14 DAY TRIAL // Phoenix Online Studios and Activision have finally reached an agreement that will allow the release of the previously unofficial new entry in the King's Quest series, The Silver Lining. The game started as a fan project meant to bring back the magic of the old King's Quest series. It was intended to be distributed under a freeware license, but Activision, the company, which owns the King's Quest copyright, blocked the title's launch.
Fortunately, the two companies have reached an agreement that allows the release of King's Quest: The Silver Lining in downloadable episodes that will be free of charge. July 10 will see the arrival of the first episode, called “What Is Decreed Must Be,” with the other installments set to come out until the end of this year.
The history of King's Quest: The Silver Lining is a troubled one, its development being halted two times, once by Vivendi and once by Activision Blizzard, after the merger between the two gaming giants. Because of these legal issues and other problems, it took 10 years to finalize this project, but King's Quest fans can be happy as it will finally see the light of day.
King's Quest is a classic adventure series based on the royal family of the Kingdom of Daventry. The Silver Lining is meant to be the ninth installment in the franchise, continuing the adventures of King Graham, the main character of most games. The last official entry was King's Quest: Mask of Eternity, a title that disappointed many fans, focusing on combat and on a new protagonist. The Silver Lining was created to bring a fitting end to the series by taking it back to its roots, with players controlling King Graham again and engaging in the classic gameplay that was a hallmark of King's Quest.
Update: Corrected the name for King's Quest: Mask of Eternity, as user WeeJee pointed out. Thanks for the heads-up!