After a lengthy dispute between the original developer studio Above & Beyond and Idea Fabrik, which provided the engine for the game, the servers of the MMORPG The Repopulation are back online today.
Repopulation has a complicated development history.
Developer Above & Beyond developed the MMORPG Repopulation, but they have since turned to Fragmented, a new game that is supposed to be more of an MMO shooter. After a dispute with Idea Fabrik, they sold the rights and assets of the MMORPG The Repopulation to the very company they were in dispute with.
At the end of 2015, the servers of The Repopulation closed because Idea Fabrik no longer provided engine updates, and Above & Beyond could no longer work on the MMO. The deadlock led to Above & Beyond launching the new game Fragmented using Unreal Engine 4, while they hoped to return to The Repopulation someday.
The Repopulation is coming, but the developer has changed
However, at the beginning of this year, it became known that both parties could come to an agreement and The Repopulation now belongs to Idea Fabrik, which will take care of the completion of the MMORPG. Initially, the servers were to be brought back online, which will happen shortly. As the developers announced, the alpha servers will go online again on March 12. Backers can play again from then on.
The Repopulation is also expected to be available on Steam later this month – likely between March 19 and 26.
Those who played before will be able to log in with their known login to their former accounts. According to Idea Fabrik, nothing has changed. Those who have problems can contact the developers through a ticket system. From this point on, the developers will take care of expanding the game, adding new content, and hopefully reaching a beta phase within this year.
Ultima Online meets Star Wars Galaxies
The Repopulation is inspired by sandbox MMORPGs like Star Wars Galaxies and Ultima Online. You live on a foreign, hostile world where humanity wants to settle.
You can explore this world, where dangers lurk around every corner, or help establish and expand cities, craft items that other players need, gather resources, and protect the borders of civilization from raids by bandits and aliens. The game world is divided into safe and unsafe areas. In the unsafe zones, open PvP is present, and you must proceed with caution.
The Repopulation is interesting for anyone looking for an MMORPG in the style of Star Wars Galaxies. Whether it can truly compete with the classics remains to be seen when the alpha starts up again soon.
