On November 2, 1999, Microsoft and Turbine launched Asheron’s Call, a massively multiplayer online fantasy role-playing game that stood toe-to-toe with the likes of EverQuest and Ultima Online. On January 31, Asheron’s Call and its sequel are coming to an end.
Asheron’s Call was my first serious MMO, before I got my hands on EQ and after Ultima Online chewed me up and spat my hapless lumberjack ass out. I spent many a late night wandering its roads, killing Drudges by the bucketful.
It was a good game, but its time has come. The last content update went live in March of 2014, so the game’s been stagnant for two years. On top of that, Turbine is moving out of the MMO business, and while its spin-off company, Standing Stone Games, will continue to work on Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online, the Asheron’s Call license belongs to Warner Bros., so both AC games must close.
The January 31 closure of Asheron’s Call and it’s once-dead sequel, Asheron’s Call 2, was announced today via the games’ forum.
It is with a heavy heart that we must announce the end of our support for Asheron’s Call and Asheron’s Call 2, and will close both services on January 31st, 2017.
This decision did not come easy, and we know this is disappointing for many of you. This game is a labor of love, and it’s not easy for us to bring it to an end.
We hae had a phenomenally long run; one of the longest in the world of MMORPGs, and that in and of itself is a spectacular feat. We are proud of our legacy, and the entire Asheron’s Call team has been honored to adventure with you for nearly twenty years. We thank you very much for being a part of it.
It’s been an amazing run. You’ve done Asheron Realaidain proud.
While new account creation is being closed, anyone with an existing account is welcome to log in and wander about before the call is finally silenced.