The first Rift closed beta event will be held the weekend of Dec. 3-6.

Trion Worlds just announced some major news for Rift: Planes of Telara fans. The first closed beta event for the game is officially scheduled to be held the weekend of Dec. 3-6! This milestone means that many players will finally get their chance to enter the world of Telara.

There are a few different ways to get a key. The main method is to register for an account on the official Rift site, which will enter you in a pool for a chance to earn a beta key. You can also keep an eye on the game's Facebook, Twitter, and official forums for regular chances to earn VIP keys that will give you access to every weekend beta event.

The beta event will let players try out the first 20 levels of gameplay. For more details, check out the full press release after the jump. Also, be sure to read our hands-on account of Rift at Trion's recent Gamer Day event, as well as the fan Q&A with members of the Trion team.

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. – November 18, 2010 – Trion Worlds, a global developer and publisher of premium online games, announced today that the first closed beta event for Rift™, the highly-anticipated MMORPG, is scheduled to take place December 3-6, 2010. Gamers worldwide have the chance to participate in one or all of the upcoming beta events by creating an account at www.RIFTgame.com.

“This is a momentous event for the entire Trion team, as well as the fans that have been following Rift since we first announced the game,” said Scott Hartsman, Rift's Executive Producer and Trion’s Chief Creative Officer. “We’ve created this deep, vibrant world that’s just waiting to be populated with enthusiastic players, and our hope is that gamers will enjoy playing the game as much as we’ve enjoyed building it.”

Players interested in participating in the closed beta event series can sign up for an account now at www.RIFTgame.com. Additionally, players can improve their chances of being selected by obtaining VIP beta-keys that Trion will be giving away on Rift’s Facebook, Twitter, and community forum pages leading up to each of the events. If selected, testers will be notified via email a few days before the start of each beta event with download and feedback instructions.

Featuring the first 20 levels of play, the “Rise of the Defiant” closed beta event will include the full starting zone for Rift’s technomagical Defiant faction, plus the Plane of Death-invaded land of Freemarch. Players can tour the fortress-city of Meridian, and battle hordes of undead in the Iron Tomb dungeon.

For the latest information on the Rift closed beta event series, including dates, descriptions and promotions, visit www.RIFTgame.com.