General: Marvel Signs New MMO Deal

Stradden

Reports have surfaced that Gazillion Entertainment has signed a deal with comic book juggernaught Marvel Comics to create online games based in their universe.

Late on the evening of the 16th of March, the news broke across the web that the comic book giant was pairing up with little-known MMO company Gazillion Entertainment that has been operating since 2005, according to reports, with the mission to make “High Quality MMOs”.

The reports that have surfaced thus far have the company set to publish a number of online titles starting with a kid-oriented game called Super Hero Squad to deliver sometime in 2010.

Read Marvel Signs New MMO Deal

*Article originally published March 16th, but edited with new information on March 17th.

lugal

A new company that nobody has heard of...

Thats going to go well. Wonder how long till they got out of business and they go back to cryptic.

Stradden

Originally posted by lugal


A new company that nobody has heard of...
Thats going to go well. Wonder how long till they got out of business and they go back to cryptic.

 

Actually, as mentioned in the article, the company is actually the larger company behind NetDevil... So not exactly a company no one's ever heard of with no MMO experience.

 

 

Nadia

venturebeat.com/2009/03/16/gazillion-to-launch-series-of-major-online-games-with-marvel-comics-characters/

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Robert Hutter, chief executive and president of Gazillion, said his company has a license from Marvel that will span 10 years. During that time, Gazillion will be able to make any number of online games based on any of the 5,000 characters in the Marvel universe.

...

The first one will likely have options such as subscription fees or the choice to buy virtual goods in order to gain new capabilities inside the game. The title will be aimed at making games more accessible to broader numbers of consumers, Hutter said.

Gazillion hasn’t disclosed until now that it’s the owner of NetDevil, which it acquired last year

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lugal

Originally posted by Stradden

Originally posted by lugal


A new company that nobody has heard of...
Thats going to go well. Wonder how long till they got out of business and they go back to cryptic.

 

Actually, as mentioned in the article, the company is actually the larger company behind NetDevil... So not exactly a company no one's ever heard of with no MMO experience.

 

 

 

Netdevil? Never heard of them either. Are they a F2P/RMT game maker? IF so, that would explain why I never heard of them. A gazillion of them.

ZsasZ

Originally posted by Nadia


venturebeat.com/2009/03/16/gazillion-to-launch-series-of-major-online-games-with-marvel-comics-characters/

 

Robert Hutter, chief executive and president of Gazillion, said his company has a license from Marvel that will span 10 years. During that time, Gazillion will be able to make any number of online games based on any of the 5,000 characters in the Marvel universe.

...

The first one will likely have options such as subscription fees or the choice to buy virtual goods in order to gain new capabilities inside the game. The title will be aimed at making games more accessible to broader numbers of consumers, Hutter said.

 

 

...wow. Between SOE's yet-to-be-released-but-likely-soon-to-be-ruined DCUO and Marvel's offering sounding like a cash shop game for 12 year olds, it's a sad day to be a comic geek.

kingfelix

I love Marvel Comics, but aren't they jumping on the Superhero MMO bandwagon a little late?

Phagocyte

Finally, Marvel decide to get their ass in gear and make an MMO.... and they make it kid-oriented?

 

Deperate to compete wth FusionFall or something?

jeolman

Originally posted by kingfelix


I love Marvel Comics, but aren't they jumping on the Superhero MMO bandwagon a little late?

 

not really , Champions online is basicly all the work that cryptic studios did for Marvel online. but they pulled out and left cryptic with a super hero game and no Ip to base it on.  thats when they picked up the Champions IP and retitled their thier new Hero MMO.

esarphie

Well, this should be interesting. Will NetDevil be able to make a human-avatar mmo?  So far they've succeeded with space ships, failed with automobiles, and are eternally developing Legos. I have to wonder about the timing of this decision, with NCSoft committed to continuing the City of... franchise, Cryptic getting ready to roll out Champions Online, and DC revving up their own mmo, isn't the field getting a bit saturated?

I'm still unclear as to why the Cryptic/Marvel deal fell apart, yet admittedly the team at Marvel has never really impressed me as knowing what they're doing. They just seem to luck into something that really clicks from time to time... then they use the money to do something like start a chain of comic book themed restaurants. Eaten in a Marvel Mania lately?

Krayzjoel

I'll have to keep my eye on the forums and news on this game.

Nadia

Originally posted by JackFetch


 Will NetDevil be able to make a human-avatar mmo?

NetDevil isnt making it

venturebeat.com/2009/03/16/gazillion-to-launch-series-of-major-online-games-with-marvel-comics-characters/

Gazillion’s studios include Amazing Society, based in Issaquah, Wash., which is making the Super Hero Squad game and two other unannounced MMOs; Net Devil in Louisville, Colo., making both LEGO Universe, and Jumpgate Evolution and another unannounced game; Gargantuan in San Mateo, Calif., making the Marvel Universe PC and console MMO game; and Slipgate Ironworks in San Mateo, Calif., which is making an unannounced original MMO.

Nadia

Originally posted by Phagocyte


Finally, Marvel decide to get their ass in gear and make an MMO.... and they make it kid-oriented?

SuperHero Squad will be kid orientated and expected for 2010

Marvel Universe, made by a different Gazillion studio, has no details yet

Isturi

I think this Marvel MMO could very well have the potential of doing what SWG should of done, could of done, but failed. SWG could very easy been the next biggest MMO period. Until they had to go in one stormy night and change all the rules around. SO if Marvel is smart and I know they are. They will do there research properly and give us one HECK of a MMO.

Shohadaku

 I'm not holding my breath on this one. Even if this soon releases, I heavily doubt either the DC or Marvel title will hold a candle to Champions. Marvel dropped the ball breaking off of Cryptic

qbangy32

I've been looking for a new Hero MMO ever since playing CoH/V, Champions Online will fill that void this year but I'm also going to keep an eye on the Marvel project, even if it's going to be aimed at a younger audience there is nothing written that says an adult can't enjoy these games with his kids, after all I'm going to be playing Champions Online with mine .

 

 

Loke666

Hmm, this makes me wonder why they pull out from their game with Cryptic...

At the time I thought that they decided that a MMO was too risky but with this info I start to suspect that Marvel had a close look on Cryptics game and realised that it sucked badly.

But if they plan to make it a F2P game I rather play DCU if I will play a superhero MMO at all. With this info I kinda suspect that Champions online might be really bad too (and hey, you can't be evil in CO, that is so boring) so I don't see myself play it either.

Of course I kinda felt that CoX was extremly repetive and got tired of it after a week so it is very possible that superhero MMOs just isn't my style.

But I think Marvel could have choosed a better company to make their game, like Blizzard, CCP, FunCom, Turbine... and more. The world do have a lot of potential and many fans so it should have been easy to find a company that would like to make it into a game. But maybe the Ceo of Gazillion is the brother-in-law of Marvels Ceo or something.

alakram

Originally posted by Loke666


Hmm, this makes me wonder why they pull out from their game with Cryptic...
At the time I thought that they decided that a MMO was too risky but with this info I start to suspect that Marvel had a close look on Cryptics game and realised that it sucked badly.
But if they plan to make it a F2P game I rather play DCU if I will play a superhero MMO at all. With this info I kinda suspect that Champions online might be really bad too (and hey, you can't be evil in CO, that is so boring) so I don't see myself play it either.
Of course I kinda felt that CoX was extremly repetive and got tired of it after a week so it is very possible that superhero MMOs just isn't my style.
But I think Marvel could have choosed a better company to make their game, like Blizzard, CCP, FunCom, Turbine... and more. The world do have a lot of potential and many fans so it should have been easy to find a company that would like to make it into a game. But maybe the Ceo of Gazillion is the brother-in-law of Marvels Ceo or something.

My thoughts exactly. Maybe the peeps at Marvel dont know where they ahve their own face but maybe that other idea too. It will be fun to find out when CO is released.

nyxium

 Well, there goes another guess in what Blizz's next MMO will be.

Domtrain

The Super Hero Squad game will be more stylistic and less realistic in animation, and its storylines will be more accessible to broader fans. Yet it will include familiar superheroes such as Iron Man, Hulk, Wolverine, Thor, Fantastic Four, Captain America and many others.

Beyond the Super Hero Squad game, Gazillion will continue with its own version of a giant Marvel game, dubbed Marvel Universe, for both the PC and video game consoles.

Gazillion’s studios include Amazing Society, based in Issaquah, Wash., which is making the Super Hero Squad game and two other unannounced MMOs; Net Devil in Louisville, Colo., making both LEGO Universe, and Jumpgate Evolution and another unannounced game; Gargantuan in San Mateo, Calif., making the Marvel Universe PC and console MMO game; and Slipgate Ironworks in San Mateo, Calif., which is making an unannounced original MMO.

 

 

 

Taken form here --->> venturebeat.com/2009/03/16/gazillion-to-launch-series-of-major-online-games-with-marvel-comics-characters/

Nadia

Originally posted by Loke666


Hmm, this makes me wonder why they pull out from their game with Cryptic...
At the time I thought that they decided that a MMO was too risky but with this info I start to suspect that Marvel had a close look on Cryptics game and realised that it sucked badly.

the previous attempt involved Microsoft Game Studios too - not just Cryptic

kotaku.com/354886/why-microsoft-murdered-the-marvel-mmo

googajoob7

well given the deals been signed recently we will have to wait anything from 18 months to 3 years to find out what its like . i grew up with marvel comics i hope it does well . i have my doubts . the company they ve signed with seams pretty untested . that does nt mean it will be a disaster though . soe have a long history of making mmos and they made the infamous vanguard . also i would put my money on cryptics champions online being the big superhero mmo . cryptic as a company have made some pretty respectable single player games . also the dc mmo will be released before then as well .

Fumbles

Originally posted by alakram

Originally posted by Loke666


Hmm, this makes me wonder why they pull out from their game with Cryptic...
At the time I thought that they decided that a MMO was too risky but with this info I start to suspect that Marvel had a close look on Cryptics game and realised that it sucked badly.
But if they plan to make it a F2P game I rather play DCU if I will play a superhero MMO at all. With this info I kinda suspect that Champions online might be really bad too (and hey, you can't be evil in CO, that is so boring) so I don't see myself play it either.
Of course I kinda felt that CoX was extremly repetive and got tired of it after a week so it is very possible that superhero MMOs just isn't my style.
But I think Marvel could have choosed a better company to make their game, like Blizzard, CCP, FunCom, Turbine... and more. The world do have a lot of potential and many fans so it should have been easy to find a company that would like to make it into a game. But maybe the Ceo of Gazillion is the brother-in-law of Marvels Ceo or something.

My thoughts exactly. Maybe the peeps at Marvel dont know where they ahve their own face but maybe that other idea too. It will be fun to find out when CO is released.

Basically, Microsoft was attached  to be the publisher before Cryptic was added as developer and then pulled out which collapsed the deal. Microsoft believes the measure of a successful MMO is WoW and if you cannot attain their numbers your MMO has failed.

 

Nadia

Originally posted by googajoob7


 the company they ve signed with seams pretty untested . that does nt mean it will be a disaster though .

supposedly the new studio has talent from well known companies

 

kotaku.com/5171366/marvel-universe-back-from-the-dead

being worked on by former developers yanked from Blizzard, Sony Online Entertainment, Cryptic and NCsoft.

 

nyxium

 I hope they give Stan Lee a slice of the pie.

NeoWolf73

huge fan of MARVEL comics, but seriously I've chased their MMO promises before and only ever found disappointment as nothing materialises..

MARVEL MMO, quite frankly Ill believe it "When" and only "IF" I see it