Asheron’s Call

Asheron's CallThe third commercially successful MMORPG, Asheron’s Call (AC) was distinctly different from the other two offerings at the time; the game lacked hypersexualized avatars and “armor,” provided player tools to create their own gameplay, and the player base was 52% female, unheard of in MMOs. The atmosphere (except on the Player Killer (PK) servers was civil and communal. Players created businesses, rituals (weddings and other Rites of Passage), and even made concerted efforts to change the course of the story. The shutdown of the beta world was emotionally wrenching for both the players and the developers and many stories were written about it. Charming facets of this game included the ability for some to inscribe items, either personalizing them or waxing rhapsodic in verse about the item or the bearer. While Asheron’s Call 2 was intended to be an improved version of AC, the sequel was stripped of the majority of things that made AC so beloved.