Fast on the heels of announcing that they would cease further development of the King’s Bounty franchise, leading Eastern and Central European publisher 1C Company and Katauri Interactive, announced today the development of Royal Quest, the first massively multiplayer online role-playing game ever produced by 1C.

The developer of Royal Quest is also the studio well-known worldwide for their cult hit Space Rangers, and of course one of our personal favorites and the most popular RPG series ever to emerge from Russia, King’s Bounty. To say we at Indie Game Reviewer are excited is a gross understatement.

With several amazing screenshots already available, the fantasy world of Royal Quest is called Aura. It’s a world full of magic, technology and alchemy. Aura is under imminent danger by dark alchemists who will kill to find the highly rare and precious Elenium mineral with its many unique features. The King has put out the call in search of courageous heroes to banish the invaders once and forever. As a reward he promises titles, castles and riches.

Royal Quest features:

Castles . One of the key objects in the game. If players capture a castle they should be sure to loot its treasury of gold. They can also receive a garden, gold mine or a lake as a bonus, which will provide the dwellers with valuable resources.

. One of the key objects in the game. If players capture a castle they should be sure to loot its treasury of gold. They can also receive a garden, gold mine or a lake as a bonus, which will provide the dwellers with valuable resources. Loot . If a hero dies in PVP, the killer receives some of the hero’s belongings.

. If a hero dies in PVP, the killer receives some of the hero’s belongings. Monsters . The world of Royal Quest is full of a huge variety of creatures. Any monster can become a target and bring precious gold. Even the tiniest monster can also hold a unique card. These cards will help players upgrade items as well as enchant them with some new unique abilities.

. The world of Royal Quest is full of a huge variety of creatures. Any monster can become a target and bring precious gold. Even the tiniest monster can also hold a unique card. These cards will help players upgrade items as well as enchant them with some new unique abilities. Elements . Success can only be achieved if the elements are used wisely. The most powerful Burning Sword is simply useless vs. a fire monster. And vice versa, even the weakest Frost Blade can be fatal to a creature made of flame. There is no ultimate weapon, only the ultimate strategy.

. Success can only be achieved if the elements are used wisely. The most powerful Burning Sword is simply useless vs. a fire monster. And vice versa, even the weakest Frost Blade can be fatal to a creature made of flame. There is no ultimate weapon, only the ultimate strategy. Pets. They require care and follow their master everywhere, collect loot, increase their master’s combat skills and weaken enemies.

Royal Quest is scheduled for release in Spring 2012. Let the knuckle biting begin…