( CNN ) -- In the world of massive multi-player online role-playing games ( MMORPG ) , `` World of Warcraft '' is the gold standard with more than 12 million subscribers as of October 2010 . With their most recent expansion release , it seems Blizzard 's hold on the market would grow even tighter . However , another game company is armoring up and entering the MMORPG arena . And it comes with a dig at the online gaming giant , calling out its fictional home planet in ads : `` We 're not in Azeroth anymore . '' `` Rift '' ( Trion ) is set on Telera , a world that apparently is a nexus of sorts for different planes of existence . These other worlds invade Telera through physical rifts and allow monsters to attack important cities and people . As a player , your job is to stop it from happening . Players get to choose from two factions , Guardians and Defiants . Each has their own races and tactics to employ during the game and both can choose from four classes ( warrior , mage , rogue , and cleric ) . The two factions are n't necessarily battling each other , but are trying to show which way is the best to save the world . Skills are built up using `` souls , '' which unlock powers and allow gamers to customize their characters as they match their style of play . A character can have multiple soul systems so they can change their abilities as needed . Executive producer Scott Hartsman said the initial idea was not to create a new MMORPG , but to create a new gaming technology that would allow Trion to build games in different ways . `` There were visions for some slightly less-formed ideas for what the game would eventually be , '' Hartsman said . `` It was all about ... 'Think of all the cool stuff we could build if we had technology that would let us do 500 players in one place , 1,000 players in one place , big events that start up and shut down on their own . A world that is truly alive . ' `` Hartsman said the technology had to be created first before they could figure out what to do with it . Trion was looking for something that was social , dynamic and fun that would utilize their design to the fullest . The ability to track online players ' locations and keep tabs on their actions led the team to develop a fantasy MMORPG . Trion CEO Lars Butler said choosing the fantasy genre ultimately was an obvious decision . `` Because of the technology ( we built ) , we wanted to take on the most established online gaming category first , '' Butler said . `` We felt we had what it takes to substantially address some of the shortcomings that this genre still has . '' Trion servers are broken down by function , unlike other games in which servers are devoted to particular locations in the game . For example , they use a set of servers to handle non-player character functions in the world , a different set of servers to handle encounters with `` bosses , '' and another set that handles functions directly involving the players ' characters . Hartsman said by dividing the servers by functions , processes can be started and stopped more quickly and easily , causing less lag and other glitches in gameplay . Getting them to all work together seamlessly was hard . `` Yeah , it was hard , but it was well worth it . We 're really just now at the point we 're about 25 % into all of the things we can do with our technology and we 're looking to add more , '' he said . `` What people see in 'Rift ' right now is pretty revolutionary as well as a great foundation for us to keep adding more unique types of things to do . '' The technology is flexible enough to handle the weight of the world without crashing and still be expandable for additional players or additional game features . `` Even the best fantasy MMORPGs out there are still mostly static . They have very limited social game play , '' Butler said . `` They 're getting old . '' `` Rift '' launched at the beginning of March after a beta run and a `` Head Start '' run , which allowed gamers who signed up early some extra time in the world before the official launch . After the launch , there were some complaints about server wait-times because Trion underestimated initial demand . They doubled and eventually tripled the number of servers in an effort to get the wait-times down . Trion is also working on migrating players away from overcrowded servers to new servers in an effort to get everyone 's wait time to zero . Trion tailored the game 's elements and story to make the best use of their new technology . While acknowledging the fantasy gaming genre is a difficult one to stand out in , Hartsman said having the ability to get players gathered together at a moment 's notice was one of the advantages of using their technology . And despite the jab at Blizzard in their advertising , Trion believes there is room for two successful MMORPGs . `` Ten years ago , people were comparing everything to 'Everquest . ' This year , people are comparing everything to 'World of Warcraft , ' '' Hartsman said . He said talk about comparing `` Rift '' with `` WoW '' is more about gamer culture than direct competition . But he said there are differences that make `` Rift '' unique . `` The fact that there is always something interesting going on in the world and the fact that the world itself can be a dangerous place and a place where there is new danger , new adventure ... gives the game a sense of urgency and banding together with other people adds a whole lot of excitement that only 'Rift ' is doing , '' he said . `` Rift '' is available only on the PC . It is rated T for Teen due to alcohol references , blood , mild language and violence . There is a 30-day free-play period included in the purchase of the game , but it then requires a monthly subscription for continued play . It is available in English , French and German .
` ` ' '' ad takes jab at ` ` World of Darkness '' : ` ` We 're not in darkness anymore '' ` ` ' ' ' right now is pretty revolutionary , '' executive producer says . Players get to choose from two factions , Guardians and Shadows . Game takes place in Hell , a nexus of sorts for different planes of existence .