TERA, the 2012 MMO from En Masse Entertainment, is going the "subscription free" route next week on February 5th when it relaunches as TERA: Rising. And no, "subscription free" is not a typo, "free to play" is somewhat of a different thing. Allow me to explain.

Free to play is usually where a game relies on micro-transactions to stay afloat. What TERA: Rising is doing is similar to PlayStation Plus. Sure, you can enjoy PlayStation's Network for free, but if you pay a couple of bucks you're given access to additional rewards and bonuses. That's a basic idea of what's going on here.

For starters, En Masse wants players to know that while the game itself will be completely subscription free (without level cap or content restriction), there will still be a subscription model available. Players who do decide to go the subscription route, will be granted what's known as "Elite" status and will be granted dungeon bonuses and rewards, daily quests, daily delivery of items, special mounts, and store discounts.

Existing subscribers will be considered, "Founders" whether they choose to go paid or subscription free. As founders, players will receive additional character slots, bank tabs, a special mount, and other benefits. New players who wish to be founders can get in on the action by picking up a physical retail version of the game, and that's only until supplies last.

Whether you're a returning player or a brand new one, it looking like February 5th is a perfect time to jump into TERA.