MMORPG gamers have two important four letter words that they’re becoming intimately familiar with. No, STFU, it’s not those. The two “words” are Rift and TERA, fantasy MMORPGs set for release during 2011. Same genre, business model (subscription) and release year are bad enough, but when you add in the fact that both titles are coming from little-known publishers/developers with their own intellectual properties, the confusion enters another level. To confound us one step further, each title started beta invitations around the same time.

But we’re humans, easily defeated by Jeopardy machines. These baffling similarities have even stupefied the infallible Amazon. The seller of anything and everything is returning Rift: Collector’s Edition as the top hit for a search of TERA. Or chips.

As we continue to cover these titles to their impeding launch you’ll learn the nitty gritty of each. Until then, here’s a cheat sheet.

Likes:

• Both games will be released in 2011, using the standard subscription model.
• Fantasy settings with your typical WoW/EverQuest UI but in original universes.
• Scantily clad, really hot female characters in “armor.”
• Gorgeous graphics, architecture and landscapes.
• Telara, the land in which you play Rift, is sounds a bit like TERA. Especially when you can’t speak. Continue Reading