Editing Ultima Online

{{Short description|1997 video game}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox video game
|title      = Ultima Online
|image      = Ultima Online cover.jpg
|caption    = Original cover art
|developer  = [[Origin Systems]] <small>(1997–2004)</small> <br/> [[Electronic Arts]] <small>(2004–2006)</small> <br/> [[Mythic Entertainment]] <small>(2006–2014)</small><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mythicentertainment.com/game-uo.php |title=Ultima Online |publisher=Mythic Entertainment |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921052128/http://mythicentertainment.com/game-uo.php |archive-date=September 21, 2014 |date=August 25, 2013 |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref> <br/> Broadsword <small>(2014–)</small><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uoguide.com/Producer%27s_Letter |title=Producer's Letter |date=February 21, 2014 |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref> 
|publisher  = Electronic Arts
|released   = September 24, 1997<ref name="release">{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=1&cId=3163486 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160607073539/http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=1&cId=3163486 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 7, 2016 |title=10 Years of Ultima Online |publisher=1up.com |year=2007 |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Curt|last=Feldman|url=http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_09/24_ultima/index.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19981202105213/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_09/24_ultima/index.html|title=Ultima Online Ships|website=[[GameSpot]]|archivedate=December 2, 1998|date=September 24, 1997|accessdate=August 6, 2022}}</ref>
|director   = [[Starr Long]]
|producer   = [[Richard Garriott]]
|designer   = [[Raph Koster]]
|programmer = Rick Delashmit<br>Scott Phillips
|composer   = Kirk Winterrowd<br>[[Joe Basquez]]<br>Hal Milton
|modes      = [[Multiplayer]]
|platforms  = [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Linux]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://reverser.hut.ru/old/linux.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306213319/http://reverser.hut.ru/old/linux.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 6, 2016 |title=Ultima Online for Linux FAQ |publisher=Reverser.hut.ru |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref>
|genre      = [[Massively multiplayer online role-playing game|MMORPG]]
}}

'''''Ultima Online''''' ('''''UO''''') is a fantasy [[massively multiplayer online role-playing game]] (MMORPG) released on September 24, 1997<ref name="release" /> by [[Origin Systems]].

Set in the ''[[Ultima (series)|Ultima]]'' universe, it is known for its extensive [[player versus player]] combat system. Since its release, it has added eight expansion packs, a booster pack, and dozens of free content updates. The release of ''[[Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn|Kingdom Reborn]]'' in 2007 brought a new [[game engine]] with upgraded visuals.

In preparation for the launch of the ''[[Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss|Stygian Abyss]]'' expansion, support for the existing client was discontinued to optimize the patching procedure. As a replacement, a revised rendition of the ''Kingdom Reborn'' client emerged, rebranded as the "Enhanced Client." This revamped version was unveiled as an open beta in July 2009, coinciding with the release of ''Stygian Abyss''. The "Enhanced Client" is a blend of some of the 3D models and UI from ''Kingdom Reborn'' and the 2D art used in the Classic Client. The Enhanced Client and the Classic Client are the two official clients as of 2024.

==Gameplay==
''Ultima Online'' continued the tradition of previous ''[[Ultima (series)|Ultima]]'' games in many ways, but due to advancing technology and the simple fact that it was Origin's first [[persistent world|persistent]] online game, many new game mechanics appeared. Since it was partially designed as a social and economic experiment, the game designers had to account for widespread player interaction as well as deal with the tradition of players feeling as if they were the center of attention, as had been the case in single-player games.{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}}

===Worlds===
''Ultima Online'' began with a single world, with specific expansion packs adding additional territory and new worlds. The second world was the "Lost Lands", often referred to by players as T2A due to the expansion's name, "The Second Age",<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lost Lands - UOGuide, the Ultima Online Encyclopedia |url=https://www.uoguide.com/Lost_Lands |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=www.uoguide.com}}</ref> with additional land, dungeons, creatures, and terrain. The third was Trammel, which was a mirror of the original ''Ultima Online'' map. The release of Trammel led the developers to distinguish the original world by making the environment more grim and naming it "Felucca".<ref name="CNETuor">{{cite web |url=http://reviews.cnet.com/pc-games/ultima-online-renaissance-pc/1707-9696_7-30976459.html |title=Ultima Online: Renaissance (PC) – PC Games – CNET Archive |publisher=Reviews.cnet.com |access-date=January 29, 2012 }}</ref> The two kinds of servers were "normal" servers with both Trammel (consensual PVP) and Felucca (non-consensual PVP) ruleset and "siege" servers with non-consensual PVP and no item insurance. Siege servers support one character slot on an account, limits to ways of traveling and have other rules which generally make them more challenging than other servers.<ref name="FrejaSP">{{cite web |url=http://uo.com/Players-Guide |title=Player's Guide |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121006065647/http://uo.com/Players-Guide |archive-date=October 6, 2012 |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref>

The worlds in ''Ultima Online'' include:
* Felucca — The original world, which evolved to include dead trees and tombstones to distinguish. It has a harsher rule set where [[Player versus player|player killing]] is more common.<ref name="CNETuor" />
* Trammel — Supported a rule set that does not allow non-consensual PVP and includes additional open land for player housing.<ref name="release" />
* Ilshenar — Added dungeons and monsters and evolved to include new land, as well as more than 30 new creatures (designed by [[Todd McFarlane]]).<ref>{{cite web |last=Wright |first=Gary |url=https://www.gameplanet.co.nz/news/122931.20020403.Blackthorns-Revenge-Released/ |title=Blackthorns Revenge Released |publisher=Gameplanet.co.nz |date=April 3, 2002 |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref>
* Malas — Included a [[Player versus Player]] arena and space for 1500 new player homes. It featured Dungeon Doom, the largest dungeon at the time of its release, and two cities: Luna (the "City of Paladins") and Umbra (the "City of Necromancers").<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |url=http://reviews.cnet.com/pc-games/ultima-online-age-of/1707-9696_7-30446451.html |title=Ultima Online Age of Shadows (PC) |publisher=Reviews.cnet.com |access-date=January 29, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206173301/http://www.cnet.com/products/ultima-online-age-of-shadows-pc/ |archive-date=February 6, 2016}}</ref> Malas is a series of islands floating in a starry void<ref name="autogenerated1" /> and is distinguished by a darker artistic style.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rpgamer.com/games/ultima/uo/uoaosprev.html |title=Preview: Ultima Online: Age of Shadows (Windows) |publisher=RPGamer.com |access-date=April 13, 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202013828/http://www.rpgamer.com/games/ultima/uo/uoaosprev.html |archive-date=February 2, 2017}}</ref> Malas was praised for its variety of creatures and geographic features.<ref name="autogenerated1" />
* Tokuno — Group of islands based on [[History of Japan|Feudal Japan]].
* Ter Mur — Land of the Gargoyles. The capital, Ter Mur, features space for player homes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uoherald.com/stygianabyss/gameoverview/terrain/ |title=Stygian Abyss |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090713171328/http://www.uoherald.com/stygianabyss/gameoverview/terrain/ |archive-date=July 13, 2009 |date=July 13, 2009 |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref>
* Valley of Eodon — A primitive, prehistoric style land-mass with dinosaurs and giant apes.

==Development==
[[File:Richard garriott starr long raph koster rich vogel gdc 2018.jpeg|thumb|right|Garriott (left), Long, Koster, and Rich Vogel at the 2018 [[Game Developers Conference]]]]
The game had an initial development budget of $2.5 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92114262/austin-american-statesman/|title=Austin company takes online games to limit|newspaper=[[Austin American-Statesman]]|page=36|date=July 7, 1997|accessdate=January 8, 2022|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> ''Ultima Online'' is the product of [[Richard Garriott]]'s idea for a fantasy game involving several thousand people who can all play in a shared fantasy world. Prior games allowed hundreds of people to play at the same time, including ''[[Habitat (video game)|Habitat]]'' (beta-tested in 1986), ''[[The Realm Online]]'', ''[[Neverwinter Nights (AOL game)|Neverwinter Nights]]'' (the AOL version) and ''[[Meridian 59]]''; however, ''Ultima Online'' significantly outdid these games, in both graphics and game mechanics. Garriott commented that "it was very important to us that ''Ultima Online'' be a game with a theme, and story, and quest - and then support larger, grander activity. We don't want it to be just player controlled and dominated; we want it to be an ''Ultima'' experience, with all the qualities that people expect from that. ''Ultima Online'' will be, I believe, the very first ever completely virtual world for the mass public to go live out alternate lives in."<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Is Richard Garriott Really Building a Better World? |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=27 |volume=3 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=March 1997 |pages=8–12 |url=https://archive.org/details/NextGeneration27Mar1997/page/n9 |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref> The goal was to offer the player as much freedom as possible.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/xTK-wncSx1c Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20191116022844/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTK-wncSx1c&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite AV media |title=Electric Playground: Season 1, Episode 8 |date=January 26, 2016 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTK-wncSx1c |access-date=April 13, 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref> 

The initial team was composed of Garriott, [[Starr Long]], Rick Delashmit, Scott Phillips and, a bit later, [[Raph Koster]], who became the lead designer. Koster wrote public "designer letters" and usually went by his nickname of Designer Dragon. Koster drew inspiration from prior online games,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.raphkoster.com/games/insubstantial-pageants/a-definition/ |title=A Definition: Part One: The Play's the Thing |date=May 5, 2014 |publisher=RaphKoster.com |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref> such as ''DartMUD''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.disinterest.org/resource/MUD-Dev/1997Q3/msg00293.html |first=Raph |last=Koster |title=Koster MUD-Dev Posting |date=July 30, 1997 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928124810/http://www.disinterest.org/resource/MUD-Dev/1997Q3/msg00293.html |archive-date=September 28, 2007 |access-date=April 13, 2019 |quote=DartMUD was influential on me, certainly—ought to have been for everyone.}}</ref>

The project started in 1995 and was presented to the public at [[E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo)|E3]] as "''Ultima Online: Shattered Legacy''" in May 1996. Origin claimed to have more than 3,000 participants in the preliminary [[alpha testing]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Yee |first=Bernard |title=Joyriding |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=18 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=June 1996 |page=24}}</ref> The development cost was much greater than for previous, offline computer games; it relied on people accessing servers via modem. ''Ultima Online''<nowiki/>'s initial features included persistent player housing, skill-based character progression (without levels or classes),<ref>{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=Thor |title=Massively Multiplayer Game Development |publisher=Charles River Media |year=2003 |isbn=9781584502432 |page=24}}</ref> a craft-based and player-driven economy,<ref>{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=Thor |title=Massively Multiplayer Game Development |publisher=Charles River Media |year=2003 |isbn=9781584502432 |page=22}}</ref> and unrestricted player-versus-player combat.<ref>{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=Thor |title=Massively Multiplayer Game Development |publisher=Charles River Media |year=2003 |isbn=9781584502432 |page=91}}</ref>

An artificial life engine was supposed to be implemented into the game. A preview announced that ecological events in the game would affect animal behavior, potentially creating new adventure possibilities in an organic manner.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ward |first=Trent |title=Ultima Online Preview |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ultima-online-preview/1100-2559974/ |website=[[GameSpot]] |date=December 2, 2003 |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref> However, this feature never made it beyond the game's beta stage. Richard Garriott explained: {{blockquote|We thought it was fantastic. We'd spent an enormous amount of time and effort on it. But what happened was all the players went in and just killed everything; so fast that the game couldn't spawn them fast enough to make the simulation even ''begin''. And so, this thing that we'd spent all this time on, literally no-one ever noticed – ''ever'' – and we eventually just ripped it out of the game, you know, with some sadness.<ref>{{cite web |title=Web Extended Interview - Richard Garriott |date=March 1, 2011|url=https://www.abc.net.au/tv/goodgame/webexclusives/?year=2011 |publisher=ABC Television, Australia |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref>}}

===Beta and assassination of Lord British===
[[Lord British]] was [[Richard Garriott|Garriott]]'s in-game [[alter ego]], who was killed during an in-game appearance at ''Ultima Online''{{'}}s beta test on August 9, 1997. During a server population stress test, a player character known as Rainz cast the "fire field" spell, killing Lord British. Producer [[Starr Long]] blamed it on human error: Lord British's character, like others, had been made invulnerable to this kind of attack, but by design, the invulnerability did not persist over several game sessions. When the server crashed shortly before the incident, Garriott forgot to reset his invulnerability status. Shortly after, administrators banned Rainz's account from the beta test for repeatedly exploiting, rather than reporting, bugs.<ref name="5BM">{{cite magazine |title=Five Biggest Moments in UO History |magazine=Computer Gaming World |issue=220 |date=November 2, 2002 |url=https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_220.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_220.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |access-date=April 13, 2019 |page=104}}</ref> According to Origin, he was not banned for the assassination but rather for prior complaints against his account highlighted by this incident. Beta testers protested Rainz's ban as well as subsequent actions of Long and other developers, during which his in-game character used a spell to indiscriminately kill other characters who observed the assassination.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/2002/06/make-love-not-war-games/ |title=Make Love, Not War Games |first=Brad |last=King |date=June 8, 2002 |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref> September 23, 1997 was the last day<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ultima Online - UOGuide, the Ultima Online Encyclopedia |url=https://www.uoguide.com/Ultima_Online |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=www.uoguide.com}}</ref> of the original [[beta test]].{{clarify|date=July 2016}} The beta ended with a bang, as players were treated to an "end of the world" scenario with Shadowlords, demons, and other evil creatures slaughtering every character in sight.

===Origin era (1995–2004)===
In September 1997, ''Ultima Online'' launched and opened the first game servers to the public.<ref name="folly">{{cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/2003/03/04/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/ |title=Electronic Arts' online folly |first=Chris |last=Morris |date=March 4, 2003 |publisher=CNN |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref> Upon release, ''Ultima Online'' proved popular, reaching 100,000 paying subscribers within six months, causing severe [[lag (video games)|lag]] problems. In 1999, servers opened around the world to support the rising popularity of the game, in [[Japan]], [[Europe]] and [[South Korea]]. In 2000, Garriot resigned from Origin, taking Lord British with him. Game players created their own [[fanfiction]] speculations as to why the Lord had vanished. In February 2000, a large in-world event had a massive army of undead lay siege to the Britannia city of Trinsic. The event ran concurrently on all servers over several months. Another server opened in [[Australia]] during this time. In May 2000, ''Ultima Online''{{'}}s second expansion ''[[Ultima Online: Renaissance]]'' dramatically altered the game. It split the game world into two mirrored worlds called Trammel and [[Felucca]]. In Trammel all PVP was required to be consensual, while in Felucca players could be attacked by others players without consent. In November 2000, ''Ultima Online's'' first official fanfest was held, called the UO World Faire in [[Austin, TX]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_199.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_199.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |page=32 |title=UO Fans Get Medieval – Wine, women, and song at the Ultima Online World Faire |first=Mark |last=Asher |publisher=Computer Gaming World |date=February 1, 2001 |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref> In March 2001, ''Ultima Online''{{'}}s third expansion ''[[Ultima Online: Third Dawn]]'' was released and introduced graphics which attempted to reproduce a three-dimensional effect. It added a new area to the server called Ilshenar which could only be accessed with a new game client that launched with the expansion. The original game client could be used in the previous server areas. In January 2002, ''Ultima Online''{{'}}s second official fanfest was called Online Worlds FanFest, also held in Austin. Players were able to meet the developers, as well as guest speaker [[Todd McFarlane]]. February saw the release of ''Ultima Online''{{'}}s fourth expansion ''[[Ultima Online: Lord Blackthorn's Revenge]]''. Notably, it enabled access to the areas previously only available to the newer ''Third Dawn'' game client. In February 2003, ''Ultima Online''{{'}}s fifth expansion ''[[Ultima Online: Age of Shadows]]'' was released. It was the most game changing update yet including: offering players the ability to custom design their game homes, a server area that doubled the amount of player housing available, and overhauled the item system. 

''Ultima Online'' was the first MMORPG to reach the 100,000 subscriber base, far exceeding that of any game that went before it.<ref>{{cite web |date=August 24, 2006 |title=EA Announces Ultima Online(TM): Kingdom Reborn (Working Title); The Game That Firmly Established the MMORPG Genre Receives a Massive Visual Overhaul and New Content in 2007 |url=http://investor.ea.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=314331 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405222406/http://investor.ea.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=314331 |archive-date=April 5, 2016 |access-date=April 13, 2019 |publisher=[[Electronic Arts]]}}</ref> Subscriber numbers peaked at around 250,000 in July 2003, but then began a steady decline.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Subscriptions (SS) and Active Accounts (AA) with a peak between 150k and 1m |url=http://users.telenet.be/mmodata/Charts/Subs-2.png |access-date=April 13, 2019 |publisher=mmodata.blogspot.com}}</ref> In February 2004, [[Origin Systems]] shut down. ''Ultima Online'' no longer had a named studio managing it. Development headquarters moved from Austin to [[Fairfax, Virginia]].

===Electronic Arts era (2004–2006)===
The sixth expansion, ''[[Ultima Online: Samurai Empire|Samurai Empire]]'', launched in November 2004, was Japanese-themed. It offered two new professions, the [[Ninja]] and the [[Samurai]], as well as new Japanese-themed housing tile sets. New lands, the [[Tokuno Islands]], were added, with the cities being styled after ancient Japanese cities.

Expansion number seven, ''[[Ultima Online: Mondain's Legacy|Mondain's Legacy]]'', launched in August 2005. It featured the second player race, [[Elves]]. The quest system received a major upgrade, as did the crafting system. Spellweaving was added to the skills. Many new [[dungeon]]s were added. This expansion was the first that was only available online (offline versions on CDs could be ordered). ''Mondain's Legacy'' was the last expansion for several years, with updates becoming more irregular after that point.

===Mythic Entertainment era (2006–2014)===
In June 2006 Electronic Arts purchased [[Mythic Entertainment]], the creators of ''[[Dark Age of Camelot]].'' Mythic was tasked with managing EA's MMORPG portfolio, including ''Ultima Online''. That month it was also announced that the anti-cheating software [[PunkBuster]] would be integrated into ''Ultima Online''. This marked the first time PunkBuster would be used with an [[MMORPG]] to help curb [[cheating in video games|cheating]] and [[Exploit (video gaming)|exploiting]]. However, it was never integrated into the game, and in November 2006, Electronic Arts put the PunkBuster integration on indefinite hold.

In 2008 the game had around 100,000 subscribers.<ref name=":0" /> As of April 2008, ''Ultima Online'' held a [[market share]] below 0.6% of the massively multiplayer online game subscriptions.<ref>{{cite web |date=April 2008 |title=MMOG Subscriptions Market Share |url=http://www.mmogchart.com/Chart7.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605194653/http://www.mmogchart.com/Chart7.html |archive-date=June 5, 2011 |access-date=April 13, 2019 |publisher=MMOGchart.com}}</ref> This may in part be attributed to the 2004 release of [[World of Warcraft]], which quickly established hegemony over the MMORPG market and has attracted scores of players from all preexisting games in the genre.

In August 2007 ''[[Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn]]'' was released. This was the first major overhaul of the client and artwork systems since ''[[Ultima Online: Third Dawn]]''. The final expansion was ''[[Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss|Stygian Abyss]]'' (2009), which focused on the gargoyle race. After ''Stygian Abyss'' the development model shifted from expansions to "booster packs" that were intended to be smaller updates released more frequently. However, the first booster pack ''[[Ultima Online: High Seas|High Seas]]'' of 2010 was also the last.

===Broadsword era (2014–present)===
It was announced on February 6, 2014, that development of the game would be transferred from Mythic to Broadsword, a new studio, that would take over future development.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://uo.com/2013/04/16/producer-letter-3/ |title=Producer Letter |date=April 16, 2013 |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref>

====Free-to-play model====
In 2018 the traditional free fourteen-day trial was replaced with "Endless Journey" which allowed free playing indefinitely, but with large restrictions as to what players can do and where they can go.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uo.com/wiki/ultima-online-wiki/beginning-the-adventure/endless-journey/|title = Endless Journey – Ultima Online| date=April 4, 2018 }}</ref>

====Ultima Online: New Legacy====
In 2020, Broadsword announced a new shard that would focus on returning ''Ultima Online'' to its fundamental roots as a roleplaying game. The shard is to have seasonal rulesets, whereby the shard will be reset via an in-game cataclysmic event and restarted with new rulesets in place. Broadsword stated that at the end of each season, characters will be able to transfer off of the ''Ultima Online: New Legacy'' shard onto a live shard with all skills, stats, and legacy progress that was earned.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uo.com/ultima-online-new-legacy/|title = Ultima Online: New Legacy| date=2020 }}</ref>

The alpha testing phase for ''[[Ultima Online: New Legacy]]'' is currently underway, with plans for the beta phase to commence during the summer of 2024. [[Broadsword Online Games]], the development team behind the game, has announced their intention to launch ''New Legacy'' in September 2024, coinciding with the 26th anniversary of the original ''[[Ultima Online]]'' release. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mailchi.mp/broadsword/uo-newsletter-18|title = Ultima Online: New Legacy| date=2024 }}</ref>

==Reception==
===Reviews===
{{Video game reviews
| MC = 59/100<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/ultima-online/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Ultima Online for PC Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=September 15, 2020}}</ref>
|rev1=''[[PC Gamer]]''
|rev1Score=55%<ref>{{cite web|first=Michael|last=Wolf|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/1109.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19990819085210/http://www.pcgamer.com:80/reviews/1109.html|title=Ultima Online|magazine=[[PC Gamer]]|archivedate=August 19, 1999|date=January 1998|accessdate=October 1, 2024}}</ref>
}}

''[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]'' reviewed the game, rating it four stars out of five, and stated that "it's a very big world in there, full of lots of exciting things to try and accomplish, with more to be added over time and lots of real people around to know you did them. Brittania is what you make of it. Have fun."<ref name="NG">{{cite magazine |title=Caveat |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=37 |volume=4 |publisher=[[Future US|Imagine Media]] |date=January 1998 |page=162 |url=https://archive.org/details/NextGeneration37Jan1998/page/n163 |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref> ''[[GameSpot]]'' rated the game 4.9 of 10.<ref>{{cite web|author=Desslock|url=http://gamespot.com/rpg/ultimao/review.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19981205220823/http://gamespot.com/rpg/ultimao/review.html|title=Ultima Online Review|website=[[GameSpot]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|archive-date=December 5, 1998|date=December 17, 1997|access-date=July 8, 2019}}</ref>

===Sales and subscriptions===
Internal sales predictions for ''Ultima Online'' were low,<ref name=bigfranchise>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602101015/http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1999/08/02/263639/index.htm | url=http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1999/08/02/263639/index.htm | title=The Newest Addiction Sony, Sega, Microsoft, and Electronic Arts are betting that games played over the Internet will be the biggest thing since ''Monopoly'' | author=Gunther, Marc | date=August 2, 1999 | work=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] | archivedate=June 2, 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=graveyard /> as Electronic Arts president [[John Riccitiello]] remarked that ''Ultima'' "was never a big franchise."<ref name=bigfranchise /> According to an Origin Systems employee, the game's expected maximum subscriber count was 15,000 users.<ref name=graveyard>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000818053637/http://www.gamespot.com/features/pcgraveyard_janes/index.html | url=http://www.gamespot.com:80/features/pcgraveyard_janes/index.html | title=PC Gaming Graveyard; ''Jane's A-10 Warthog'' | archivedate=August 18, 2000 | author=Geryk, Bruce | work=[[GameSpot]] | at=Origin Shifts Focus | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref> However, Stefan Janicki of [[GameSpot]] later noted that it "quickly became one of the most commercially successful games ever".<ref name=graveyard2>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20021204231644/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/pc/graveyard_ultima/ | url=http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/pc/graveyard_ultima/ | title=PC Gaming Graveyard; ''Ultima Worlds Online: Origin'' | author=Janicki, Stefan | work=[[GameSpot]] | archivedate=December 4, 2002 | url-status=dead }}</ref> ''[[CNNMoney]]'' similarly declared it a "watershed event" and the first major hit in the Internet-only game genre.<ref name=cnnmoney>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050404070637/http://money.cnn.com/2003/03/04/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/ | url=http://money.cnn.com/2003/03/04/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/ | title=Electronic Arts' online folly | author=Morris, Chris | date=March 4, 2003 | work=[[CNNMoney]] | archivedate=April 4, 2005 | url-status=dead }}</ref> In the United States, ''Ultima Online'' debuted at #9 on [[PC Data]]'s computer game sales rankings for October 1997.<ref name=oct1997>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19990210083600/http://www.gamecenter.com:80/News/Item/0,3,1331,00.html | url=http://www.gamecenter.com:80/News/Item/0,3,1331,00.html | title=October's Best-Sellers | date=November 26, 1997 | author=GamerX | work=[[CNET Gamecenter]] | archivedate=February 10, 1999 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=oct1997-2>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19980204090955/http://www.next-generation.com:80/news/120497e.chtml | url=http://www.next-generation.com:80/news/120497e.chtml  | title=''MS Flight Sim'' Tops PC Data Charts | date=December 4, 1997 | author=Staff | work=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] | archivedate=February 4, 1998 | url-status=dead }}</ref> It carried a [[list price]] of $65,<ref name=bizjournal /> and its average street price was $55 for the month.<ref name=oct1997-2 /> A writer for [[CNET Gamecenter]] found that the title was part of a trend of role-playing successes in October, alongside ''[[Fallout (video game)|Fallout]]'' and ''[[Lands of Lore 2: Guardians of Destiny]]''. He remarked, "If October's list is any indication, RPGs are back."<ref name=oct1997 /> Between ''Ultima Online''{{'}}s launch on September 25 and November 13, the game sold 65,000 units. In Japan, its initial shipment of 5,000 units sold out within 15 minutes on shelves.<ref name=sales1 />

''Ultima Online''{{'}}s sales rate was the fastest ever for an Internet-only game by 1997, and it led Electronic Arts to declare the title its fastest-selling computer game of all time. A writer for ''[[PC Gamer US]]'' considered this speed the possible cause for "the many reports of lost orders, delayed pre-orders and stores out of stock that occurred when the game launched."<ref name=fastest>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19980218070412/http://www.pcgamer.com/news/news-1997-11-10.html| url=http://www.pcgamer.com/news/news-1997-11-10.html | title=''Ultima Online'' Tops the Charts | author=Staff | date=November 13, 1997 | archivedate=February 18, 1998 | work=[[PC Gamer US]] | url-status=dead }}</ref> In mid-November, Electronic Arts revealed plans to ship an additional 80,000 units of ''Ultima Online'' worldwide, including 15,000 for Japan. The majority of its first shipment had been targeted at the United States.<ref name=sales1>{{cite web | author=Jebens, Harley | title=Impressive ''Ultima'' Sales | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000312120308/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_11/13_uosales/index.html | url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/97_11/13_uosales/index.html | archivedate=March 12, 2000 | work=[[GameSpot]] | date=November 13, 1997 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref> On November 20, the game became Japan's best-selling computer title of its launch month.<ref name=sales2>{{cite web | author=Staff | title=''Ultima'' Tops Japanese Charts | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000420014528/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_12/24_uojapan/index.html | url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/97_12/24_uojapan/index.html | archivedate=April 20, 2000 | work=[[GameSpot]] | date=December 24, 1997 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref> ''Ultima Online'' reached 70,000 global subscribers by early December, of which Japan made up 8,000 and Europe 5,000.<ref name=bizjournal>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040501090501/https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/1997/12/08/story3.html | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/1997/12/08/story3.html | title=''Ultima Online'' game hits record | author=Orman, Neil | work=[[Austin Business Journal]] | date=December 5, 1997 | archivedate=May 1, 2004 | url-status=live }}</ref> The game had fallen from PC Data's monthly top 20 for the United States during November,<ref name=nov1997>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19980204085151/http://www.next-generation.com:80/news/123097a.chtml | url=http://www.next-generation.com:80/news/123097a.chtml  | title=Cyan Takes Top Two | date=December 30, 1997 | author=Staff | work=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] | archivedate=February 4, 1998 | url-status=dead }}</ref> but the firm tracked 87,000 sales of ''Ultima Online'' in that country alone through the end of 1997.<ref name=87k>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190126063507/http://www.herald-journal.com/archives/1998/columns/bits012698.html | url=http://www.herald-journal.com/archives/1998/columns/bits012698.html | title=Bits & Bytes; Games on the Internet | author=Ollig, Mark | date=January 26, 1998 | work=Herald-Journal | archivedate=January 26, 2019 | url-status=live }}</ref>

By December 1998, ''Ultima Online'' had reached 100,000 subscribers, with an average simultaneous player count of 12,500 and an average weekly playtime of 20 hours. Declaring the game a hit, [[IGN]]'s staff wrote that its users "pay $9.95 a month to play the game. That's a million dollars in revenue a month. Twelve million dollars a year."<ref name=100k>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19991117091849/http://pc.ign.com/news/6139.html | url=http://pc.ign.com/news/6139.html | title=''Ultima''{{'}}s Population Reaches 100,000 | date=December 15, 1998 | author=IGN Staff | work=[[IGN]] | archivedate=November 17, 1999 | url-status=dead }}</ref> The game had risen to 120,000 subscribers by March 1999,<ref name=120k>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010525115006/http://www.gamedaily.com/news/march_99/3_12/index.shtml | url=http://www.gamedaily.com/news/march_99/3_12/index.shtml | title=''Ultima Online'' Spring Promo | date=March 11, 1999 | work=[[GameDaily]] | author=Staff | archivedate=May 25, 2001 | url-status=dead }}</ref> and by June ''Ultima Online''{{'}}s global sales had surpassed 200,000 units. A writer for [[GameDaily]] described this performance as "almost like printing money."<ref name=meridiansales>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010417170121/http://www.gamedaily.com/features/meridian/index.html | url=http://www.gamedaily.com:80/features/meridian/index.html | title=''Meridian 59'' - A GamesFN Analysis | date=June 1999 | work=[[GameDaily]] | archivedate=April 17, 2001 | author=Staff | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref> Its subscriber base continued to climb in 2000, reaching 150,000 users by February.<ref name=150k>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817110803/http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-3802,00.html | url=http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-3802,00.html | title=''UO'' Hits 150,000 Subscribers | author=Gentry, Perry | date=February 24, 2000 | work=[[CNET Gamecenter]] | archivedate=August 17, 2000 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Domestically, ''Ultima Online'' and its ''Second Age'' add-on together had sold 249,610 copies and earned revenues of $11.3 million at retail alone by early 2000, according to PC Data. Gamecenter's Mark Asher wrote at the time, "Add in its current subscriber base of 150,000 players at $10 per month, and you can see the appeal of online, fee-based games."<ref name=249k>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010112165200/http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/Textonly/0,78,0-3868,00.html | url=http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/Textonly/0,78,0-3868,00.html | title=Game Spin: Daika-X-Box | author=Asher, Mark | date=March 10, 2000 | work=[[CNET Gamecenter]] | archivedate=January 12, 2001 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Subscribers rose to 165,000 by March, which amounted to $1.65 million in monthly revenue,<ref name=165k>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000824045044/http://gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-3949,00.html | url=http://gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-3949,00.html | title=Garriott Leaves Origin | author=Ocampo, Jason | date=March 31, 2000 | work=[[CNET Gamecenter]] | archivedate=August 24, 2000 | url-status=dead }}</ref> and to 250,000 by October 2000.<ref name=250k>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20001206081000/http://gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-4963,00.html | url=http://gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-4963,00.html| title=''EverQuest'': 300,000 and Counting | date=October 30, 2000 | author=Ocampo, Jason | work=[[CNET Gamecenter]] | archivedate=December 6, 2000 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

By early 2001, ''Ultima Online''{{'}}s playerbase was estimated at 20–30% female, which was common to MMORPGs of the period.<ref name=women>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228081302/http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/11/technology/men-are-from-quake-women-are-from-ultima.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/11/technology/men-are-from-quake-women-are-from-ultima.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm | title=Men Are From ''Quake'', Women Are From ''Ultima'' | author=Laber, Emily | date=January 11, 2001 | work=[[The New York Times]] | archivedate=December 28, 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Japan remained a key market for ''Ultima Online'' by July 2001, and accounted for 64,000 of the game's 240,000 subscribers at the time. A representative for Electronic Arts reported, "While we do only a fraction of PC game business in Japan against EA's worldwide business, over 25 percent of ''Ultima Online'' business is done in Japan."<ref name=global>{{cite journal | author=Everingham, Max | title=Gaming Goes Global | date=July 2001 | volume=8 | number=7 | journal=[[PC Gamer US]] | pages=44–47, 50–52 }}</ref> Worldwide, ''Ultima Online'' retained 225,000 subscribers by early 2003.<ref name=225k>{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106223818/https://slate.com/business/2003/02/how-online-games-teach-us-about-economics.html| url=https://slate.com/business/2003/02/how-online-games-teach-us-about-economics.html | title=The Dismal Science; Fantasy Economics | author=Shapiro, Robert | date=February 4, 2003 | work=[[Slate (website)|Slate]] | archivedate=November 6, 2018 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Awards===
''Ultima Online'' was awarded "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Online Game of the Year|Online Game of the Year]]", as well as received a nomination for "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Technical Achievement|Outstanding Achievement in Software Engineering]]", at the [[1st Annual Interactive Achievement Awards|inaugural Interactive Achievement Awards]] (now known as the [[D.I.C.E. Awards]]), presented by the [[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences]].<ref name="Finalists1998">{{cite web |title=The Award - Updates |url=http://www.interactive.org/html/award/awardupdate.htm |website=Interactive.org |publisher=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |access-date=10 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980615090128fw_/http://www.interactive.org/html/award/awardupdate.htm |archive-date=June 15, 1998 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Winners1998">{{cite web |title=The Award - Winners |url=http://www.interactive.org/html/award/awardwin98.htm |website=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |access-date=10 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980615090115/http://www.interactive.org/html/award/awardwin98.htm |archive-date=June 15, 1998 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
''Ultima Online''{{'}}s success resulted in [[Guinness World Records]] awarding the game eight world records in the ''Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008''. These records include "First MMORPG to Reach 100,000 Players", "Longest Running MMORPG", and "First and Only Person to Kill [[Lord British#Assassination|Lord British]]", which was done by a player named Rainz during a server reset which turned off his invulnerability;<ref>{{cite book |title=Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008 |isbn=978-1-904994-20-6|last1=Limited|first1=Guinness World Records|year=2008|publisher=Guinness World Records }}</ref> however, the "Longest Running MMORPG" award was revoked due to an oversight and was instead given to the game ''[[Furcadia]]'', which was released nine months prior to ''Ultima Online''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/longest-running-social-mmorpg |title=Longest-running social MMORPG |date=October 3, 2016 |access-date=January 28, 2021}}</ref> In May 2001 ''Ultima Online'' won the MPOGD game of the month award <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mpogd.com/gotm/?Date=5/1/2001 |title=MPOGD's Game of the Month May 2001 |publisher=MPOGD.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020307010837/http://www.mpogd.com/gotm/?Date=5%2F1%2F2001 |archive-date=March 7, 2002 |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref> In 2010, ''Ultima Online'' was the first inductee into the Game Developers Choice Online Awards Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gdconlineawards.com/archive/gdcoa_1st.html |title=The First Annual Game Developers Choice Online Awards |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref> In 2012, [https://stratics.com/ Stratics] presented ''Ultima Online'' with a "Historic Achievement Award" to commemorate "fifteen years of innovation, imagination, and dedication in support of the Ultima Online community."<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://stratics.com/featured/stratics-presents-historic-achievement-award-to-ultima-online-team/ |title=Stratics Presents Historic Achievement Award to Ultima Online Team |date=September 29, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130420051639/http://stratics.com/network-news/stratics-presents-historic-achievement-award-to-ultima-online-team/ |archive-date=April 20, 2013 |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref> [[Time (magazine)|Time]] designated it as one of the 100 greatest video games of all time in November 2012.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Peckham |first=Matt |title=All-TIME 100 Video Games |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=November 15, 2012 |url=https://techland.time.com/2012/11/15/all-time-100-video-games/slide/ultima-online-1997/ |access-date=April 13, 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723230434/http://techland.time.com/2012/11/15/all-time-100-video-games/slide/ultima-online-1997/ |archive-date=July 23, 2013}}</ref>

===Controversies===
''Ultima Online'' had a number of serious bugs when it first shipped, with the vast majority of them being fixed with [[Patch (computing)|patches]] over the next few months. This ignited debates over whether the recently emerged technology for continuous patching would lead to companies routinely releasing games in an unfinished and/or bug-ridden state with the intention of fixing the problems after release.<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Christian |last=Svensson |title=Joyriding: Ready or Not... |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=38|publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=February 1998|page=33}}</ref>

Since the designers of ''Ultima Online'' wanted to provide freedom and sense of agency, it was important to allow players to act in a villainous role. The consequences of in-game criminality were adjusted over time, but maintaining the general commitment to player freedom. As explained by designer Raph Koster, "Being safe from evil is, in my mind, an uneven tradeoff for the fact that you don't get to be heroes anymore, in that you can just opt out of fighting evil. It may be nobody wants to be heroes except when it doesn't count, when it isn't challenging, that people would rather fight 'pretend evil' than the real thing, but I don't personally believe that. I still think people are better than that."<ref>{{cite web |first=Raph |last=Koster |url=https://www.raphkoster.com/games/snippets/a-uo-postmortem-of-sorts/ |title=A UO postmortem of sorts Postmortem |date=April 2014 |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref>

''Ultima Online'' was sued by former player volunteers ("Counselors") and settled in 2004 without admitting wrongdoing.<ref>{{cite web |first=T.L. |last=Taylor |date=April 19, 2004 |url=https://terranova.blogs.com/terra_nova/2004/04/uo_lawsuit_sett.html |title=UO lawsuit settled |publisher=Terranova.blogs.com |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref> AOL had their volunteers train customer service personnel it hired, then shut down the volunteer program. Concern over future lawsuits led Microsoft to shut down their volunteer program for ''Asheron's Call''.<ref>{{cite book |title=Developing Online Games: An Insider's Guide |first1=Jessica |last1=Mulligan \first2=Bridgette |last2=Patrovsky |page=252 |year=2005 |publisher=New Riders |isbn=9781592730001}}</ref>

==Expansions and follow-up releases==
{{main|Ultima Online expansions}}

Throughout ''Ultima Online''{{'}}s history, there have been many major additions to the game. [[Expansion pack]]s have been released regularly, all of which add new content in the form of landmass, art, quests, items, or game mechanics.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Title !! Release date !! Features
|-
|''[[Ultima Online: The Second Age|The Second Age]]''
|Oct 1, 1998
|Lost Lands, along with an in-game chat system and new creatures. Also known as ''T2A''. It was released in two boxed versions with different artwork and a single manual.{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}}
|-
|''[[Ultima Online: Renaissance|Renaissance]]''
|May 4, 2000
|Doubled the size of the world, adding a mirror copy of the existing landscape. The worlds were called Felucca and Trammel, after the two moons in ''Ultima's'' Britannia world. The Trammel world did not allow [[player killing]] and was geared towards fighting monsters. Felucca adopted a darker, more foreboding look and kept its player vs player roots.{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}}

|-
|''[[Ultima Online: Third Dawn|Third Dawn]]''
|Mar 7, 2001
|Included a 3D client to compete with 3D competition like ''[[EverQuest]]''. A special Third Dawn-only land was created, called Ilshenar. It was accessible only to 3D clients until the release of ''Lord Blackthorn's Revenge''.{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}}
|-
|''[[Ultima Online: Lord Blackthorn's Revenge|Lord Blackthorn's Revenge]]''
|February 24, 2002
|Brought "a dark new world based on new characters from [[Todd McFarlane]]" to ''Ultima Online'' with improved game [[artificial intelligence]], in-game help and improved character creation.{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}}
|-

|''[[Ultima Online: Age of Shadows|Age of Shadows]]''
|February 11, 2003
|Brought the landmass of Malas with space for new housing, two new [[character class]]es ([[Paladin]] and [[Necromancer]]) and the ability to customize house designs. The item system was reworked with this expansion. Armor resistance was split into five types and many new properties that affected game play were added to weaponry. As good equipment became vital, this expansion also brought with it item insurance. Subscriptions reached a peak of over 250,000 accounts following the release.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.ea.com/portal/site/ea/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20030314005303&newsLang=en |title=ORIGIN Systems Announces Record Number of Subscriptions |publisher=Electronic Arts |date=March 14, 2003 |access-date=April 13, 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710163624/http://news.ea.com/portal/site/ea/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20030314005303&newsLang=en |archive-date=July 10, 2011}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Ultima Online: Samurai Empire|Samurai Empire]]''
|November 2, 2004
|Brought ancient [[Japanese mythology]] and folklore to the game, two new classes ([[Ninja]] and [[Samurai]]) and a new area to explore, the Tokuno Islands. The new class skills shifted the balance of player vs. player combat away from mage dominance.{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}}
|-
|''[[Ultima Online: Mondain's Legacy|Mondain's Legacy]]''
|August 30, 2005
|Introduced a new race, [[elves]], and a new skill, spellweaving. Several dungeons were also added.{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}}
|-
|''[[Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss|Stygian Abyss]]''
|September 8, 2009
|Featured a new playable race, the Gargoyle; additional play areas; and three new skills: imbuing, throwing and mysticism.<ref>{{cite web |last=Zeeman |first=Chrissay |title=Publish 60 Notes |url=https://uo.stratics.com/uoherald/news/news.php?newsid=932 |access-date=April 13, 2019 |date=September 8, 2009}}</ref> Stygian Abyss also featured significant upgrades to the Kingdom Reborn client, which has been renamed to the Enhanced Client. The original client is still supported.<ref>{{cite web |last=Crowner |first=Calvin |title=Open Beta Begins! |url=https://uo.stratics.com/uoherald/news/news.php?newsid=903 |access-date=April 13, 2019 |date=August 14, 2009}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Ultima Online: High Seas|High Seas]]''
|October 12, 2010
|Focused on additions to fishing, sailing and the pirate skill. Four new ship types, improved ship movement, pirate NPCs to hunt, and new boss encounters are introduced along with improvements to the fishing skill like new types of fish and crustaceans to catch and an increased skill cap.<ref>{{cite web |title=Welcome to the High Seas! – Publish 68 Notes |url=https://uo.stratics.com/uoherald/news/news.php?newsid=1108 |access-date=April 13, 2019 |date=October 12, 2010}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Ultima Online: Time of Legends|Time of Legends]]''
|2015
|New Areas: Shadowguard and Valley of Eodon; two new champion spawns; completing the virtue system; many new items; new skill-masteries; updates to classic housing.<ref name="Developer video diary">Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/F54j3zSj6oQ Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20151122090502/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F54j3zSj6oQ Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web |title=What's New for UO in 2015? |website = [[YouTube]]|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F54j3zSj6oQ |access-date=April 13, 2019 |date=February 24, 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
|}

===Clients===
Electronic Arts provides the standard clients with which players are allowed to connect to the ''Ultima Online'' servers, though some third-party clients were made.

The 3D client was originally released as a part of the ''Ultima Online: Third Dawn'' expansion, but received poor reviews due to performance issues (especially [[memory leak]]s early on) and sub-par graphics. An update to the 3D client was made on January 30, 2006 when characters and creatures from the game were scaled down to smaller sizes. As of early May/Late April 2007, the ''Third Dawn'' client was no longer supported by Electronic Arts, and focus shifted to the ''Kingdom Reborn'' client and its successor the Enhanced Client. Electronic Arts ''Ultima Online'' servers do not allow the ''Third Dawn'' client to connect.

[[File:UO-Kingdom Reborn.jpg|thumb|right|Screenshot from ''Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn'']]

''Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn'' was announced in August 2006 and was released August 27, 2007.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ultima's Kingdom is Reborn |publisher=Gamespot |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ultimas-kingdom-is-reborn/1100-6177764/ |date=August 28, 2007 |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref> A series of clues provided by [[Software developer|developer]]s via an in-game event arc allowed players to find a [[URL]] on the ''Ultima Online'' website wherein a simple message was contained as well as a [[Adobe Flash|Flash]] movie featuring screenshots of the upgraded graphics. In addition to the upgraded graphics, there was a newer, more streamlined interface. Some of the changes included [[hot keys]], a scrolling bag configuration and a new character sheet. The new client modernized the game's look, making it easy to add new content without backsliding through outdated and outmoded art, while maintaining the niche market as an MMORPG that can run on [[high-end|lower-end]] computers. Electronic Arts referred to the ''Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn'' client as "2.5d," meaning that it was written in 3d and then moved into 2d to make it easier for lower-end computers to run. The client is available as a free download.

Electronic Arts originally stated that the ''Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn'' client would replace the long-standing ''Ultima Online'' client. As of September 2009, the ''Kingdom Reborn'' client has been superseded by a modified version of the ''KR'' client, now called the "Enhanced Client".<ref>[http://uo.stratics.com/uoherald/news/news.php?newsid=863 The new "Enhanced Client", based on the KR client], 17 Jul 2009.</ref> The ''Kingdom Reborn'' client no longer works on official shards.<ref>[http://uo.stratics.com/uoherald/news/news.php?newsid=928 Abandoning development of the KR Client], 07 Sep 2009.</ref> The new "Enhanced Client" keeps the rendering engine (including particle effects and light source rendering) from Kingdom Reborn, but not the KR graphics. Support for this client ended to streamline the patch process prior to the release of the [[Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss]] expansion.<ref>{{cite web |last=Zeeman |first=Chrissay |title=Kingdom Reborn Client |url=https://uo.stratics.com/uoherald/news/news.php?newsid=928 |access-date=April 13, 2019 |date=September 7, 2009}}</ref>

A modified version of the ''Kingdom Reborn'' client, renamed as the "Enhanced Client", was introduced as part of the ''Stygian Abyss'' expansion. It was released as an [[Closed beta|open beta]] in July 2009. Changes included enhanced macro abilities, a more configurable interface, changes to the mapping system, and graphical improvements.<ref>{{cite web |last=Crowner |first=Calvin |title=New Client Open Beta |url=https://uo.stratics.com/uoherald/news/news.php?newsid=863 |access-date=April 13, 2019 |date=July 17, 2009}}</ref> The enhanced graphics of the ''Kingdom Reborn'' client had been retired in favor of lower resolution original graphics that more closely resembled the original 2D client. This graphic set was based on the ''Third Dawn'' client and was previously available in the ''Kingdom Reborn'' client as optional original graphics.

===Other releases===
''Ultima Online'' has had several special releases that were not expansions or booster packs, but came with boxed or in-game extras.
* ''Ultima Online: Charter Edition'' (September 30, 1997) was available to pre-order from Origin Systems at the launch of ''Ultima Online'' and in small quantities alongside the standard retail box. It included a signed lithograph of the ''Ultima Online'' artwork by the Hilderbrandt brothers and a pewter pin badge bearing the ''Ultima Online'' logo. The box was not signed by Richard Garriott, but simply bears a digital print of his Lord British signature. The Charter Edition included the cloth map that was also a feature of the standard box, and included three months of subscription time, as opposed to the single month included with the standard box.
* ''Ultima Online: Discovery Edition'' (February 1, 2000) was released to the Australian and New Zealand markets at the same time as the launch of the Oceania server for the region.
* ''Ultima Online: 7th Anniversary'' (September 25, 2004) was a special release of the game to celebrate ''Ultima Online's'' seventh birthday. It included a more recently patched CD. This release was contained in a small cardboard box containing a triple-CD jewel case, featuring ''Ultima Online: Age of Shadows'', but also included ''[[Ultima IX: Ascension]]'' install and play discs as a bonus. A glossy booklet showing the history of ''Ultima Online'' expansions was included that contained historic art and an interview from the ''Ultima Online'' team and community leaders. It included a code for an in-game gift, one of which was ''Ultima Online's'' famous Hilderbrant print, an extra character slot (a total of six characters was now available) and 7 buddy registration codes.
* ''Ultima Online: Gold'' (July 18, 2005) was sold by Wal-Mart and includes the same content as ''[[Ultima Online: Samurai Empire]]''. This edition came with an Advanced Character token code and quick-start manual.
* ''Ultima Online: The Eighth Age'' (September 25, 2005) was a boxed game CD with an array of in-game tokens. The release was to celebrate ''Ultima Online's'' eighth birthday. The box included a patched game CD, a glossy booklet featuring an atlas of [[Sosaria]], in-game tokens for an anniversary gift (choice of 8), a character transfer, an advanced character, a 45-day free trial code and a time-limited blue soul stone.
* ''Ultima Online: 9th Anniversary Collection'' (October 31, 2006). Formerly known as "Eve of a New Age." This came with an in-game upgrade code that redeemed 9 "Heritage Tokens", "Crystal" and "Shadow" items which matched new housing tile sets in the game, and attendants, which took the form of NPCs. These could be set to announce a player's presence in a house or to follow the player around on the map. The Heritage tokens could be redeemed for several kinds of items including special armor, weapons, and house decoration items in various themes (3 fruit trees, a set of rugs, tables, a broken furniture set, a "dark" or evil furniture set and more).

==Legacy==
===Sequels===
Two sequels were planned by Electronic Arts, but both were canceled during development so that more focus could be spent on the original.
* ''[[Ultima Worlds Online: Origin|Ultima Online 2]]'', later renamed ''[[Ultima Worlds Online: Origin]]'' was announced in 1999. It was to add [[steampunk]] elements to the fantasy setting, set in a world where the past, present and future of Sosaria were merged by a mistake made by Lord British while attempting to merge the shards of the Gem of Immortality. Todd McFarlane was hired to design original monsters and regions for the game, as well as help shape the story. It was cancelled in 2001 before its release, citing the competitive nature of the massively multiplayer online gaming market—Electronic Arts feared the sequel would harm ''Ultima Online's'' subscription numbers. Some of the monsters and art made for the game were later used in the ''Ultima Online'' expansion ''[[Ultima Online: Lord Blackthorn's Revenge|Lord Blackthorn's Revenge]]''.
* ''[[Ultima X: Odyssey]]'' was a new MMORPG to be set in a world named Alucinor, created by the Avatar after the events of ''[[Ultima IX: Ascension]]''. It was cancelled in 2004 when Electronic Arts closed Origin. The ''Odyssey'' team was invited to move to the Bay area to finish the game. However, only a small number of people accepted the transfer. In the end, ''Odyssey'' was cancelled because the development team dissolved.

===Community===
{{Redirect|Shadowclan|the group of characters from Erin Hunter's ''[[Warriors (novel series)|Warriors]]'' series|List of Warriors characters#ShadowClan}}
During the game's May 1996 alpha testing, there already formed over a dozen [[Guild (computer gaming)|player-created guilds]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Ultima Online |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=21 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=September 1996 |pages=84–85}}</ref>

Shadowclan is a guild that gained notoriety within the [[online game|online gaming]] community<ref name="HOOWAH! Player Memorabilia">{{cite web |title=HOOWAH! Player Memorabilia |url=https://www.raphkoster.com/2006/12/18/hoowah-player-memorabilia/ |date=December 18, 2006 |website=raphkoster.com |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref> in 1997 by taking the place of [[non-player character]] [[orcs]] in ''Ultima Online''.<ref name="Ultima Online Spotlight #6">{{cite web |url=http://www.uo.com/spot_6.html |title=Shadowclan |access-date=April 13, 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060328095922/http://www.uo.com/spot_6.html |archive-date=March 28, 2006}}</ref> Former clan administrator Ogur was interviewed about Shadowclan in ''Massively Multiplayer Games [[For Dummies]]''.<ref>{{cite book |first=Scott |last=Jennings |author-link=Lum the Mad |title=Massively Multiplayer Games For Dummies |location=Hoboken, NJ |publisher=Wiley Publishing |year=2006 |isbn=0-471-75273-8}}</ref> A reference to Shadowclan was written into the official ''[[Dark Age of Camelot]]'' documentation.<ref name="daoc_kobold">{{cite web |url=https://camelotherald.fandom.com/wiki/Kobold |title=Kobold |work=Dark Age of Camelot Wiki |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref>

Fans of ''Ultima Online'' [[reverse engineering|reverse-engineered]] the game to produce server emulators of the original Electronic Arts servers.<ref name="escapist">{{cite magazine |first=Joe |last=Blancato |url=https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/issues/issue_4/27-The-Highest-Form-of-Flattery |title=The Highest Form of Flattery |magazine=[[The Escapist (magazine)|The Escapist]] |date=August 2, 2005 |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref>

In early 1999, a few users began auctioning their accounts, one garnering a winning bid of $2025 ({{inflation|US|2025|1999|fmt=eq}}).<ref name="Slizewski">{{cite magazine|title=RPG characters sell for $2,205!|last=Slizewski|first=Tom|issue=50|magazine=[[InQuest Gamer]]|page=25|publisher=[[Wizard Entertainment]]|date=July 1999}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite magazine|title=There's a whole wide world in there|last=Elliott|first=Mike|authorlink=Mike Elliott (game designer)|magazine=[[The Duelist (magazine)|The Duelist]]|issue=22|publisher=[[Wizards of the Coast]]|pages=82–83|date=February 1998}}

==External links==
<!-- Do not add more external links to fan sites without discussing it thoroughly on the talk page beforehand. -->
* {{official website|http://www.uo.com/}}
* [http://www.uoguide.com/ UOGuide – ''Ultima Online'' wiki]

{{Ultima}}
{{MUDs}}
{{Origin Systems}}
{{Authority control}}

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