EA and BioWare announced Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar on July 12, 2012, as a free-to-play RPG planned for iPad and PC. Although it was widely presented at the time as an Ultima IV remake, the game’s own FAQ called it a reimagining of the series—not a direct remake. Its online service shut down on August 29, 2014, so the announced game is no longer playable as a live service.
What BioWare announced
EA’s July 12, 2012 announcement described Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar as a free-to-play role-playing game set in Britannia. EA pitched accessible action-RPG gameplay, BioWare storytelling, and planned availability on iPad and PC with integrated cross-platform play. Those were the announcement’s plans and positioning, not a description of a service that remains available today.
Dr. Ray Muzyka, then General Manager of EA’s BioWare Label and BioWare Co-Founder, said: “With Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar, we’re excited to give gamers the opportunity to play a high quality game with their friends anytime, anywhere, on both iPad and PC.”
A September 2012 letter from the Ultima franchise producer described it as an online RPG adventure about saving Britannia and upholding the eight virtues. The producer also said the project was not intended to compete with Ultima Online.
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Was Ultima Forever a remake of Ultima IV?
No—not according to the game’s archived FAQ. It states: “Ultima Forever is not meant to be a remake of Ultima IV. Rather it’s a re-imagining of the series.” The FAQ makes Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar the clear point of comparison, but distinguishes the new project from a direct remake. Contemporary coverage used “remake” and similar shorthand for the announcement, which explains the phrasing without making it the game’s own description.
How the announced game was designed
The archived FAQ described a stylized mix of hand-painted 2D backgrounds and 3D character and monster models, viewed from an angle. It also said players could complete the game without paying; purchased keys could provide access to higher-quality chest loot, while gear repairs were another paid option. These details document the design and economy described at the time, not current offerings.
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Can you still play Ultima Forever?
No. An archived sunset notice says the game’s online services shut down on August 29, 2014, after which it would no longer be playable. The archived notice and version history establish the shutdown date; there is no live Ultima Forever service to access now.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Ultima IV and Ultima Forever are different games
Ultima IV is the classic game that inspired the announcement and gave it the subtitle Quest for the Avatar. Ultima Forever was BioWare and EA’s later online RPG project, announced for iPad and PC. The first is the source game; the second was a reinterpretation that has since been shut down. Ars Technica’s contemporary coverage reflects the remake framing common when the news broke, while the FAQ and sunset record clarify what the project called itself and what happened to it.
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