RIFT opens up to free-to-play

RIFT is changing to a free-to-play model on June 12th. Rumors had been swirling around Trion World’s MMO for months, but now it’s official. You’ll be able to download and play RIFT without spending a dime as soon as the Empyreal Assault update rolls out.

All players will be able to explore the entire world of Telara for free and will have access to the expanded in-game RIFT Store where a variety of services – mounts, boosts, wardrobe items, and more – will be available for purchase. An optional subscription will still be available that grants a slew of “Patron” benefits and bonuses to maximize the RIFT experience. Trion will celebrate its current and previous subscribers with loyalty and currency rewards for their time spent playing RIFT thus far.

Owners of the original paid client will get additional loot bags and character slots over the regular F2P players. Owners of Storm Legion will unlock the expansion Souls (Harbinger, Tempest, Tactician, and Defiler) on their account permanently.