E3 2002: Myst Online announced

Ubi Soft Entertainment has announced Myst Online, its upcoming online game based on the best-selling Myst adventure game series. The game will be set in a persistent universe with real-time 3D graphics, numerous storylines, real voice communication, and continually updated content. The game is being designed to appeal to a wide range of players, including fans of massively multiplayer online games, fans of the previous Myst games, and new players.

"This is the culmination of years of world building," said Rand Miller, founder of Cyan Worlds, the studio that created the previous games. "Everything we've learned from our earliest worlds we've poured into Myst Online, building a universe that is growing, breathing, and alive. The Myst Online universe will provide players with a journey that will never end. Myst Online uses our proprietary technology to build a place that is so responsive and immersive, people will feel impelled to share their adventure, both in the game and the next day at work or school. It's a massive undertaking, and we're excited about working with Ubi Soft to make it a reality."

We've posted some screenshots in the gallery above that show off some of the environments that will appear in the game. Myst Online is scheduled for release in 2003. We'll post more information about the game as it becomes available.