EA: Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss [PC] – Beta & Release Date

EA Readies for Gargoyle Invasion and Announces Release Date for Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss

FAIRFAX, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Mythic Entertainment™, an Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) studio, today announced Ultima Online™: Stygian Abyss™, the 8^th expansion to one of the longest-running MMORPGs in the genre’s history, will be released on September 8, 2009.

Available via digital download only, Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss revolves around the introduction of the playable Gargoyle race. Players will also find expansive new areas to explore, including Ter Mur, the Gargoyle homeland, and the Stygian Abyss – the largest dungeon area ever introduced to Ultima Online. This sprawling dungeon will contain new boss monsters of unparalleled difficulty, including the Medusa, Primeval Lich and the Stygian Dragon, as well as Player vs. Player zones where adventurers will be turned against one another.

Current subscribers can also take part in the Stygian Abyss Open Beta from Friday, August 14^th – Sunday, August 23^rd by logging on the Retribution server on the server selection screen.

“As the 12^th anniversary of the storied Ultima Online franchise approaches this fall, we could not be more excited to launch UO’s 8^th expansion, Stygian Abyss,” said Jeff Hickman, Executive Producer for Mythic Entertainment. “On September 8^th UO players past and present will be able to experience all new content, including the new Gargoyle race and one of the largest dungeons in UO history.”

Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss will be available via UOGamesCodes.com and the EA STORE™:

• Stygian Abyss Expansion: $29.99
• Stygian Abyss Expansion & 30-Day game-time: $39.99

Additionally, consumers who purchase Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss from September 8th – 29th will receive multiple Alteration Tokens to transform current characters into Gargoyles, an exclusive gargoyle craftable pet, and decorative Stygian Abyss mob boss statues.

Earlier this month Mythic announced that Ultima Online™: Mondain’s Legacy™, the 7^th expansion of UO which introduced the playable Elven race and several expansive dungeons, is now available at no charge to existing subscribers, and to new players as part of the 14-day free trial.

Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss expansion requires the original Ultima Online game to play and will be available via digital distribution only. To download Ultima Online at no charge or to find out more information about Ultima Online and the additions from Mondain’s Legacy and Stygian Abyss, please visit: http://www.uo.com or http://www.uoherald.com/stygianabyss.

About Ultima Online

Released in September 1997, Ultima Online is one of the longest-running games in MMORPG history. The first widely successful graphical online role-playing game, Ultima Online has thrived for over a decade, with armies of devoted followers around the world. Fans of the game continue to experience an epic storyline set in an ever-growing world of magic and fantasy. Ultima Online has spawned seven expansions and dozens of content updates, making it one of the deepest, largest MMORPGs ever created.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS^TM, EA^TM, EA Mobile^TM and POGO^TM. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile, POGO, Ultima, Ultima Online, Stygian Abyss, Mondain’s Legacy and Mythic Entertainment are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.