Saturday, September 24th, was the 25th anniversary of the release of Ultima Online. There were community events, official events, and commemoration across the internet, including from Raph Koster.
One of the longest still-running games around, Ultima Online inspired many later MMOs, and still holds some fond memories for the classic gaming fans. Yet, as Koster, who started working on UO on September 1, 1995, notes,
“I note a lack of thinkpieces and articles, this time around. The fact of the matter is that the most frequently targeted gamer audience wasn’t born when UO came out. A lot of the folks streaming about games weren’t born yet either.”
He also mentions seeing questions about open-world player housing not really available in anything but ArcheAge, and similar ways in which the legacy of Ultima Online may be felt but not always remembered. Still, it’s a testament to the wide-ranging influence, and Koster covers that and previous talks and stories in a blog post on the anniversary and its significance.
There were events to mark the occasion, both officially and in the community. As part of the 25th Anniversary Faire, there was a costume contest, some giveaways, lots of games, UO trivia, a drunken singing competition, and other events. If you’re someone who has played for 25 years, Broadsword unlocked the option to get a special present:
Hildebrandt Shield
- As special recognition for unprecedented support of Britannia, this account-bound shield is available for claim and use by accounts 25 years old or more.
- 30 % chance to flame strike a mob on successful parry and a 5% chance to flame strike unsuccessful parry, does not proc against other players or pets.
- Valid destination target for transmogrification potions
- Invalid origin target for transmogrification
- Can be dyed with natural, metallic and promotional dyes
- Can be repaired via blacksmithy
- Will display an informative gump when double clicke
- 25 Year
Similar to other long-running games with rare, time-gated rewards, like RuneScape’s 20th anniversary cape, Ultima Online is thanking its most loyal with a pretty sweet shield.
For more, head over to Ultima Online.
