How brave a decision was it to design an MMO that in many ways eschews the mythical/fantasy elements that seem to be so beloved of the genre?

Jack Emmert: For us it was really easy. It didn't make any sense to produce another fantasy title when there are already so many great products out there. It's so important that you ensure that you distinguish yourself and you produce something that stands out on the shelves. Fantasy has a strong draw if you're a publisher, because it's a known quality, it's comfortable for consumers. But lately, at least in the MMO scene, there have been a few poorly received fantasy games so in hindsight it was a brilliant decision. Still, at the time it wasn't that risky because we needed to stand out as a new developer anyway, and a fantasy MMO wouldn't have given us that opportunity.