Free Realms registers 12 millionth subscriber

Sony Online Entertainment's Free Realms is earning its "massively multiplayer" status, as the developer announced the free-to-play game has surpassed the 12-million-user mark.

The publisher says the milestone was reached just after the in-game Summer Camp event began. The event, which began June 7, added summer-themed items to the gameworld, including umbrellas, beach chairs, volleyball nets, and more.

The game's virtual population could balloon even further if Sony follows through on its commitment to bring all its massively multiplayer online games to consoles and releases it on the PlayStation 3. SOE president John Smedley, speaking at the Austin Game Developers Conference 2009, said Free Realms will come to the PS3 toward the middle of 2010 with PlayStation Eye support likely included.

The children's game was released in April 2009 and quickly amassed more than 3 million users in just seven weeks. Unlike in many massively multiplayer online role-playing games, combat is optional in Free Realms. The game features an assortment of quests, minigames, themed events, and social-networking features, including the ability to upload in-game videos to YouTube.