The following are previous articles on the progress of Midkemia Online.
28 September 2004
It's two days early, but I might as well tell you know. The text game is going forward, but the graphic on-line project is now cancelled. Iron Realm had a great idea, but the economies of the market made it almost impossible for them to find the partner necessary to achieve that vision.
So, for the time being, the Massive Multi-Player, Online, Game is done.
Best, R.E.F.
Previous Announcement
28 August 2003
Iron Realms Acquires Raymond E. Feist Rights
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
IRON REALMS ACQUIRES RAYMOND E. FEIST RIGHTS
Mill Valley, CA -- August 27, 2003 -- Iron Realms Entertainment, an award-winning California-based developer of massively multiplayer games (MMORPGs) announced today that it has acquired the exclusive worldwide rights to produce online games based on best-selling author Raymond E. Feist's Riftwar series of books.
"The universe Raymond writes about is incredibly epic, diverse, and detailed. I've been a fan of his books for well over fifteen years and am very excited that we're going to get to develop games based in the world of Midkemia," said Matt Mihaly, Iron Realms's CEO and Creative Director.
"There are millions of Feist fans out there and there's not been a game based on his work since 1998," said Martin Best, VP of Production for Iron Realms. "Our plans for the license aren't finalized yet but you will definitely be seeing at least one game based on the property."
Mr. Feist has sold over 20 million books and is one of the best selling fantasy authors in history. He's written more than fifteen books taking place in the same setting including "Magician", "A Darkness at Sethanon", and his latest book, "Talon of the Silver Hawk." His roleplaying game "Betrayal at Krondor" (Sierra, 1993) is considered one of the finest RPGs ever, having won multiple Game of the Year awards as well as induction into Computer Gaming World's Hall of Fame. A highly-regarded sequel -- "Return to Krondor" -- was also published by Sierra, in 1998.
"His books contain a good twenty-five distinct cultures ranging from the traditional medieval European Kingdom to the desert empire of Great Kesh, to the nomadic centaur-like Thun to the China-meets-Aztec Tsuranuanni," said Mihaly. "Our games tend to focus on cooperative and combative community mechanics such as religious strife, war, and internal political conflict so this variety in culture provides for all sorts of great design opportunities."
About Iron Realms Entertainment
Iron Realms Entertainment (formerly Achaea LLC) is an independent developer and publisher of massively-multiplayer games based in Mill Valley, California. Founded in 1997, its main focus is the development of games with depth and a focus on competitive communities. It also uses a pioneering business model in which players pay no subscription fee but are instead presented with the opportunity to purchase virtual goods and services that assist the player in the game.
IRE's games include the top-rated online text game - Achaea, Dreams of Divine Lands - as well as Aetolia, the Midnight Age, and Imperian. For more information visit the websites at http://www.ironrealms.com, http://www.achaea.com/, http://www.aetolia.com, and http://www.imperian.com.
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There you have it.
Best, R.E.F.
