Mythic Entertainment has announced that it is releasing a Gold Edition of its popular MMORPG title, Dark Age of Camelot. This new Gold Edition will feature: the original Dark Age of Camelot; its first expansion, Dark Age of Camelot: Shrouded Isles; the upcoming expansion, Dark Age of Camelot: Foundations; as well as a 45 page beginner's guide to introduce new players to the world and get them up to speed.

The first expansion available in this package, Dark Age of Camelot: Shrouded Isles, was originally released in late 2002 and included new races, classes, and continents, as well as an upgrade to the base engine for the game. In addition, a wide range of new equipment and monstrous foes were also added during this expansion to provide further enhancements to gameplay.

The second expansion included in this package will be the first of three planned for release this year by Mythic. Available as a free upgrade for those who are current subscribers to the Dark Age world, the Foundations expansion will offer players the opportunity to purchase land and build their own homes. Similar to the manner in which Origin's Ultima Online handled property, Dark Age of Camelot will give players the opportunity to claim a housing lot and then construct one of several different types of houses, after buying a deed to that particular design. However, houses in Dark Age of Camelot will also be customized in appearance to match whatever domain they are constructed in and the market for both land and deeds will also fluctuate based upon both location and demand for the buildings. In addition, it will also be possible for groups of individuals (such as a guild) to team up and purchase land or deeds as a joint venture.

Dark Age of Camelot: Gold Edition is planned for release through Vivendi Universal Games in North America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. It is currently shipping to all North American retail outlets and comes equipped with a one-month free trial for those who just want to test the waters.