ULTIMA ONLINE 2 TO BE RELEASED IN 2002? [Author: Arcadian Del Sol]

Answer: NO (See update at the bottom)

From the Office of Unsubstantiated Rumors Based On Minimal Facts Allowed To Run Amok Around The Press Room, comes an interesting tid-bit about the once and future Origin product, Ultima Online 2. It seems that while there is no doubting the fact that Ultima Online 2 was shut down and the development staff fired, a reader who discovered an interesting item for sale by Electronics Botique could not help but wonder what this could mean.

<img border=”0″ src=”http://www.ebgames.com/assets/Thumbnails/198723.gif”
EBWorld’s curious little
icon reveals little.

I could not help but participate in said wonderment, given that it is 11:38pm here on the East Coast, there is no way on earth anybody is answering the emails over at Origin World Headquarters, and something tells me that any answer beyond, “total horse-hockey” would be filtered into the “no comment” machine. At any rate, if you wish to place a pre-order for your very own ULTIMA ONLINE 2 DRAGON BOX SET ($19.99), you can do so here. Just try to be patient as it is not expected to ship before July of 2002.

Update:
Our resident Spoony Bard, Virgil, solved the riddle for us in record time, digging up a rather substantial image from the warcry uo2 archives of a rather attractive McFarlane doll. We’re still not certain if this is being released by Electronic Arts or McFarlance Toys – but I’ve placed a pre-order. UO2 aside, these things look pretty cool.