Some surprising news hit the official Ultima Online website yesterday: Bonnie Armstrong, who has been working on UO for at least 26 years (her LinkedIn profile lists August 1997 as her start date as an associate producer, and 1999 as her start date as producer), announced that she was retiring from working on the game…and, it would seem, from the gaming industry as a whole:

 I am writing to all of you to inform you that I am stepping down as Producer. Greg Havlusch aka Kyronix will be taking over as Producer and will drive the roadmap, all of the systems, and content in the game. I am  stepping back with some of my responsibilities but will continue to own the Customer Service also known as Game Masters and Event Moderators.

 I am sure all of you are curious as to why am I stepping down as Producer.  I have been the luckiest person alive to be able to work with all of the players and the smart creative people I have worked with present and past. But it is time for me to enjoy some time off to work in my greenhouse, play with puppies, and snuggle with my hubby.

 On a personal note, I want to say the last 26 years working on UO and interacting with some of the most creative, fun, and passionate players I have ever known has been a highlight for me.  This has been a difficult decision but one that is good for me.

As you’ll note in the letter, Greg “Kyronix” Havlusch — who has been working on Ultima Online for the past 13 years — will be stepping in to fill Bonnie’s role:

Like many of you, I have spent thousands and thousands of hours in Britannia, living in a world born of mystic arts and ancient sorcery. When the opportunity to work on Ultima Online became available, I jumped at the chance. Having had the pleasure of being part of the UO Dev Team and creating adventures for all of you over the last thirteen years has been the ride of a lifetime!

None of this would have been possible without the trust and confidence of Bonnie Armstrong, and for that, I am so thankful. She plucked me from obscurity and gave me the chance to become an Event Moderator and later a Designer. Her dedication, longevity, and love for this community are something rarely seen in the video game industry.

Ultima Online is a special place for so many of us. Its enduring legacy is unmatched. Being entrusted with that legacy is something I take with the utmost seriousness, and I am beyond fortunate to have an incredible team of game development professionals who have become like family after so many years. The team is dedicated to keeping the magic of Britannia alive for decades to come.

This probably won’t change much about Ultima Online itself — or the trajectory of its development — in the immediate future. But sometimes, a change of leadership can lead to changes in the broader philosophy of a company, so it will be interesting to see where UO heads under its new producer.