Players will get all sorts of perks during Rift's Half-Birthday Celebration from August 25 to September 1. We talked with Executive Producer Scott Hartsman to find out more!

Can you believe it's already been six months since the launch of Rift? To mark the occasion, Trion Worlds decided to host a Rift Half-Birthday Celebration from August 25 to September 1 that will give old and new players alike ample reason to log in and enjoy the festivities.

We had the opportunity to join other members of the press in a roundtable interview with Executive Producer Scott Hartsman to find out exactly what players will be getting during the birthday week. Keep reading after the jump for all the details!

The Rewards

Let's jump right into the gifts players are going to get starting next week. From August 25 to September 1, Trion is hosting a party for “everyone on the internet.” Subscribers will enjoy a week of substantial in-game bonuses, and new and returning players can play the full game for free with no leveling or zone restrictions. If you're new, you get an expanded trial. New players who subscribe during the event can even purchase Rift for only $4.99!

Hartsman summarized it all by making two points: If you’re new or returning, come check stuff out for free; if you’re a subscriber, you get bonuses.

Here are the perks subscribers will get during the celebration:

• Special Surprise Birthday Gift – Following the event, all active subscribers will receive a special in-game birthday surprise to commemorate the occasion. “There are two gifts,” Hartsman said. “The less exciting one is you get to take some of the celebration with you with bonus potions and relive the bonuses when you need them. The cooler one is a half-birthday cake you can spawn on ground and buff yourself and friends. You'll keep it forever and ever. The buff is stamina right now.”
• Bonus Experience – Your blood-lust is rewarded with bonus experience in both PvE and PvP.
• Guild Bonus Experience – Swiftly level-up your guild with bonus XP granted for completing guild quests.
• Big PvP Payouts – All warfronts and open-world PvP will grant extra Favor and Prestige.
• A Plethora of Planarite – Sealing Telara’s rifts and combating the invasions will reward you with extra planarite.
• Bonus Plaques & Marks – Increased chance for bonus Plaques of Achievement and Marks of Ascension in all dungeons and raids.

Hartsman said that all of the buff bonuses will range from 150% to 200%. He also mentioned that Trion will be hosting contests throughout the half-birthday week for prizes ranging from game time cards to larger items. He hinted that the contests include earning achievements during the event and baking an actual Rift birthday cake.

Continued on Page 2.