Shroud of the Avatar
News, coverage and analysis tracking Shroud of the Avatar across the outlets.
Latest coverage
MMO Week in Review: Funcom’s folly
Funcom has confirmed significant layoffs and the stepping down of its CEO as part of a restructuring effort. The company will now focus on its existing titles, Dune: Awakening and Conan Exiles. This news comes amidst a broader week of MMO updates, including RuneScape halting its Reignited plans and Enshrouded launching its 1.0 release.
Make My MMO: Shroud of the Vibecoders
Richard Garriott, co-founder of Shroud of the Avatar, claimed the game is now bug-free due to AI tools, a statement met with skepticism given the game's troubled history and funding methods. The article also provides updates on other crowdfunded MMOs, including Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen, Embers Adrift, Elite Dangerous, and OrbusVR.
Richard Garriott claims that Shroud of the Avatar has no bugs whatsoever thanks to AI tools
Richard Garriott claims that Shroud of the Avatar has achieved zero bugs daily thanks to the implementation of AI tools in its development workflow. He stated that AI can fix bugs within an hour of discovery and is superior to human workflows, though humans are still needed for artistic judgment.
After 8 years, Ultima creator says his MMO Shroud of the Avatar finally has "zero bugs" thanks to AI
Richard Garriott, creator of Ultima, claims his MMORPG Shroud of the Avatar now has zero bugs thanks to the implementation of AI in its development process. Garriott stated that AI has significantly reduced development time and costs by fixing bugs rapidly, a stark contrast to the game's previous persistent bug issues. He acknowledges the ethical concerns surrounding AI in game development but believes its use is crucial for efficiency.
Richard Garriott expands on his comments about getting the copyright back to Ultima in 2027
Richard Garriott is discussing his plans to regain the copyright for the Ultima franchise in 2027, 35 years after selling Origin to Electronic Arts. While he has notified EA and negotiations are underway, EA still owns the trademark. Garriott has not specified his plans for the franchise, and his recent game ventures have had limited success.
Perfect Ten: Revisiting our last ten ‘Stormiest Future’ winners
This article revisits Massively Overpowered's past predictions for MMORPGs with 'stormy futures,' analyzing the outcomes for games like New World, Cryptic Studios' library, Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen, and Star Citizen. Many of the predicted 'stormy' futures materialized, with some games shutting down or facing significant challenges, while others, like World of Warcraft and Cryptic Studios, have shown resilience or recovery.
Shroud of the Avatar heads into utter chaos, but don’t fret, it’s planned chaos
Shroud of the Avatar is receiving a massive overhaul on Thursday, including over 2000 bug fixes, performance improvements, new game systems, and requested features. The update also features a balance pass on characters and NPCs, and a new policy to limit land grabbing and abuse in NPC towns.
Make My MMO: Loftia’s impending beginning, Ship of Heroes’ inevitable end
This column tracks the status of crowdfunded MMOs, highlighting upcoming early access launches for Loftia and Monsters & Memories. It also reports on the sunsetting of Ship of Heroes, Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen's delay and layoffs, and updates on various other crowdfunded titles.
MMO Week in Review: Foreverrrrr
BlizzCon 2026 saw major announcements including a new open-world StarCraft shooter, Diablo V for 2029, and World of Warcraft Forever launching soon. The event also revealed World of Warcraft's next retail expansion, The Last Titan, and sparked controversy over World of Warcraft Forever's monetization. Other news included the sunsetting of Ship of Heroes, layoffs at Pantheon Rise of the Fallen, and business dealings involving ArcheAge.
Shroud of the Avatar heralds over 2000 changes and improvements are arriving this October
Shroud of the Avatar is preparing for a major release on October 1st, featuring over 2,000 changes including a Unity engine upgrade and new server infrastructure. Despite past controversies and criticisms regarding development and corporate practices, the team is aiming for a relaunch with a planned ad campaign during the holiday season.
Make My MMO: Legends of Aria and The Guild are back, SpiritVale breaks 20K concurrent
This article provides an update on various crowdfunded MMORPGs, noting the return of Legends of Aria as Legends of Aria Eternal and the successful Kickstarter for The Guild movie. It also highlights SpiritVale's launch and its achievement of over 20,000 concurrent players, while mentioning other games like Book of Travels preparing to sunset and Stars Reach nearing early access.
MMO Week in Review: Lament for Elder Scrolls Online
Microsoft's decision to lay off a significant portion of The Elder Scrolls Online team has led to further management turnover and a restructuring of the studio. This week's MMO news also covers the early access launch of SpiritVale, the cancellation of Final Fantasy XIV Mobile, and discussions on lessons for Guild Wars 3.
Richard Garriott vaguely references Ultima plans, including using Shroud of the Avatar as a testbed
Richard Garriott vaguely discussed potential plans for the Ultima series during a birthday livestream, mentioning ongoing discussions about regaining copyright and hoping for more substantial news by DragonCon. He and Chris Spears of Catnip Games suggested using Shroud of the Avatar as a testbed for new Ultima concepts, while Spears also provided updates on Shroud of the Avatar's backend improvements and future episodes.
MMO Week in Review: 213
Microsoft's significant layoffs have heavily impacted the Elder Scrolls Online live team, reducing its size to that of 2015-2018. This week also saw Warframe's TennoCon, Aion 2 previewing its monetization, Tencent acquiring the PlanetSide franchise, Star Trek Online launching Undiscovered, and Gamigo porting Fiesta Online to consoles.
Shroud of the Avatar plans infrastructure move this fall and Richard Garriott birthday stream this month
Shroud of the Avatar is planning a significant move to new server infrastructure between July and October, involving new hardware and a revamped build pipeline. The MMORPG will also host a birthday stream for Richard Garriott on July 17th, where he is expected to discuss future plans, potentially including the rumored acquisition of Ultima rights.
Ultima creator Richard Garriott now claims he could regain the series’ copyright by next year
Ultima creator Richard Garriott claims he may regain the copyright for the series from Electronic Arts by 2027, citing a 35-year rule in copyright law. While EA currently operates Ultima Online, Garriott expressed past frustrations with the company's handling of potential revivals. This news comes amidst EA filing new trademarks for the Ultima series.
An Ugly Cloak, Unclaiming Lots and My Participation Award - Shroud of the Avatar, A Cozy MMORPG
The author discusses their recent hour-long livestream of Shroud of the Avatar, highlighting the game's extensive house decorating system and player freedom. They mention salvaging for materials, claiming an in-game cosmetic item, managing in-game lots and taxes, and receiving a participation award for a past Christmas decorating contest. The article also notes a persistent graphics glitch with mannequin clothing.
Shroud of the Avatar Silver Mining – Chill Grind in Elysium Mines
This guide focuses on a relaxed silver mining session in Shroud of the Avatar's Elysium Mines, highlighting the calming nature of resource gathering. The author discusses the game's beginner-friendliness, noting that while not difficult, progress can feel slow and mechanics unintuitive for a modern MMORPG. The article also touches on the game's low player population, suggesting it may feel empty, but encourages trying the free-to-play title for its sandbox elements.
Chill Mining Run in Elysium Mines | Shroud of the Avatar Livestream Recap
This article recaps a one-hour livestream focused on Shroud of the Avatar, featuring a mining session in Elysium Mines to gather silver and copper ores for restocking vendors. The stream maintained a relaxed and chill atmosphere, with a brief interaction with a viewer named Redwood.
Mining, House Tours & Real Talk in Shroud of the Avatar!
This article discusses a livestream of Shroud of the Avatar, focusing on resource gathering, house tours, and an honest assessment of the game's strengths and weaknesses. While the combat is noted as underwhelming, the housing system, resource gathering, and crafting are highlighted as enjoyable aspects.
