Ultima Forever was announced in 2012, and was proposed as modern take on Richard Garriot’s beloved RPG series. The free-to-play mobile online RPG has been operational for just a year – and now EA’s set to pull the thing down.
“While the past year has certainly been quite the adventure – in Britannia and beyond! – that adventure is now drawing to a close, as the time has come for us to say goodbye,” says a spokesperson on the game’s forums.
Because EA’s shut down Mythic, the studio responsible, the game’s servers will be shutting down permanently on August 29, rendering the game unplayable. It also means any of those who’ve spent any money in the game will be losing that “investment” forever. Such is the nature of free-to-play games, and there’s always the inherent risk of a server shutdown. What you don’t generally expect though, is for the game to go dark after just a year of service.
“This was a very difficult decision for us to make,” the spokesperson continued. We’ve seen the game through ups and downs, and hope that you’ve enjoyed playing it every bit as much as we had making it! Through it all, it’s been players like you who’ve made it all worthwhile.”
As a bit of a “thank you!” to players (as well as a bit of a “sorry!”), the following changes will be implemented in the game until the switch is flipped for the very last time.
- Significantly boosted Virtue and Reputation rewards
- Equipment degradation to be disabled (no damage to worn/equipped items)
- Increased drop rate of Gold keys
- The in-game store will no longer sell premium currency (Silver and Gold keys)
That particular forum post is closed to comments, but I imagine if it wasn’t it would be filled with expletives.
Last Updated: August 5, 2014
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 5, 2014 at 08:34
DEATH THREATS INCOMING!
Kensei Seraph
August 5, 2014 at 08:35
I was wondering why they were shutting it down, but then I read EA and it all made sense.
UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy
August 5, 2014 at 08:43
“Very difficult decision.”
Bullshit. It was easy. You have no soul.
Kensei Seraph
August 5, 2014 at 08:48
Don’t insult gingers like that.
They may have no souls but nobody deserves to be compared to EA like that.
UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy
August 5, 2014 at 08:50
Actually if you are ginger and work at EA you get a soul for free… No one knows this, but secretly all gingers work at EA to get souls.
Kensei Seraph
August 5, 2014 at 08:52
Gingers are able to steal souls from birth.
They get a freckle for each soul they steal.
UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy
August 5, 2014 at 08:53
Also the lesser know fact is that if they kill a brony they get 10 years of life added on… It’s the most secret thing, because you can’t see it.
They are the true immortals.
Kensei Seraph
August 5, 2014 at 08:55
I wonder what would happen if a ginger was a brony and s/he committed suicide… Zombie ginger?
UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy
August 5, 2014 at 08:59
Let’s be honest… It’s going to be a guy. A lonely lonely guy with deep-seeded issues.
Also I imagine that someone like the quckiening would happen, forming a black hole and pushing as past the event horizon towards an unknown world or death or like a world where candy floss has become the main source of power and everyone fights for control over carnivals.
Kensei Seraph
August 5, 2014 at 09:00
Sounds like fun.
Any idea how we do the brainwashing?
UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy
August 5, 2014 at 09:03
I am guessing whatever happened to me worked well. I can’t remember anything before my 21st birthday… Either really good brainwashing or tequila killed my brain.
Rince
August 5, 2014 at 09:25
Indeed, which is why I’ve just acquired another 15 from this comments section alone…
Sir Rants A Lot Llew
August 5, 2014 at 09:42
My wife is a ginger…. I can confirm this as true
Hammersteyn
August 5, 2014 at 08:47
It’s all about the money, (or lack thereof)
http://d3dsacqprgcsqh.cloudfront.net/photo/ag0rMZg_460sa_v1.gif
Admiral Chief Dovahkiin
August 5, 2014 at 08:48
“We’re going down, down in an earlier round”
Rince
August 5, 2014 at 09:26
Said the internet to the President? 0-O You getting notifications yet?
Rince
August 5, 2014 at 09:29
And this is why people need to learn to leave this kind of structure alone. You can spend thousands and BOOM, next week bye bye…
Pieter Le Roux
August 5, 2014 at 09:30
I would love to see custom shards (is that still possible) from the fans for the fans
Johan du Preez
August 5, 2014 at 09:37
Yes South Africa still has a custom local shard. I hosted one myself for 3 years up until
2012.
Although Richard is busy trying to get funding for a new Ultima Online but under another name cant remember what its called now.
Rags
August 5, 2014 at 09:45
Shroud of the Avatar.
Sir Rants A Lot Llew
August 5, 2014 at 09:40
And this is why I don’t spend money on free to play. Ever.
It’s a risk I am not willing to take. I will play the game free and will not put money in to it because this can happen at any time.
Axon1988
August 5, 2014 at 09:50
I did not even know about this. I’m a fan of the ultima series. But not a fan of mobile games… so guess it’s for the best then.