And Trion Worlds isn’t wasting any time, dropping the game on the first of the month (the Europeans reading this will have to wait until March 4th). Perks abound for those that venture to pre-order (Standard/Collector’s), though, including access to the game several days earlier — February 24nd, if you do the math — and automatic entry into any of the remaining Beta events scheduled from now until release:
Event 4: 1/7 – 1/10
Event 5: 1/25 – 1/27
Event 6: 2/4 – 2/7
Event 7: 2/1 – 2/22
You’ll also be privy to a set of special subscription rates for multi-month plans if you take the plunge by March 15th: $11.99/month for 3 months, or $9.99/month for 6 months. Single month subscriptions remain a standard $14.99 a pop, but the multi-m0nth deals will last as long as you maintain an active subscription with the game.
So why should you be concerned about RIFT (besides the blood, sweat, and tears poured into the game by hard-working developers over the past few years)? So far, it seems to be a really well-made game, but the main hook seems to be the random events occurring around the world of Telara that can change it on the fly, creating unique experiences for every player. We’ve done a little coverage in the past, if you’d like to get the details and check out some sweet video footage.
But a post about an MMORPG new to the market wouldn’t be complete without talking about the 8,000-pound dragon in the room. Blizzard has a habit of dropping content right on top of a competitor’s release, but I don’t think they’ll be pulling out the old sucker punch this time. March 1st is actually an excellent time to hit the shelves — late enough to catch the runoff of curious players who’ve done the whole Tier 11 raiding thing and early enough to hit before Blizzard can get Sulfuron Keep out the door. Maybe you’ll give it a shot, too?
I actually got into the beta. It, kinda feel’s a bit like a wow clone atm (not entirely) but it has alot of potential.
At least until they get the graphic issues down.