Friends and realm-mates,
 
For more than twelve years Mythic Entertainment’s flagship game: Dark Age of Camelot™ has been remarkably successful. Since its launch in 2001, DAoC forever changed the MMO genre.
 
Inspiring thousands of gamers and game developers alike, it paved the way for a generation of MMOs to follow. Through the years, Camelot has also seen its share of rough times - but thanks to its many loyal fans and its wonderful and dedicated community, Dark Age of Camelot has proven to be a true survivor. In recent months, Mythic’s leadership began discussing the question of Camelot’s future. Councils were convened, options were discussed - and finally, a decision was made regarding the best possible future for Dark Age of Camelot.
 

I write to you now with news of the exciting next chapter in the life and history of our beloved game:
 
Mythic Entertainment co-founder Rob Denton and a number of Mythic veterans (including two members of Camelot’s original team!) have formed a new game studio - Broadsword Online Games! 
 
Broadsword Online Games will partner with EA’s Mythic Entertainment to operate, support and develop Dark Age of Camelot on EA’s behalf.  Electronic Arts will continue to provide billing and account services through its Origin™ portal.   Broadsword and Electronic Arts will work closely together to ensure a bright future for Dark Age of Camelot.  For future inquiries and support, you can contact daoc@broadsword.com.
 
There are sure to be many questions, and we will certainly be providing more information very soon. But for now please join us in celebrating this momentous event, and spread the word that the Broadsword team will guide Dark Age of Camelot into the future with renewed dedication and the utmost respect.
 
 
Faithfully yours,
 
Talal Saad
Producer
Dark Age of Camelot


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In the wake of such exciting news, we know that there shall be numerous questions about this transition and what it means for Dark Age of Camelot. Let’s explore the answers to some basic questions:

What does the transition to Broadsword mean for Dark Age of Camelot?

EA/Mythic and Broadsword are working really hard to make sure that this transition is as smooth as possible. On February 5th, you shouldn’t notice a thing. Going forward, we hope to bring about some exciting new changes, improved Customer Support, and increased correspondence with the DAoC community.

Broadsword’s dedicated team will also work to modernize and improve existing DAoC content, complete long-awaited improvements to The Camelot Herald, and establish compelling new features for Dark Age of Camelot, both in-game and out.

Is Broadsword an Electronic Arts studio?

No. However, for purposes of DAoC, Broadsword will be operating the game on EA’s behalf to continue its success.  

Will there be a change in the payment system?

Nope! Players will continue to access DAoC through EA’s Origin™ portal. There will be no interruption or change in the payment service. Players may notice that charges on their bank statements will still indicate a payment to Mythic or EA – and Game Time Codes will still be available via the EA Origin™ Store.

What will happen to any information I’ve provided to EA/Mythic?

Nothing.  Since Broadsword is operating DAoC on EA’s behalf, all the information you provided and may provide in the future will continue to be managed according to EA’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

Will there be changes to the Dark Age of Camelot development team?

Broadsword is made up of a people who are passionate about DAoC, and many of whom were responsible for the development and operation in the past.

You can continue to expect the same high level of dedication and commitment to the game, as well as continued interaction with the player-base. You will see some new names, or possibly names you know quite well taking a role in the development of Dark Age of Camelot going forward.

Will this transition alter the plans for Dark Age of Camelot’s near term changes?

DaoC’s transition to Broadsword will certainly have a positive effect on our future plans. With increased bandwidth and resources we will work toward modernizing some of the game’s features and developing a tangible marketing plan to attract more players, both new and returning.

The mission of the Dark Age of Camelot team will remain the same: to improve the game, listen and respond to feedback, and to provide the best possible content to ensure a great game experience for our players.

Are you bouncing off the walls with excitement?!

Why yes! Yes we are!
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We’ve just scratched the surface with these basic questions. We’ll set up an avenue for you to submit your questions about the transition, and do our best to provide the answers.

Speaking for the entire Dark Age of Camelot team: Thank you all, very sincerely, for sticking with us through the years. We will do our utmost to take DAoC into a bright and exciting future!

Until next time friends, we await your feedback and questions - and we’ll see you in the Frontiers!

Respectfully yours,
The Dark Age of Camelot Team