Funcom to cut Conan servers by more than half

Mergers to be completed by the end of the week

14 January 2009 16:38 GMT / By Verity Burns

Funcom has released the list of server mergers for popular fantasy MMO Age of Conan, that will see the total number of servers for the game cut from 49 to just 18.

North America and the Oceanic regions will be worst off with the closures, with 24 servers being merged to just six.

This means that only one player-versus-player server and two player-versus-environment servers will remain, with each one combining the population of six or so existing servers.

There will be 12 servers remaining in Europe, the larger number due to the need to provide a variety of server types in four different languages. English-language European servers are being cut from 13 to four.

Oceanic servers were successfully merged last week and now Funcom expects to do the rest in two stages - US and Europe - by the end of the week.

The mergers certainly suggest dwindling numbers of people playing Age of Conan since its launch, but on the positive side, will also provide a better experience for those still hanging on. There will be busier, more dynamic surroundings, more combat and healthier economies on the remaining realms.

Funcom has promised it will continue to add to the game's high-level content throughout 2009, and is currently working on the first expansion pack for the game.

The company are also working on a new MMO - The Secret World - due out next year. Anyone worrying about Age of Conan being shut down, can probably rest with ease until then at least.