WESTWOOD, Mass. Dec 17, 2003 - Turbine Entertainment Software Corp., a leading developer and publisher of online subscription entertainment, announced today that it signed a final agreement to purchase the complete Asheron's Call massively multiplayer online game franchise from Microsoft Game Studios. The franchise transfer includes all Asheron's Call intellectual properties, including Asheron's Call, Asheron's Call : Dark Majesty and Asheron's Call 2: Fallen Kings.
What does this really mean? I personally think that question is up to the future to show however since I have no love for M$ I feel its a good thing.
I have of course ran and done research to see what I can gleen off the situation and here is what I find.
Yes, we're committed to developing expansion packs for the games. Again, this is going to take some time. We'll be starting with AC1, since it has been two years since they've seen an expansion. When we get closer to having a schedule, we'll announce it. I stress one more time: It will take some time to start putting all this together. Don't expect definitive answers in the next few days.
Looks to me like there is a future for the game and perhaps even some major overhaul of most of the rules etc that M$ wouldn't do anything about.
But again we will have to wait and see.