Red 5 Studios, the California-based studio that now houses lead designers that worked on triple-A titles such as and Tribes, announced their first game - Firefall - at PAX on Friday.

Firefall is a massively that combines persistent character building with class-based gameplay. Perhaps the most unique aspect of the title, though, is that it will be completely free to play, with users paying money only for premium items.

When I founded Red 5, I knew I wanted to do something different than anything Id done before", says CEO and chief creative officer Mark Kern, who led the for World of Warcraft. I wanted to take the best of what I learned making online games and bring that to skill-based shooters.

Firefall is due for release before then end of 2011 on the PC, though players may get their hands on the game before then - Red 5 is currently accepting applications for an upcoming online beta.

By Nicholas Gasse