Ultima Online. 10 iconic games from 1997, the year of legens

Ultima Online, Origin Systems, 1997

In 1997, Ultima Online mainly captivated with the fact that network interactions known from MUD-type games were replaced by beautiful graphics, the same as in the single-player versions of Ultima. The game was the fulfillment the vision of Richard Gariotta, who wanted one huge fantasy world that would connect thousands of players. Despite the necessity to purchase a subscription, countless bugs and hideous problems with Internet connection (in 1997, 56k modems were still popular in our country, generating huge phone bills), the game turned out to be a huge success.

What's interesting is that the early concept was much more humble. The heads of Origin Systems and Electronic Arts never thought Ultima had such potential, and a maximum of 15,000 subscribers was expected. However, the number of players actually skyrocketed, and the game quickly found its way into the Guinness Book of World Records, with a score of 100,000 players in just six months after its release. It was the first big hit in the genre of MMO productions, providing complete freedom and the ability to be "the bad guy" towards other players. One of the most high-profile events in the gaming world, the killing of the creator of Ultima in the form of his online alter ego - Lord British - took place during beta testing in August 1997. Later, more crazy stories from this world just kept coming.

1. More about the game Ultima Online