Funcom has removed The Secret World‘s subscription requirement, allowing players to play the full game after buying the box.

There will be “optional” paid content packs released, with the first expected in January. Anyone who signs up to the game before the end of December will get the first pack for free. There will also be the usual free issue updates as well.

A Membership option is available for $15 a month (bulk discounts available) which will grant users a Time Accelerator–doubling the amount of experience gained for one hour, one every 16 hours–$10 worth of points to spend in the cash shop a month, a mystery gift on the first patch day of every month, and a 10 percent discount on all items in the store except content packs.

Grand Master Lifetime subscribers will get all this plus an increased 20 percent discount in the cash shop. Anyone who is currently a subscriber will be granted 1200 bonus points to use in the shop and can claim the Time Accelerator for free.