves" campaign, created by Hi-Rez Studios last year to promote its rough-and-tough MMOFPS? Determined to rid the world of those pointy-eared, "fluff wisp"-collecting pansies, the developer released a second video last week, titled "Battle #2: Wood Elf vs. Assault." (If you missed the first "No Elves" video released in December 2009, check it out here on YouTube, or visit the aforementioned "official" campaign website for more.) If you're tired of elves (or collecting poofballs), watch the second video, "Wood Elf vs. Assault," after the jump.

If you've been a Global Agenda fan for quite some time now, then Hi-Rez Studios' first expansion for Global Agenda, "Sandstorm," probably won't come as a surprise to any of you. For the rest of the public, however, E3 is Global Agenda's chance to really shine, and the team has decided to lug along an exhibit for their new expansion! Sandstorm will feature new player weapons and armor, additional character customization (yes!), larger PvE raids, the ability to play PvE solo (yes!!), new PvP and PvE content, an updated User Interface and enhanced Agency vs. Agency campaigns (in other words, Guild vs. Guild fighting).

Currently at E3, the team is excited to be demonstrating their new quest-driven open zone gameplay, which works pretty much exactly as the name implies. Executive Producer Todd Harris notes that while Sandstorm "preserves [Global Agenda's] intense, shooter combat," the expansion's focal point appears to be to "add . . . story and immersion elements that [Hi-Rez Studios] thinks that players will really appreciate." So if you're interested in checking out all that this new expansion will bring to the table, be sure to check out the Hi-Rez Studios booth at the E3 Expo in the Los Angeles Convention Center's south hall in booth 747!

In our day and age of corporate double-talk and broken promises, it's tough to believe someone on their word alone. That's why when Todd Harris, the Executive Producer of Global Agenda, says that Hi-Rez Studios wants to provide the most fun per dollar in all of PC gaming, most gamers would tell Todd to put his money where his mouth is.

So he did.

You see, as of a few days ago, Global Agenda is now offering one of the most generous free trial packages in the industry by giving players an unlimited amount of play time (although the maximum level is 15). Of course, in a regular MMORPG this may not seem like a lot, but what makes this offer so generous is the fact that Global Agenda is primarily a First-Person Shooter, and by offering the core of their gameplay (unlike an MMORPG, where the "core" of the game is centered at the maximum level) up-front, Hi-Rez Studios is placing a great deal of confidence in their product.

In addition to this, the Hi-Rez Studios is also working on their new expansion, Sandstorm, which comes with a plethora of new additions will be implemented, including Open PvE zones, a wide array of new devices and armor and a higher level cap. With this announcement, Todd also notes while these features will be available to all players who purchase the game, Sandstorm will also see the beginning of Conquest Subscriptions, which give subscribers access to Alliance vs Alliance battles, Large-scale PvP Warzones, eligibility for Arenas and Tournaments and Co-Op PvE content against the Commonwealth. Finally, in another generous move, Hi-Rez Studios will be lowering their subscription price to $9.95 a month down from $12.99 a month. It certainly does look like Global Agenda is shaking things up for the better!

Hi-Rez Studios has announced via Twitter that Global Agenda will be available for half price, this weekend only. The massive 50% off sale is exclusive to Amazon.com. If this new Science Fiction shooter MMO has ever interested you, now is the time to make the purchase.  

Want to try it first? Global Agenda is now offering free trials of the game at their website. The trial doesn't expire and you can buy the game at any time. Buying the game will unlock all of Global Agenda's competitive multiplayer features and upgrading to an optional subscription package, called Conquest, will unlock all the MMORPG content. So get the trial tonight and if you dig it, buy the game on Amazon, but, don't forget, you only have this weekend to do it!

If you've been following our coverage of Global Agenda but still haven't pulled the trigger and actually given it a try, this week might be the best chance you'll get for awhile; for a limited time, Hi-Rez Studios is offering free trials of the action-packed MMOFPS for new players. Unlike many MMO trials, this one isn't just a 10-day preview; you can play as much as you want, for as long as you want.

So what's the catch, right? Well, similar to trials like Warhammer Online's new "unlimited play" offer for newcomers, the Global Agenda trial doesn't include access to the majority of gameplay and features in the MMO. Still, it's a great way for interested players to get a taste of Global Agenda's hybrid MMO-FPS gameplay for as long as they want, without trying to cram it into a 10-day period. To sign up, you can visit the trial registration page on Global Agenda's official Web site, or read all the fine print in the free trial information section. Don't wait too long though; Hi-Rez won't be offering this deal much longer; sign-ups for the unlimited play trials end on April 1 (via Massively.com). To learn more about this MMO's unique gameplay, check out ZAM's original Global Agenda preview and our Global Agenda portal site.

Fans of Global Agenda who may not have purchased the game at the outset are getting a nice chance this weekend to rectify their mistakes, as Hi-Rez Studios has just announced that from March 5th to the 8th, Global Agenda will be going on sale! You can buy the standard edition Global Agenda for $39.99 USD, and the team is also offering two games for $69.99 USD and a Global Agenda four pack for $119.97 USD. Remember, much of Global Agenda (as of now) can be accessed without having to subscribe or pay a monthly fee, and even if you don't plan on checking out the Agency vs. Agency aspect of the game, you can still enjoy all that Global Agenda has to offer for a first person shooter.

So what are you waiting for? If you were interested in the game before, now's a great time to check it out!