For the first time in 15 years, Ultima Online is opening a new shard (server) in the 23-year-old MMORPG. UO’s parent company Broadsword made the Ultima Online: New Legacy shard announcement recently on the official website, along with a lengthy question and answer post detailing the New Legacy shard.
In the announcement post, Broadsword states the reasoning behind the New Legacy shard as being to welcome “new players and old to forge their Britannian Legacy in a brand new shard focused on returning Ultima Online to its fundamental roots as an RPG.” The company said it has “completely rethought, reworked, and redesigned several core gameplay experiences with the goal of rekindling the classic feel of Ultima Online – focused on keeping true to the roots of Ultima as an RPG!”
But what, exactly, does all that mean? Broadsword clarifies by stating it has taken the experience and lessons learned from the entire Ultima franchise that dates back to 1981 (or 1979 when counting Akalabeth: World of Doom) and worked the successful elements into this New Legacy shard “to create a new world where players can experience the classic nostalgia” of both Ultima Online and the Ultima series of single-player RPGs.
In terms of new game content, the New Legacy shard will be the home of the new Legacy System, “a completely custom ruleset” that will “focus on the roots of Ultima as an RPG.” When the New Legacy shard opens (no official public date set yet), it will launch with the original map of Britannia (1997 or 1981?), an updated Vice Vs Virtue framework, open-world PvP combat, and the customized RPG core ruleset, among other things. Broadsword states it will be releasing more New Legacy info up until the shard opens, and you can be notified directly by signing up for the UO Newsletter.
The New Legacy shard “is not a 1:1 recreation of a classic UO server in any given era”, such as the UO Classic Shard. It seems Broadsword is focused on the ‘feeling’ of gameplay with the new shard, adding it has worked “to rekindle the magic and nostalgia that drives the core desire to experience a classic server.”
You can read the Ultima Online: New Legacy announcement for the full details so far, including how it will affect The Shattering, housing, veteran and Endless Journey accounts, and more.
Source: Ultima Online: New Legacy