The Realm Online lives after all. After word that it would be shutting down, a new post over on the Realm Online Facebook confirms that, not only is the end not here, but that the IP has been sold.
What remains true is that the partnership with Realm Worlds LLC, which handled development and grew the game over the past five years, is over. Norseman Games has decided to sell the The Realm Online IP and rights to another team. The server that most who’ve remained involved in the community have played on, Finvarra's Fortress, was set to shut down, and the team from Realm Worlds LLC were sharing goodbye posts and other info over the past 10 days or so. With such a long running IP from the roots of MMO history, it was a significant change.
The new team has not yet been identified and the announcement requests patience because the new deal requires some time and effort to transition everything over.
“In this pivotal moment, we are delighted to share the exciting news of our successful agreement with another team who has now acquired The Realm Online. We understand that you may have questions and concerns during this period of change. We also understand your reasons for skepticism. We firmly believe that the new team will honor the game's rich legacy while injecting fresh innovation and exciting adventures into its virtual realms. This transition will require time and effort to ensure a seamless transfer, we are committed to working closely to facilitate a smooth and successful handover.”
Since they are talking about open quote a seamless transfer, it seems that those who were preparing to say goodbye just yesterday, may now have everything preserved after all.
Of course, there’s little info as to what things will look like, but this piece of MMO history is–surprisingly–safe for now.
