Ultima Online Marks 29th Anniversary With Gifts and Sakura Weekend Event

Ultima Online turned 29 on September 24, and Broadsword is marking the milestone with anniversary gifts for eligible players. Veteran characters can claim the 29th Anniversary Gifts by logging in, so if you’ve got an old character parked somewhere in Britannia, now’s a good time to check in.

The anniversary arrives alongside a short-term live event on the Sakura shard. The Reaping is now active on Sakura and sends players to the farms of Yew to kick off the adventure. The event is only running through Monday morning’s server maintenance, so there’s a pretty narrow window to gather a group and clear it.

Broadsword’s setup for The Reaping is harvest-themed, with Yew’s fields and groves turning hostile after the locals take too much from the land. In practical terms, players are being asked to head to Yew, fight back whatever has taken over, and earn event rewards if they can finish the encounter.

The team also used the anniversary week to introduce members of the Ultima Online crew and held a 29th anniversary stream on September 24, with discussion planned around New Legacy Season 2, Publish 125, the Classic Client Update, and other topics. No new release dates were included in the announcement.

Ultima Online originally launched on September 24, 1997, which makes it one of the longest-running MMORPGs still operating. Twenty-nine years later, Britannia is still getting holiday gifts, live events, and shard-specific weekends. Not bad for a game that was once expected to last only a few years.

Further reading: Official Ultima Online 29th anniversary post