Fans bid to save closing Nevrax’s Ryzom world

In a report on BBC News, founders of the Free Ryzom Campaign have outlined plans to buy the game from Nevrax, taking the source code and then opening up subscriptions for free. The fans will then write their own parts of the game and invite everyone to contribute to its onward development as an MMO.

"The game won’t change, it’s more the way people will use it," explained Xavier Antoviaque, a founder of the campaign and former Nevrax employee. "Rather than just consuming the game, everyone will be able to contribute to it."

The first Ryzom game was released in 2004, but in late November Nevrax said that the company would be going into receivership, although the reasons for its bankruptcy are unknown.

A ruling set to take place on December 4th by a judge and the company’s liquidators will work out if the MMO itself can be run by a seperate corporation – Nevrax’s announced intention. If it is deemed unfeasible, the Free Ryzom team hope to step up. They hope to be able to buy the source code and other assets for 10,000 Euros, although Antoviaque told the BBC that they may have to pay over 100,000 Euros should other suitors make a bid, too.