NCsoft has announced that the MMO adventure Aion is switching to a free-to-play model in North America this spring. The free version is known as Aion: Ascension, and will give thrifty players unrestricted access to the entire Aion world. Users who already have a paid account will get extra goodies.

The free-to-play switch is already underway in Europe.

Also arriving this spring is the 3.0 content update for Aion. It’ll be available to free players, and offers an increased level cap, new zones, and more. Here’s a complete list of new features included in the update:

· Housing System – Everyone gets a home. Decorate and party in your new home.
· Mount System – A new gameplay system which lets Daevas speed around the world of Atreia in style.
· New Instances – Six new instances including a challenging 24-player raid.
· New Zones – Two stunning new zones in the Balaur homeland.
· New Level Cap – Five new levels bringing the max level to 60.

Link: Official Site