Trion Worlds Free2Play MMORPG Rift is tightening its grip on pricing. The ones suffering are the Free2Play players.
Recently, there have been reports that Trion Worlds is pushing players to spend money in the cash shop. The reason given was that higher revenues are needed to keep the game alive and progressing. Now there’s another development in this direction.
They are increasing the benefits for “Patron” players, those with a subscription, and giving them some privileges exclusively, thus taking them away from Free2Play players. Fairly, it must be said: One does not necessarily have to pay real money to become a Patron player in Rift; it can also be obtained for gold through player trading.
Patrons will be immune to “Soul Vitality Loss” starting February 10 and receive a 50% discount on auction house fees.
Additionally, they will soon be able to collect “exclusive” rest XP, sign up for specific dungeons and warfronts, and accumulate charges for dungeons, instant adventures, and warfronts. Free2Play players will no longer be able to do this.
The players’ reaction in the official forum is mostly a mix of confusion and mild disappointment. The changes did not really improve the Patron experience but instead forced Free2Play players to change their gameplay. The fact that Free2Play players can no longer specifically sign up for a dungeon or a warfront but have to go into the random queue seems to be the crux of the matter.
Often one reads: You must be really struggling financially if you resort to such means.
