I've been waiting for an Ultima Online Upgrade/recreation since 95 or so (yeah I'm old). I was soo hyped for UO 2 but it was canceled and remade into a different game (I think the Star Wars Galaxies was made using the UO2 core, if not galaxies then some other space-themed game).
I thought Darkfall Unholy wars was going to be the modern UO until I got in the Beta....It had some really bright points but ended up being naked nubs slaughtering anyone that wasn't naked (He's got GLOVES!!!! GANK HIM!!!!!!!! Once the gloves are equipped on someone new the crowd turns on the newly dressed toon.....repeat....for hours).
I've tried most MMORPGs looking for the next fix but all come up far short.
UO, for having 1980's style gameboy graphics, a buggy client, and a greifer-heavy population still retains a certain "magic" that is apparently unable to be recreated.
I won't play a grind-your-life-away-to-win game like WoW or a pay-to-win game either(I found neither to be immersive or fun). Those two types of games seem to be the biggest money-makers so we can look forward to many more of them over the next few years, Unfortunately the people that enjoy UO are a niche-market. The general population of gamers love easy-button games with constant grinding and instant gratification. The thought of losing your pixels when competing against someone better than you drives away %95 of gamers. The PvP facet of UO is the reason I love this game but is also the reason that prevents it from becoming mainstream like WoW.
The people that make games are obsessed only with profits and could really care less if it's a good game or not. Given the choice any competent corporation would make a highly-profitable but shitty game instead of a great game that would only make a little money(see EA games).
I will try out therepopulation but only if it gives a free trial. My days of buying an MMORPG for $60 only to find out it's not what I want are over!