Rumor: A new Ultima MMO might be in the works

The modern era of MMOs began in 1997 with a little game called Ultima Online, and it's fair to say that the genre would look very different if that first example hadn't gone live. These days, outside of a dedicated playerbase and stalwart fans, the game is no longer at the center of attention. But there are a lot of players who still remember it fondly as an introduction to the field... and there are hints here and there that it might be time for a sequel to the game that started it all.

It's a known fact that Paul Barnett has been hinting at a secret project that is quite possibly an RPG, and it's also no secret that Electronic Arts is recruiting for an MMO programmer at its Redwood location. The company has also stepped up defending its trademarks for the Ultima franchise of late, which leads to a bit of interesting speculation. Could it be time for Ultima Online to get a sequel and a new generation of players, a project which has been started and stopped twice before? There's surely something happening behind the scenes...

Reader Comments (52)

Say no more. I wonder when was the last time that something good came out of EA?
We are all doomed by SOE and EA buhuhu

@Cristian Ceo omg...EA is behind this? Well yes, they are one of the biggest companies and as such they are confined to making casual buttonmasher games.

Any similar kind of news has my attention though. Really waiting for another RPG worth playing. Been playing Neverwinter Nights for too long now hehe...

Never got why people played Ultima Online instead of NWN though. At least that youtube video of the hypothetical Ultime Online 2 shows a game much more like NWN hehe....

Ultima Online was when I started playing MMO's. Let's hope there is a sequel and more importantly that it doesn't copy WoW's interface and concepts.

@Warwitch

There's only one concept WoW actually came up with that isn't from some other game - and that is the idea to make an MMO that was so stupidly easy that it would attract tons of dullards so they could make more money and flood the market with idiots forever.

Other than that (which I consider to be a major negative), any "innovations" they've had have largely been stolen ideas that originated elsewhere. A lot of games do this, but for some reason (I think because most people in the MMO community are WoW kids who dont' know any better and seem to think the universe began with WoW) WoW gets all the credit for originating ideas when the truth is, aside of being super-easy and super-accessible, WoW hasn't invented much in its 6+ years post-launch.

I hate to speak badly about any one in the industry ..but, If Paul Barnett has anything whatsoever to do with the project it is an instant pass for me. He really has less credibility than Derek Smart or Bill Roper

@Dunraven

You managed to talk smack on 3 people there. Pretty good for a guy who doesn't like to speak badly about people in the industry.

Or, did you just mean a different industry?

@KDolo Stating the truth is hardly talking smack.

@Dunraven

Paul was not what was wrong with WAR. If you listen to him talk about video games he knows what he is talking about.

@Dunraven What has Paul Barnett done to hurt his credibility?

New Ultima?
NERDGASM

@xyna031 Yup.

And this old-time NERD just GASMED! I'll be keeping an eye on this!

I just hope they stick to some of the basic sandbox formula of UO, but give it a proper open world 3D facelift. PvP I can take or leave though ... though it seems the trend is PvP or PvE servers, so you have that choice.

@xyna031

Yup. 'Bout f--ing time, eh.

One can only hope. And lets hope they don't go for the standard theme park mmo or what has now become the new standard for sandbox games. We have seen enough theme parks and enough with the sandbox = ffa pvp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6W56HwPOQg

I wonder if it'll happen. EA butchered Ultima IX (I still liked it though) and cancelled Ultima X: Odyssey. I won't get too hyped up until a release date is confirmed. That said, I can't wait.

I thought there was preliminary talk--probably rumor--about a new browser based Ultima game. Regardless, it won't be Mythic if development is happening in Redwood City. I think WAR killed Mythic.

EA has spent a lot on canceled Ultima Online games (Ultima Online 2 in 2011 and Ultima X in 2004). I would be kind of shocked if they were developing another. Especially since another fantasy MMO would directly compete with several recent MMOs.

Hell, yes. This could be the non-space-ship EVE-style MMO I've been pining for. Do it do it do it do it!

Weren't they working on a sequel about 10 years ago?

Here's the trailer for it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWumht6AuZo

@(Unverified)

Yeah, I remember that, but that project was mostly "wishful thinking"; UO was still only a year or two old, more or less, and this sequel comes up? Too soon. It seemed to be so unfocused in development, but good hype and PR. :P

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Rumor: A new Ultima MMO might be in the works

Reader Comments (52)

Posted: Mar 30th 2011 8:16PM Cristian Ceo said

Posted: May 20th 2011 7:18AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Mar 30th 2011 8:18PM Warwitch said

Posted: May 19th 2011 12:54PM NeverDeath said

Posted: Mar 30th 2011 8:22PM Dunraven said

Posted: Mar 30th 2011 8:35PM KDolo said

Posted: Mar 30th 2011 9:00PM Dunraven said

Posted: Mar 30th 2011 9:01PM Nadril said

Posted: Mar 31st 2011 1:53AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Mar 30th 2011 8:24PM xyna031 said

Posted: Mar 30th 2011 9:40PM Tovrin said

Posted: Mar 30th 2011 10:33PM xBludx said

Posted: Mar 30th 2011 8:47PM Vanpry said

Posted: Mar 30th 2011 8:57PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Mar 30th 2011 9:00PM VIVIsectVI said

Posted: Mar 30th 2011 9:28PM Taawa said

Posted: Mar 30th 2011 9:44PM HokieKC said

Posted: Mar 30th 2011 9:55PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Mar 30th 2011 9:59PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Mar 31st 2011 12:46PM Space Cobra said

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