After Working On Ultima Online For 26 Years, Producer Bonnie Armstrong Is Stepping Down, But Not Leaving Totally

It's always fun to see how some of the people in charge of our favorite MMORPGs made it to those positions. So many of those stories start with "I bought the game at the store" and evolve from there. That story holds true for Ultima Online's (UO) next producer. Greg Havlusch, a long-time game designer for UO, will now take the reins for the MMO and guide it into the future.

In a statement from Havlusch posted on the official site today, Havlusch tells a story that I'm sure many of you will find familiar. "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," says Havlusch.

In ascending to the producer role, Havlusch credits current Producer Bonnie Armstrong for "plucking" him from obscurity and giving him a chance.

Armstrong announced their stepping down in their own blog post detailing exactly why they are stepping down after all this time. "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," says Armstrong.

Armstrong will continue working on the game leading the Game Masters and Event Moderators in the Customer Service department.

I guess the 10 people that signed a Change.org online petition in 2023 to try to oust Armstrong from the team finally got their wish (lol). Will the leadership change be a good one for Ultima Online? We certainly wish both good luck in their new positions.