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The Realm Online

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The Realm Online
Developer(s)Sierra On-Line (previous), Codemasters (previous), Norseman Games (previous), Rat Labs (previous), Realm Worlds (previous), Digital Alchemy (current)
Publisher(s)Sierra On-Line (previous), World Opponent Network (previous), Codemasters (previous), Norseman Games (previous), Virtual World Holding Company (current)
Designer(s)Stephen Nichols, Jordan Neville, Gil
Platform(s)Windows
Release
Genre(s)MMORPG
Mode(s)Multiplayer

The Realm Online, originally known as The Realm, is a massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) launched in December 1996 for Windows PC.[1] It was designed in the tradition of graphical MUDs,[2] before the usage of the terms "massively multiplayer" and "MMORPG".[3]

Initially published by Sierra On-Line and developed at its original design facility in Oakhurst, California alongside classic single-player titles like Quest for Glory and Police Quest[4], it was abandoned by that company because of its unfavorable comparison to multi-player competitors like Ultima Online and EverQuest.[5] It was next taken up for a short time by World Opponent Network, a subsidiary of Sierra On-line, before being sold to Codemasters in 1999.[6] In 2003, Codemasters sold the game to Norseman Games, a family-owned company based in Grand Rapids, Michigan[7] led by a former player of The Realm.[8]

In 2018, Norseman Games granted an exclusive license to develop and distribute The Realm Online to Rat Labs [9], a company led by players who had previously operated an unofficial private server of the game.[10] In 2023, Rat Labs (by then renamed as Realm Worlds) announced that they had unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate the purchase of The Realm from Norseman Games and that the game server they had developed, titled Finvarra's Fortress, would close.[11] It then became public that Norseman Games had sold The Realm to Virtual Worlds Holding Company, who licensed the game to be developed by Digital Alchemy[12] who published a new game server in November 2023.[13]

Gameplay

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The Realm Online uses turn-based combat, which makes it different from other MUDs of its generation,[3] and is convenient for players with a bad Internet connection.[14] it has been credited to be the first virtual world to use instances, with every battle taking place in a special room outside of the open world.[15]

The game has been criticized for its unforgiving character creation: a character that hasn't been created optimally can't reach maximum potential.[14]

Popularity

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In the game's first year, 25,000 user accounts had been made. In 2008, the server would still reach an online population of 100 to 200 players during peak hours and has since returned to these numbers with the release of the free to play version of the server.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Realm Online - Online Game of the Week".
  2. ^ a b Lynn, Casey (2008-11-17). "RPG Nostalgia: The Realm". Geeks are Sexy. Retrieved 2014-12-15.
  3. ^ a b "The Top Ten Oldest MMORPGs - MMO Hut". mmohuts.com. Archived from the original on 2011-04-18.
  4. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20000310095503fw_/http://www.yosemite-entertainment.com/news/pressrelease/pr52798.html
  5. ^ Bartle, Richard (2003). Designing Virtual Worlds. New Riders. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-13-101816-7.
  6. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20000301221421/http://www.realmserver.com/news/index.html
  7. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20240822005054/https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/uncategorized/it-industry-growing-quickly/
  8. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20050211161249/http://www.realmserver.com/dev_Journal_Scott.shtml
  9. ^ https://massivelyop.com/2018/06/02/the-game-archaeologist-the-rebirth-of-the-realm-online/
  10. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20201109043336/https://realmserver.com/forum/announcements/welcome-to-the-new-realm
  11. ^ https://www.gamecrate.com/news/obituary-the-realm-online-death-knell
  12. ^ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/03/the-realm-onlines-corporate-buyer-surfaces-with-a-bizarre-website-and-studio-partner/
  13. ^ https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/23/the-realm-online-returns-yet-again-with-a-reimagined-version-of-this-classic-mmo/
  14. ^ a b "Realm Online Review".
  15. ^ Horn, Daniel Reiter (2011). Using a Physical Metaphor to Scale Up Communication in Virtual Worlds. Stanford University. p. 11. Retrieved 2014-12-15.
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