Rifts Promise of Power Reforged — discover the lost Rifts video game and play it on the PC with updated graphics & gameplay. Join our crowdfunding campaign to bring this iconic Rifts tactical computer RPG to a new generation!
Hello! My name is Sean Owen Roberson. I’m the Creative Director and business partner at Palladium Books. Thank you for checking out this crowdfunding campaign, which I’m super excited to share with you because it has so much to offer post-apocalyptic video game fans of all kinds.
Experience the legendary Rifts video game like never before, completely reforged to run on PC and other popular systems using the Unity game engine. With your help we can update this tactical computer RPG experience with high-definition art, music, and other fantastic support.
Millions of fans of the Rifts role-playing game have long clamored for a Rifts video game.
Once upon a time, they thought their dream had come true when Rifts Promise of Power was announced for the N-Gage mobile gaming platform. Nokia developed an award winning, top-rated video game that fans couldn’t wait to get their hands on.
Rifts Promise of Power garnered rave reviews. It was named Nokia's Best of E3 2005 by 1up.com, and Gamespot E3 2005 Editor’s Choice Winner. As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, the editors of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Computer Gaming World, 1UP.com, and the Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine voted Rifts Promise of Power the Best Mobile Game of 2005. The game continues to be praised for its faithful adaptation of the bestselling tabletop Rifts RPG, for its many hours of play, challenging adventure storyline, fun tactical combat, and vast roster of player classes, enemies, and allies.
Unfortunately, shortly after Rifts Promise of Power was released, the dream of many Rifts fans was dashed when Nokia announced the N-Gage platform hadn’t performed well and would no longer be supported.
Overnight, it became impossible to find the game or an N-Gage – Rifts Promise of Power was lost to fans.
Over the past 20 years, Rifts Promise of Power has slipped into the stuff of legend, coveted by many but unavailable.
Palladium Books is proud to announce we have partnered with industry leader TransPerfect Gaming to completely reprogram the Rifts Promise of Power video game for the PC and other popular platforms in the Unity game engine.
Staffed by industry veterans who have worked with Microsoft, Blizzard, Stardock, and more, the team at TransPerfect Gaming are the force responsible for the coding, graphics, and other updates to take the original game to new heights. TransPerfect Gaming has 6 full studios worldwide, and are ready to go into full development as soon as we meet or exceed our funding goals.
From Sean Owen Roberson, Palladium’s Creative Director:
As the Executive Producer on this project, I'm excited to work closely with TransPerfect to plot and execute every aspect of Rifts Promise of Power Reforged. They brought our concept for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness miniatures to life in a fantastic way pleasing thousands of Palladium fans, and I have seen their excellent video game work first-hand.
Collaborating with TransPerfect Gaming's highly accomplished team allows us to expand on the vision of Rifts Promise of Power by leveraging modern computing power to improve game play and graphics while honoring the original and making it available to a broad audience.
This partnership means that the crew at Palladium Books can continue to write and produce new books while this video game project is underway – a huge win-win for the creators and fans alike!
The original cover painting of the Rifts role-playing game, by Keith Parkinson.
Rifts — In a dark post-apocalyptic future, humanity needs your help.
Rifts is a post-apocalyptic setting in the far flung future where tears in space and time – the Rifts – connect to innumerable alien worlds and transform Earth into an alien landscape filled with magic and super-science, men and monsters, demons and robots, all vying for power.
After centuries of strife following the Great Cataclysm, humankind battles to rekindle the light of civilization and retake the wasteland from invaders and renegades wielding magic, technology, and psychic might.
Rifts Promise of Power — A Tactical Computer Role-Playing Game
Screenshots from the original release of Rifts Promise of Power.
Set on Rifts Earth in the year 101 P.A. (Post Apocalyptic), players create their hero and embark on an epic adventure that will have them travel across across continents, battle all kinds of enemies, and recruit allies in their quest to protect Earth. The game features:
30+ hours of game play on the main storyline, more for completionists!
Seventeen playable character classes drawn directly from the original tabletop role-playing game, including the Glitter Boy, Burster, Ley Line Walker, Cyber-Knight, Juicer, Mind Melter, Cyborg, Headhunter, Crazy, and Mystic.
Gain powerful allies – mercenaries, psychics, and mages – as you cross the post-apocalyptic wastes and lead your party in combat using their unique abilities.
Tactical turn-based combat on scenic battle maps featuring a dynamic 3D camera perspective so you can always be in control of your weapons and powers.
More than 50 enemy types – mutants, supernatural creatures, high-tech soldiers, and more – plus a diverse cast of characters, reflecting the varied denizens of Rifts Earth.
Over 100 weapons, spells, and psionics, plus all new weapons and gear exclusive for backers of the Reforged edition.
Travel to multiple locations from the Rifts setting – North America, England, the New German Republic, and China – each filled with unique challenges.
Multiple Language Support: The original game features the English, French (EU), German, Italian, and Spanish (EU) languages.
Reforging a legendary video game means that we can bring some improvements to the table. These are part of the basic funding goal, many other upgrades will be possible through Stretch Goals as well.
Achieving our basic funding goal means the following will happen with Rifts Promise of Power Reforged:
Reprogrammed in the industry leading Unity Game Engine, this is not an emulator running off of the old code, but a completely reforged modern gaming experience using the original assets including art, music, adventure text, combat mechanics, etc.
Increased visual aspect ratio. Instead of the small screen size of the original N-Gage mobile device, play on a greatly expanded aspect ratio for modern screens – see Rifts Earth like never before!
Portraits restored to their iconic likeness: In the 2005 release some assets varied from their classic tabletop role-playing game depiction. Due to popular fan feedback, the Glitter Boy, Coalition Grunt, and other portraits will be updated to match their original likeness.
All-New Weapons and Gear exclusive for backers of the Reforged edition; see each backer level for details.
Completely reprogramming the game in the Unity engine is expensive, but is the best way for us to preserve Rifts Promise of Power for future generations. Importantly, it also allows us to implement modern controls, to expand the on-screen visual perspective, and to guarantee a hassle-free modern gaming experience.
In addition, reprogramming in the Unity engine opens up the possibility for us to update the graphics to high definition (or even completely overhaul them), accompany the game with an entirely new soundtrack, port the game to other popular platforms, and more! See the Stretch Goals section for more exciting details.
From Rifts creator, Kevin Siembieda, of Palladium Books:
Rifts Promise of Power is a great game that deserves to be played by gamers everywhere. It truly brings Rifts to life and is so well done that anyone can enjoy it whether they know anything about the tabletop RPG that inspired it or not. Rifts fans will love it.
This crowdfunder is focused on bringing the core video project to fans as quickly as possible with your help. Stretch Goals and gimmicks that are too elaborate can push a project into the red on the creator’s side, risk introducing creative breakdown, or overextend production goals.
With this in mind, we are limiting the Rifts Promise of Power Reforged to a few important milestones we can meet without delaying or over-complicating the reproduction of the original beloved video game.
Stretch Goals - SHARE THE WORD TO UNLOCK MORE!
2005 Rifts Promise of Power character portrait sample.
$700,000 - MILESTONE 1 - LOCKED The Rifts Ultimate Edition Role-Playing Game cover art print. A bonus 8.5"×11" color art print will be added to each physical pledge level that includes art prints.
$800,000 - MILESTONE 2 - LOCKED An ALL NEW Modern Soundtrack. The original soundtrack was limited by storage space and a mobile speaker system. We will commission an all new high quality soundtrack, original but loyal to the legacy of the first. Backer levels that include a downloadable soundtrack will get the original and this new soundtrack.
Hi-Definition portrait upgrade example.
$900,000 - MILESTONE 3 - LOCKED High-Definition Portrait Upgrade The original game features nearly 250 portraits for the game's many enemies, allies, and other denizens of Rifts Earth. We will update all of them to High Definition in the same style as the original game, improving their fidelity on modern gaming displays.
Graphical Overhaul portrait upgrade sample.
$1,200,000 - MILESTONE 4 - LOCKED Complete Graphical Overhaul This is where the fun begins. Instead of merely upgrading the original in-game portraits, we will completely overhaul all of the game's art assets – portraits, character art (sprites), terrain, animations, special effects, etc. – to match the tone and style of Rifts cover paintings in high definition. It's a big goal, but worth it!
$1,300,000 - MILESTONE 5 - LOCKED Retro Graphics Toggle Are you excited for the graphical overhaul but interested in preserving the original experience? So are we! We will add a toggle feature to the game so you can switch between the two modes with the push of a button. You get the best of both worlds while still preserving the original game's legacy.
$1,400,000 - MILESTONE 6 - LOCKED Port to Nintendo Switch Leveraging the strengths of the Unity game engine, we will port Rifts Promise of Power Reforged to the Nintendo Switch gaming console. Once completed, each backer will unlock one copy on this system.
$1,500,000 - MILESTONE 7 - LOCKED Port to PlayStation Leveraging the strengths of the Unity game engine, we will port Rifts Promise of Power Reforged to the PlayStation gaming console. Once completed, each backer will unlock one copy on this system.
$1,600,000 - MILESTONE 8 - LOCKED Port to Xbox Leveraging the strengths of the Unity game engine, we will port Rifts Promise of Power Reforged to the Xbox gaming console. Once completed, each backer will unlock one copy on this system.
$1,700,000 - MILESTONE 9 - LOCKED Port to Linux & Mac Leveraging the strengths of the Unity game engine, we will port Rifts Promise of Power Reforged to the Linux and Mac operating systems.
$1,800,000 - MILESTONE 10 - LOCKED Additional Languages — Asian We will add localized support for Rifts Promise of Power Reforged in the following languages: Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Japanese, and Korean.
$1,900,000 - MILESTONE 11 - LOCKED Additional Languages — Western We will add localized support for Rifts Promise of Power Reforged in the following languages: French (Canadian), Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese (Brazilian), and Russian.
$2,200,000 - MILESTONE 12 - LOCKED Port to Mobile Devices Leveraging the strengths of the Unity game engine, we will port Rifts Promise of Power Reforged to the IOS/Android platforms. Once completed, each backer will unlock one mobile copy.
$3,000,000 - MILESTONE 13 - LOCKED TOP SECRET Unlock the previous Stretch Goals to find out what promise of power the future holds. P.S. it's cool...
Creator of the Rifts Role-Playing Game Palladium Books was established in 1981 by visionary game designer Kevin Siembieda, renowned for his world-building. Kevin has authored or co-authored over 200 tabletop role-playing game books. Rifts is Palladium’s bestselling RPG of all time. Other popular Palladium RPGs include: TMNT & Other Strangeness, Robotech, Palladium Fantasy RPG, Nightbane, Heroes Unlimited, Dead Reign, Beyond the Supernatural, and more.
Shane Neville
Original Producer — Rifts Promise of Power Shane is an award-winning designer and producer who has been making video games for almost 30 years. While not officially working on this Reforged project, Shane collaborated closely with Kevin to develop the original game and we are excited to have his active support in bringing the game back for the fans. Working across both AAA and indie games, his credits include:
Company of Heroes
Need For Speed
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
Shellrazer
Rifts: Promise of Power
Sean Owen Roberson
Palladium Books — Creative Director and Business Partner Producer and Showrunner, Rifts Promise of Power Reforged Sean has 8+ years of experience in the tabletop role-playing game industry, is a US military veteran, and has been playing the Rifts RPG since its initial release in 1990. In 2017 he got the opportunity to work on the Savage Worlds version of Rifts for Pinnacle Entertainment Group. As the line editor he spearheaded the development of the second edition of the Savage Rifts game line, and spearheaded multiple titles including Empires of Humanity, Atlantis and the Demon Seas, and Terror on the Dark Frontier. He has done contract writing for Torg: Eternity, Warhammer 40,000: Wrath & Glory, and other tabletop game publishers. Since joining Palladium Books as Kevin's business partner, Sean has worked on the Rifter #85, Rifts: Titan Robotics, and most recently helmed the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness Redux Edition.
Chris Chamberlain
TransPerfect — Senior Director of Gaming Production Lead, Rifts Promise of Power Reforged Chris has 25+ years in the video game industry, from 1999 at Looking Glass Studios until 2023 at Microsoft in Xbox Game Studios — he has worked on everything from Nintendo 64 through Xbox One, Windows 10, and Mobile titles. Chris is experienced in QA/Testing, Design, Engineering, and Production disciplines. He is an active member of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences and AIAS/DICE Awards since 2005, and is currently serving on the RPG and Adventure Game Panels. His numerous high profile projects include:
Halo: Combat Evolved (Bungie and Microsoft)
Gears of War 3 (Epic and Microsoft)
Ryse: Son of Rome (Crytek and Microsoft)
Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (Rare and Microsoft)
Kameo: Elements of Power (Rare and Microsoft)
Conker: Live and Reloaded (Rare and Microsoft)
Oni (Bungie and Rockstar)
Crimson Skies (Zipper Interactive and Microsoft)
Nicholas Kay
TransPerfect — Global Head of Gaming Art Services Art Director, Rifts Promise of Power Reforged Nick has 17+ years of experience in the gaming industry beginning as a freelance concept artist and illustrator in tabletop gaming, with 8+ years directing art in the video game industry where he has collaborated with indie to AAA clients. Nick is experienced in Art, Creative, Narrative, Design, and Production disciplines. He oversees all Art Production, including 2D/3D Art and Animation, Character Art, UI/UX Design, and VFX. Past work includes:
Legend of the Five Rings (Alderac Entertainment Group)
Prey (Arkane Studios)
Heroes of the Storm (Blizzard Entertainment)
Destiny 1 (Bungie)
Dark Heresy, Only War, Pathfinder, Talisman, Warhammer Conquest (Fantasy Flight Games)
TransPerfect — Executive Producer, Gaming Project Manager, Rifts Promise of Power Reforged Charles has 25+ years in the tech industry, with 16+ years in games. He was at Microsoft for 14 years; initially on Windows Networking, then Xbox Game Studios and has worked on titles for Xbox 360, Kinect, Xbox One, Windows, mobile, VR, and AR platforms. Charles is experienced in QA/Test, Design, Engineering, and Production disciplines, with a diverse mix of experiences in enterprise and consumer tech, games, and games-adjacent tech.
Ryan McDaniel
TransPerfect — Director of Business Development, Gaming Liaison, Rifts Promise of Power Reforged Ryan has 14+ years of experience in the gaming industry. He started at S2 Games in 2011 as Monetization Specialist, became Director of Content and launched multiple new innovations that have since become standards of MOBA gaming. Ryan moved to Reset as Director of Business Development/Chief Business Officer, then to Shatterstorm Studios in 2016 as COO, and has been in business development since then. Ryan is experienced in Art, Content Creation, Narrative Design, Production, and Business Development. Importantly, Ryan is also a longtime die-hard Palladium Books fan. Past work includes:
I’ve been part of a crowdfunding campaign for every major project I've worked on, and I love how I get to interact with you, the fans, to ensure we produce the best projects possible.
Palladium Books is blessed to have a loyal fanbase built over generations, but it can still be difficult for a small company like ours to get the word out. Crowdfunding is a wonderful way to share our big projects with as many fans as possible and show off all the exciting rewards and potential stretch goals.
Fan Visibility — Video games and role-playing games used to be carried in brick and mortar stores on the corner of every block, they were easy for fans to find and purchase. Now, with the dominance of digital distribution, reaching our fans and potential fans is more tricky. Crowdfunding helps us get the word out directly to our fan base, so this project was built with you expressly in mind.
A Reliable Model — An unknown video game created by an unknown studio normally costs millions of dollars, and the results can vary. Fortunately, Rifts Promise of Power is a known quantity – it is a highly reviewed game – and the team at TransPerfect Gaming has been producing top-notch PC game content for many years. We are confident they can reforge this game in the Unity engine and achieve every stretch goal we hit on time and on budget as they have for dozens of other major clients.
Creative Control — Video game projects are expensive, and something we normally couldn't do without corporate investment, which can also mean shortsighted interference in the art and stories we have all grown to love. Instead we come to you, our fans, with our vision. Your pledge and support in sharing the project with friends and acquaintances helps us bring this video game back in its truest form, produced by its original tabletop authors and designers and the people they trust.
We have teamed up with various fulfillment partners known for their affordable global shipping rates to handle physical delivery and fulfillment for international customers.
Sorry for any inconvenience, we will not be shipping to the following locations: Belarus, Iran, Iraq, Russia, Syria, Ukraine, North Korea, South America, and Africa.
Timelines
We estimate that coding and quality assurance will be completed and digital delivery of the PC game and physical rewards fulfillment will begin in July 2027. Stretch goals that include ports to other gaming platforms will take additional time to complete after the PC release of Rifts Promise of Power Reforged.
But What About Tariffs?
Note: As of June 16, 2025, the excessively high tariffs on China are suspended and under long-term renegotiation.
We have factored in the potential impact of tariffs to the physical rewards offered in this campaign. Palladium Books is confident we can bring these rewards to you, our fans, while maintaining a competitive price point.
Shipping Estimates
After the campaign is complete we will charge shipping and relevant taxes only when production is finished and fulfillment is about to begin via the pledge manager. We won't charge shipping earlier than that as shipping rates have been fluctuating due to global supply chain disruptions.
Projected shipping prices will be based on estimated final weights at each physical pledge level tier and will be posted soon.
