Shaiya is an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) created by Sonov Entertainment and published in North America by Aeria Games and Entertainment. Although the game is free to play, Shaiya triumphed over several well-established subscription games to win GameBorder''s Best MMORPG of 2007. In addition, Shaiya was awarded first place for Best Graphics and second place for Most Anticipated Game in the 2007 Reader''s Choice contest by MMOSITE.
   The game is being launched in Europe. A German Open Beta started on the 3rd of December 2008 and a French version is announced for the first quarter of 2009.
   New players must choose which faction they will play before creating a character: Alliance of Light or Union of Fury. Since these factions are at war, an Alliance player cannot use the game''s chat features with a Union player and vice-versa. Once a player has chosen a faction, they cannot create a character on the opposing faction until all of their existing characters have been deleted. The chosen faction determines a player''s available races.
   The appearance of a player''s character and its starting location are determined by its race. All races of both factions can be either male or female. The same customization options are also available for each race, including hair, eyes, facial features, and height. In addition, the choice of race also determines the available classes for a character.
  Shaiya Gold allows players to receive quests - normally by interacting with NPCs. These quests are optional and usually require players to kill mobs. Players are free to explore the game world as they pleasure, making Shaiya Gold a sandbox game. Completing quests and killing mobs gains player characters experience points. When enough experience is accumlated, then the character gains a level and is granted ability points to spend on bettering his/her characteristics. The play mode chosen by the player has an effect here where the more difficult modes give more ability points each level. Players characters maneouvre in a 3D environment and are able to run, walk and jump. Players have the option of using either click-to-move or WASD controls. All of the available player skills may be dragged into hotbars and assigned keyboard shortcuts. Players can also communicate by many means either by In-Game Chat, Whispers, Guild Faction Chat, and even Party Chat. But, also as a new additive, some Guilds in some form do additionally require voice software in order to keep in touch better. The whole game, does however come together greatly with the addition to in-game guides that are backed by actual humans GS otherwise known as Game Sages and up higher along the lines are the GMs most players are accommodated to in other RPGs.