Asheron's Call and Asheron's Call 2 to be Shut Down on January 31st

While yesterday's news that the Dungeons & Dragons Online and The Lord of the Rings Online development teams formed a new independent studio to continue development on both MMORPGs was mostly well-received, this announcement that Asheron's Call and its more beleaguered sibling Asheron's Call 2 will be shut down on January 31st, 2017 probably won't find any positive reception.

I totally understand the financial concerns that go into decisions like this, but I still feel that it's a shame when MMORPGs meet their end. I'd much prefer if the developer released (or even sold) the server software so players can continue to play them into perpetuality:
It is with a heavy heart that we must announce the end of our support for Asheron's Call and Asheron’s Call 2, and will close both services on January 31st, 2017.

This decision did not come easy, and we know this is disappointing for many of you. This game is a labor of love, and it's not easy for us to bring it to an end.

We have had a phenomenally long run; one of the longest in the world of MMORPGs, and that in and of itself is a spectacular feat. We are proud of our legacy, and the entire Asheron's Call team has been honored to adventure with you for nearly twenty years. We thank you very much for being a part of it.

It’s been an amazing run. You’ve done Asheron Realaidain proud.

Between now and January 31st, 2017, the game will remain available to play, completely free, for any player currently with an account. New account creation will be disabled.

If you have any questions, please visit support.wbgames.com