Trion World’s creative director Bill Fisher has stated that Rift is going free-to-play because of “a change brought on by player feedback from surveys, community postings, in-game reports, and passionately written emails over the last two years.”
He continues explaining that: “After June 12, all players will have total access to the entire world: every dungeon, every raid, every Warfront, and every level. We won’t be locking our content or advancement behind walls – our goal is to break down every barrier.”
The subscription model will still be available for users who want extra benefits. The subscribers in the game will be referred to as ‘Patrons’. However, the developer reassures that the entire game is open to everyone for free.
Here are some more quotes from the statement regarding the Patrons and free-to-play.
“Patrons receive access to a suite of abilities usable once per day that grant buffs to experience, currency, notoriety, and a number of additional convenience benefits,” details Fisher.
“We are not jacking up the experience curve to make these benefits required – all of these bonuses are completely optional and playing without them you will experience RIFT exactly as it is today. We want to make sure that becoming a Patron is a great value, but it’s not required. If you’re a free player and want the same benefits for a specific duration, you can purchase Patron Passes of varying lengths from the in-game RIFT Store.
Rift will transition into free-to-play will occur on June 12, which is also the same day of the next major content patch Rift 2.3: Empyreal Assault. The game will also introduce a new addition of currency called Rift Exchange (REX). “Initially purchased with real money, REX is an item that grants store Credits to your wallet when consumed. Before being consumed, it can be traded between players or sold on the auction house,” Fisher has stated.
If you want more information, please take a peek at their official blog post.
Check out the developer diary video below:
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