Ultima Online has a special shield if you've been playing for 25 years
At this kind of distance, it's much easier to see how important Ultima Online is in the history of videogames. It wasn't the first MMOG, but it is perhaps the foundational game for what we'd come to think of as MMOGs, and its influence can be found in everything from the obvious (World of Warcraft and even much more contemporary examples like New World) to edge cases such as Minecraft's crafting system.
Ultima Online is a landmark, and that is most obviously shown in the fact it's still a going concern: servers remain live to this day, and the game receives regular if small updates. This month marks 25 years since the game launched and, alongside a merry in-game celebration (including drinks vouchers and a 'troll kissing booth'), Ultima Online also offers one of the most remarkable in-game collectables you'll see: a shield that reflects a player having spent 25 years playing the game.
As well as the shield, players with this kind of vintage account can claim the title 'Founding Citizen of Britannia' which, yeah, fair enough.
All players are receiving a 25th anniversary card in-game, and a token which can be traded for various gifts. These include a silver shield bearing a stylised version of the Ultima Online Charter Edition box art, alongside an inscription of the game's launch date on September 24, 1997. There's also a silver anniversary tome which shows a randomised landscape of Britannia and plays a nice tune. Alternatively, sod the shield and books and claim a skull-shaped bottle of intoxicating liquor which promises to «inebriate the imbiber.» Well, it is a celebration.
Designer Raph Koster, who was one of the key figures in Ultima Online's development, took to his blog to muse on the 25 years that have passed
Read more on pcgamer.com
