Akalaupdte: I was wrong. David Swofford at Portalarium contacted me to let me know that Ultimate Collector is still in closed beta, and that a mistake in reportage had been made. Or, as LOAF explains in the comments:

…this was a mistake on my part. UC is still in closed beta. I was just looking for an excuse to show off the Wing Commander screenshots and used the wrong term… which I guess made it sound like some change had happened!

So, just to be clear: the game is still in closed beta, though you can still sign up for said beta at its Facebook page.

Original Post: Our friends at the Wing Commander CIC are reporting that the next game from Richard Garriott and Portalarium, Ultimate Collector: Garage Sale, is now in open beta on Facebook. LOAF’s description of the game is particularly keen, so I’ll excerpt it here rather than try say the same thing:

At first glance the game, with its bright colors and Sims-inspired interface, seems to be another casual Zynga-style “ville” game. The type of game that will get everyone involved very rich but perhaps not interest old school gamers. Appearances can be decieving, though, and in this case they belie a game that is actually built around the sort of complex mechanics that Garriott’s Ultima series were known for. Players looking for a simple ‘collect stuff’ game are rapidly lead into an experience that is not unlike the crafting mechanics found in serious MMORPGs.

The game’s controls and mechanics do take a bit of getting used to, but there is indeed more “there” there than first seems apparent. And as a bonus, Lord British has filled the game with all sorts of in-jokes and references to Origin Systems; a virtual Britannia Manor can be obtained in the game, as can pretty much every Ultima game:

Quite the Collection!

Even Akalabeth can be found in rare cases, in its much-sought-after (and often forged, in real life) “5.25” diskette in a plastic bag” form!