MMORPG Rift will be free to all former subscribers this weekend

There's some consternation over Rift , the much-loved MMO from Trion Worlds, switching to free-to-play . While moving to a F2P business model can add life into drowning games , developers abusing the microtransaction system can quickly destroy the balance of the game in exchange for cold, hard cash.

Rift sought to calm our fears by detailing the new systems last week, and now they're inviting former players to come back to the fold. Trion announced on Twitter that Rift will be free for five days to anyone who has ever owned it beginning tomorrow. Players are free to load up their lapsed accounts, jump back into the game, and decide if they want to resubscribe before the official free launch of June 12.

Since subscribers get special bonuses to a number of game systems, this is a chance for players to chip in for special perks just before the game launches to the masses.

Former subscribers, even players who purchased at launch and only played for the first 30 days, can get free access to the game starting tomorrow, May 30, and running until Monday, June 3. Read through the full guide to Rift's new F2P mechanics here .