Network founded June 2018
The Rift Network was founded in mid-June of 2018. The first player to join it was AllegroSkate90.
However, before that, in December of 2016, a server called Opticraft was founded. This was the predecessor to the Rift Network. Due to a variety of reasons, Opticraft closed in early summer of 2017, unfortunately leaving behind about 100+ people that played on it. Some of the staff and players kept in touch with me and ended up as staff members on the Rift Network. The first player to join it was glitchieMCPE. The website was opticraftpe.weebly.com, which is kept up for the memory of the old server.
Even before that, in early 2014, Opticraft went up for the first time. It gained a small but loyal group of players, about ten or so. It ended up closing only about four months after it opened. The first player to join it was ProUnicorn77. Unfortunately none of the players from it were able to be contacted when the server opened again.
However, before that, in December of 2016, a server called Opticraft was founded. This was the predecessor to the Rift Network. Due to a variety of reasons, Opticraft closed in early summer of 2017, unfortunately leaving behind about 100+ people that played on it. Some of the staff and players kept in touch with me and ended up as staff members on the Rift Network. The first player to join it was glitchieMCPE. The website was opticraftpe.weebly.com, which is kept up for the memory of the old server.
Even before that, in early 2014, Opticraft went up for the first time. It gained a small but loyal group of players, about ten or so. It ended up closing only about four months after it opened. The first player to join it was ProUnicorn77. Unfortunately none of the players from it were able to be contacted when the server opened again.
Why we created the Rift Network
The Rift Network was created because we want people to have a large choice of not just minigames, but Survival, Creative, Roleplay, and more. But the biggest reason I pay to keep this server up is because I'm disappointed in how the Minecraft community, through updates, commercialization, and many other changes, has been moving more and more toward only having a few big profit-hungry networks where few people stop and actually talk to each other and have fun. The only servers that you can readily make lasting friends on are the small servers, and they are being pushed out of the picture by the aforementioned changes. I want the Rift Network to be a big network, but still one that you can enjoy socializing with people on.
Another issue is that many Factions, Prison, or other similar games on servers, become so hierarchical that only the people who spend the most money ever get anywhere - most of the players without high ranks are completely ignored. Also, their ranks are extremely expensive. For instance (and, yes, this is not a Bedrock edition server, it's a Java edition one, but it still works as an example) the highest rank on the GotPvP network costs $455.00 USD! And from experience, you likely won't even be able to ask people how to get out of the spawn in Factions to start playing - unless you get a rank that's about $50.00 or more. Our rules are designed to keep this from happening on our network, as we don't believe in it, and we will not tolerate it.
Another issue is that many Factions, Prison, or other similar games on servers, become so hierarchical that only the people who spend the most money ever get anywhere - most of the players without high ranks are completely ignored. Also, their ranks are extremely expensive. For instance (and, yes, this is not a Bedrock edition server, it's a Java edition one, but it still works as an example) the highest rank on the GotPvP network costs $455.00 USD! And from experience, you likely won't even be able to ask people how to get out of the spawn in Factions to start playing - unless you get a rank that's about $50.00 or more. Our rules are designed to keep this from happening on our network, as we don't believe in it, and we will not tolerate it.