Trion Worlds Now Selling RIFT's Captured Intel Pack For Cash, Players Call Pay To Win

There was a time when I spoke pretty well of RIFT's free-to-play setup -- pretty much right after Trion made the switch. Since then, the game's monetization has changed here and there, until we've arrived Trion offering end-game currency as an item that can be purchased in store.

Yesterday, Community Manager Morgana announced that changes had been made to how players could acquire Captured Intel in RIFT. Not only is it now available via more in-game sources, it can also be purchased in the RIFT store.

As one would likely expect, players are calling pay-to-win on this one. The currency is used to buy endgame gear, meaning players who throw money at the new store caches will have an obvious advantage. Those who don't wish to spend money will need to continue to grind zone events. Players are also questioning the price of the cashes, noting that they can cost more than actual games.

Some players commenting on a Reddit thread addressing the new currency do note that since the currency is used to buy PvE gear it shouldn't matter, believing that PvP is where it gets questionable as it's competitive. That said, PvE has its own variety of competition in most MMOs and purchasing gear would make things easier for raid guilds that can afford it.

That said, most players seem to be put out by the decision and are calling BS on it. It'll be interesting to see if Trion makes any changes based on this feedback.