 | Digital Release: | PC October 31, 1999 |
| Delisting: | January 31, 2017 | |
| Developer: | Turbine Inc | |
| Publisher: | Microsoft Studios WB Games |
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| Available On: | None | |
| Links: | Asheron’s Call homepage |
Delisting
Asheron’s Call and Asheron’s Call 2: Fallen Kings were taken offline on January 31st, 2017. Turbine Inc. announced on December 19th, 2016 that the team behind Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online would continue development of those titles as the new independent studio Standing Stone Games. The Asheron’s Call property is owned by Turbine who in turn is owned by Warner Bros. (Time Warner) which prohibited the titles from also migrating to Standing Stone Games.
A post to the Asheron’s Call Facebook page on December 20th, 2016 confirmed that service for both games would be terminated on January 31st, 2017. Current account holders were allowed to continue playing for free until the 31st but new account creation was disabled.
No further explanation was given, the post only states that maintaining both titles over recent years was “a labor of love”. With Asheron’s Call in maintenance mode since 2014 and no new content added to Asheron’s Call 2 since 2005 it is likely that Turbine could not (and WB would not) incur the ongoing expense to keep the games online.
Earlier in 2016 Turbine had mentioned possibly turning over the servers to the community but in a post to the Asheron’s Call forums on December 20th, administrator Halistran settled the discussion. “We had hoped to be able to hand off our servers to the community, so our most loyal players could continue their journey through Dereth. Unfortunately, this is something we were unable to do.”
About the Game
“Welcome to the online role-playing game Asheron’s Call, where thousands of players inhabit a beautiful 3D fantasy world to make friends and seek out perilous adventure. Customize your alter ego with a unique appearance and balance of heroic skills, then enter a magical frontier of terrible monsters, breathtaking vistas, and fast alliances. With over 500 square miles that offer ever more wonders to explore, Asheron’s Call gives you a world of unparalleled scope and freedom, the richest setting yet for creating your personal saga or joining your friends in an epic campaign.”
“Launched in 1999, AC is a critically acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game that draws together thousands of players within an evolving and dynamic persistent world. With an exciting ever-evolving storyline, thrilling adventures, quests, and frequent content updates, AC immerses players in an intense role-playing environment. An extensive system of formal Allegiances and player influence greatly enhances social interaction within the game. AC has received several awards over its 10-year history including being ranked #27 of Gamespy’s Top 50 games of all time.”