The development team behind Shadowbane has come to the decision that "it would be best for the longevity of the game to reset all server and character data and start from scratch."
This reboot will coincide with the release of Patch 22. Though the patch doesn't yet have an official release date, it appears to be imminent.
In case you aren't entirely clear on the details of this decision, the developers have decided that everything that has ever occurred in the game to date will be wiped out along with every character ever created, every item ever equipped and every monster ever slain.
Basically, this is the virtual world equivalent of Armageddon.
For those of you new to the MMO scene, *Shadowbane *was one of the very first PvP-focused MMO titles. After a launch hindered by technical issues, the game grew increasingly unbalanced and depopulated. With the advent of newer games (World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings: Online), Shadowbane was all but forgotten, until 2006 when Ubisoft transferred the title to a free-to-play subscription model.
The fact that the game is free-to-play probably made this reboot decision much easier on the game's developers.
While I'm sure Shadowbane devotees are upset by this news, can you imagine the rioting and looting that would occur if Blizzard wiped all character data from World of Warcraft?
Patch 22 Goes To Test [Shadowbane, via Ten Ton Hammer]
