For years, sundry internet types have moaned that free-to-play aren't really free-to-play, because you're paying for them as part of your Xbox Gold subscription. Without passing comment on any of that, it may please you to learn that changes are afoot - Happy Wars, Xbox Live's first ever free-to-play title, can now be enjoyed without a subscription.

Well, most of it can. Multiplayer, missions and the treasure map still require Gold, making this a slightly token move. Still, it's a promising indication of how other service-based games might fare on Xbox Live down the line - in order to grow further, these games will presumably need to lower the barrier of entry by shearing away most or all of the associated charges.

I've asked Microsoft to comment on the idea, and will let you know if they cough up. (It may interest you to know that the forthcoming Project Spark doesn't require Gold either.)

The adjustment to the game's payment model forms part of a new Happy Wars update, which also adds a new mode, Bounty Hunters. Each player has a bounty on his or her head, which increases when you kill characters or complete map objectives in succession without dying. Slay a player and you'll nab off with their personal bounty, so the most successful combatants will become high priority targets.

Here are the full patch notes for the update, care of an email from Yoshiya Nishii, managing director.

Happy Wars Title Update 11

- Added a new game rule: Bounty Hunters (till 29th January)

- Happy Wars is now playable by Xbox LIVE Free members.

All game modes are available, except for Multiplayer, Missions, and the Treasure Map.

- Training Mode has been changed into Skirmish Mode.

Skirmish, unlike Training, gives players score, items, and Happy Stars.

- Item Level-Up mechanism has been changed.

Items now have an "Item Experience point" value. Items gain experience through "Item Level-Up" as before, but can also gain experience by being used in Multiplayer.

When the item accumulates a certain amount of experience, it levels up.

- Fixed an issue that was preventing the game from progressing in "Castle Defense" mode.

- Fixed various other known issues.

http://www.oxm.co.uk/69818/changing-times-happy-wars-now-playable-without-an-xbox-gold-subscription/

I hope this becomes the norm from now on. I hope this is wind of change!

Good God.. M$ is so generous these days!!! Free games with Gold. $5 weekly sales. Now this?! I feel loved.

"All game modes are available, except for Multiplayer, Missions, and the Treasure Map"

Haven't played this game in forever but what else is there to do?