Two decades after launch, Ultima Online is still going strong, and as we reported over the weekend, soon – spring 2018, to be exact – it’ll be letting players jump in with a new free option. Of course, the new “Endless Journey” approach will have restrictions on it, hence a new FAQ detailing what players with free access can and cannot do.
Broadsword notes that the freebie option will include all expansions except for the most recent one, Time of Legends, and the High Seas booster pack. Bank storage is a big deal, too.
“Previous veteran accounts have access to remove a limited amount of items from their bank box,” the studio says. “Endless Journey accounts have access to a vault for secure storage that can be rented for in-game gold. Additional vault storage can be rented using tokens purchased from the Ultima Store. Vaults that become delinquent in their rent payments will be auctioned off to the highest bidder.” Fortunately, your “real” bank “will remain waiting for you until you decide to resubscribe or return as an Endless Journey account. The contents of your bank box will never be auctioned off. Remember though, Endless Journey accounts only have access to a limited number of items from their bank and may not add new items to it.”
Free accounts also can’t purchase or place houses or ships, manage vendors, or even enter private homes as guests or co-owners, but the F2P option still offers a solid chunk of the game to new and returning players who just want to dip their toes back in one of the first MMORPGs on the market.
Of course, the people who are still happily playing the game count for quite a bit, and the most recent producer’s letter thanks players for a successful celebration while welcoming veterans to the next stage of the ride. Let’s see where the game is in another decade, hmm? (We’re guessing the moon.)
