Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar Press Release

Ultima fever has been stirring lately due to the sudden reveal of Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar just yesterday, and now the game is “officially official” thanks to a brand-new press release by EA. We now indeed know it is a heavily modernized remake of Ultima IV, featuring BioWare-style writing and a standard free-to-play model.

In addition to the presentation and story, gameplay also appears to have changed significantly, as Ultima Forever, based on previews, seems to resemble a hack-and-slash title more than anything else. Suffice it to say, this is not the Ultima many fans grew up with, but it’s also looking to include more depth than many other free-to-play titles do.

Here’s the full press release for those interested:

EA AND BIOWARE RETURN TO THE LEGENDARY WORLD OF BRITANNIA IN NEW FREE-TO-PLAY RPG ULTIMA FOREVER: QUEST FOR THE AVATAR

Rediscover One of Gaming’s Most Beloved Franchises with Friends, Anytime, Anywhere on iPad and PC Later this Year

FAIRFAX, Va. July 12, 2012 BioWareâ„¢, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), today announced Ultimaâ„¢ Forever: Quest for the Avatar. Expanding the legendary Ultimaâ„¢ franchise, Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar combines accessible action RPG gameplay with trademark BioWare storytelling, immersing both longtime fans and new gamers into the deep and engaging world of Britannia. Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar will be available on both the iPad and PC later this year, with fully integrated, cross-platform play so gamers can experience all of the rich and deep RPG elements with friends, wherever and whenever they choose to play.

To sign up for a chance to participate in a future closed beta and to see the game’s first gameplay trailer, please visit the official web site at www.ultimaforever.com. Fans attending Comic-Con International 2012 in San Diego this weekend can stop by the EA booth (#5405) to learn more about Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar, while also getting a chance to play some of EA’s latest free-to-play games, including Battlefield Heroesâ„¢, Command & Conquerâ„¢ Tiberium Alliances, Need for Speedâ„¢ World and Warhammer® Online: Wrath of Heroesâ„¢.

(There’s a fundamental shift underway in how gamers play and pay for games, and Electronic Arts is a leader in providing new business models and new ways to consume content,) said Dr. Ray Muzyka, General Manager of EA’s BioWare Label and Co-Founder of BioWare. (With Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar, we’re excited to give gamers the opportunity to play a high quality game with their friends anytime, anywhere, on both iPad and PC.)

(As huge fans of the Ultima franchise, the team at BioWare Mythic is not only excited to be able to bring this reimagining of the original rich world to the fans of the classic RPGs, but also to introduce a new generation of gamers who have never had a chance to discover why this is one of our industry’s most beloved worlds,) said Eugene Evans, Studio GM at BioWare Mythic.

Spanning over three decades, the fantasy world of Ultima has entertained millions of players from around the world with dozens of award-winning titles. The passionate and loyal fans of Ultima have braved perilous dungeons, faced off against fearsome enemies and creatures, conquered expansive lands and seas, and saved worlds. It’s time to revisit this enchanting universe and step into the shoes of your very own Avatar to find out where your choices will take you.

For more information on Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar, please follow the game on Twitter at http://twitter.com/UltimaForever or (Like) the game on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/UltimaForever.  

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Electronic Arts is committed to driving the industry with its digital transformation. Offering a diverse portfolio of premium games, EA’s Play4Free titles are developed by Easy studios in Stockholm, Sweden; Phenomic Studios in Ingelheim, Germany; and Quicklime Studios in Vancouver, Canada. With a low barrier to entry and over 33 million players around the globe, EA’s world-class Play4Free titles allow gamers to play in the universe of existing and new franchises. Play4Free games are distributed worldwide in a wide selection of languages. For more information, please visit http://play4free.com.

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The BioWare Label is a division of EA which crafts high quality multiplatform role-playing, MMO, social, play-for-free and strategy games, focused on emotionally engaging, rich stories with unforgettable characters and vast worlds to discover. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world’s most critically acclaimed titles and franchises, including Baldur’s Gateâ„¢, Neverwinter Nightsâ„¢, Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republicâ„¢, Jade Empireâ„¢, Mass Effectâ„¢ and Dragon Ageâ„¢.  BioWare currently operates in eight locations across the world, including Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), Montreal (Quebec, Canada), Austin (Texas), Fairfax (Virginia), San Francisco (California), Los Angeles (California), Sacramento (California) and Galway (Ireland).

In 2008, BioWare was acquired by Electronic Arts, a leading global interactive entertainment publisher. In 2011 EA created the BioWare Label, alongside EA Games, EA SPORTSâ„¢ and Maxis.  For more information on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bioware.  To join the millions of fans already registered with the BioWare community, go to http://social.bioware.com.

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Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones, tablets and social networks. EA has more than 220 million registered players and operates in 75 countries.

In fiscal 2012, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.1 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster brands such as The Simsâ„¢, Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speedâ„¢, Battlefieldâ„¢ and Mass Effectâ„¢. More information about EA is available at http://info.ea.com.