Ultima Online Maker Richard Garriott Working on New RPG

Richard Garriott, or Lord British as players of UO know him, may be down but not out. His last venture into video games, Tabula Rasa, ended disastrously, but that hasn’t stopped him from getting back into the fray with an all new project.

Currently dubbed “Ultimate RPG”, his latest venture has the possibility of becoming Ultima Online 2, as Garriott is reportedly in talks with UO publisher Electronic Arts about publishing the new game.

“We’ve actually talked to Electronic Arts about [Garriott leading Ultima Online again]. I would love to have access to the Ultima property. We’ve had discussions at very high levels with Electronic Arts about access to the property,” said Garriott in an interview with Eurogamer.

“We’re in discussions with Electronic Arts even now about a possible marketing and distribution relationships and things of this nature,” he continued. “I have a great fondness for Electronic Arts – I still think they’re one of the best, most powerful and competent sales and marketing and distribution companies in the business.”

Unlike his previous ventures, Richard Garriott intends for Ultimate RPG to take a route closer to Minecraft’s. His company, Portalarium, is staffed with only 25 people, and intends to use Minecraft’s paying model that allows players to purchase the game and play while its in development.

Ultimate RPG maybe ready to play by 2012 or 2013.