I don’t actually know if Richard Garriott ever successfully sold his Lake Austin ranch property, but whether he did or not, the property is again up for sale (with an asking price about $10 million USD lower than in 2017):

The last time this Lake Austin ranch came on the market, it was owned by online-gaming pioneer/podcar advocate Richard Garriott de Cayeux and asking $45 million. While we can’t confirm if Garriott is still the seller, it’s definitely for sale again, this time with a $10 million price drop (but apparently without a possible bitcoin discount, as Garriott was offering at one point).

Now asking a mere $35 million, the 65.68-acre waterfront property does seem like quite the glamorous refuge—with the potential to be a show palace of a residence or remain relatively woodsy and wild, depending on the buyer’s choice.

Located on the Lake Austin shore Pennybacker (360) Bridge, the gently sloping property is covered in juniper, pecan, oak, and cypress trees along with other diverse plants and wildlife. It features 2,600 of water frontage and an eight-slip marina, as well as a site for 25,000-square-foot main house.

In addition, the property previously listed a 1,000-square-foot guest house, a carriage house, a caretaker’s office, and covered parking. Garriott also added a 300-seat outdoor theater modeled after Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, a lighthouse, a pirate ship, a “haunted forest” with electronic sensors, and a medieval-style village with small, portable houses.

It’s worth noting — though this might just be me — that the above image (evidently a photograph taken looking out the ranch’s gate) reminds me a great deal of the opening, Earth-situated chapter of Ultima 9.

(Hat tip: Stile Teckel)

The First Age of Update: Houston Dragon, in a comment left on the Ultima page on Facebook, informs us thusly:

According to tax records, still owned by Argent and Sable, which is one of Richard’s companies.

This would in turn suggest that the property didn’t sell when listed in 2017, which partly explains why the asking price is lower this time around.