FunCom announced today that they are well under way in the development of a new MMORPG based on the legendary "Conan the Barbarian" franchise.  The official press release is below:

We have also added this game to our list which you can access at this link.  Below are the screens they released today:

Well ok IM EXCITED!

I love the Conan universe soooo much, I have read every novel and comic like TWICE! In most Fantasy games I generally name my characters after a lot of Conan's tag along buddies from some of the novels. My wife even loves it so much her UO character was Belit (red hand pirate from Conan)

This could really be an amazing game, its not like me to get all happy and optimistic but its such a promising project that if they do it properly ..........im drooling.

My first directional comment would be THIS GAME MUST BE OPEN PVP!!!!!!! The Conan universe was defined by the fact that Conan lived in a world were death could be at your next footfall 24/7. The amazing thing about Conan was that in this world of constant impending death, he LIVED! That has to be taken into account. A barneyland Conan game would be just WRONG!

My only concern is....... Why o Why did it have to be Funcom

This is your chance to redeem yourself Funcom. GET IT RIGHT!

ZOMG !!

I just heard it on mmoradio ! and I come here to see if it is fact and it is true !

This is so cool...this just might be my first mmo I become a fanboi for.

So, is this a MMO or a "pseudo-MMO" like Guild Wars and PSO? From the information given, I was under the impression that we could expect something like Morrowind with Guild Wars-esque multiplayer capabilities. So, not exactly a MMO but not exactly a rpg with some multiplayer capabilities, but something inbetween? I am looking forward to it nonetheless. I absolutely love the visuals. They have a certain flare that EQ2 lacks.

added:
I remember hearing Funcom had two MMOs in the works. Maybe the other is Midgard which they put on hold, though it wouldn't make sense as Conan and Midgard could easily target the same audience.

This game will be awesome. I'm a huge Robert Howard fan.

Hopefully it'll bring attention to his other works as well. Everyone needs to read Solomon Kane.

Midgard was not put on hold, it was completely cancelled. I really looked forward to it...then Mythica...then Warhammer...meh. The only thing that has the norse still is DAOC, and the upcoming vanguard.

Though I do want to see how DnD Online turns out, Pirates of the Burning Sea, Middle Earth, Tabula Rasa, Auto Assault. Heh, conan just adds to my list >_<.

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Originally posted by rwyan
So, is this a MMO or a "pseudo-MMO" like Guild Wars and PSO? From the information given, I was under the impression that we could expect something like Morrowind with Guild Wars-esque multiplayer capabilities. So, not exactly a MMO but not exactly a rpg with some multiplayer capabilities, but something inbetween? I am looking forward to it nonetheless. I absolutely love the visuals. They have a certain flare that EQ2 lacks.

added:
I remember hearing Funcom had two MMOs in the works. Maybe the other is Midgard which they put on hold, though it wouldn't make sense as Conan and Midgard could easily target the same audience.

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I got the same impression from their site... Under features it says:

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Emerge as a hero from a story-driven single-player experience and embark into even greater adventures in the multiplayer part of the game. The branching single-player story is created by the award-winning writers behind The Longest Journey, Dreamfall and Anarchy Online so expect a rare treat.

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So to me, it sounds like you have to play a story driven single player game to "establish yourself" and then jump into the multiplayer online game? Anyone else get this impression too?

Ya this doesn't sound like its going to be a MMORPG, if theres an entire single player section of the game. The "end game" sound more like a Guildwars approach, nowhere does it say this game is a MMORPG, just an "Action Online RPG", which im fine with

Game sounds like it will be really good.  I am personally very excited that it will be done by Funcom.  They did a great job of recovering from AO's lackluster launch and turning it into a very fine product that has won back the respect of most of the big name reviewers plus the fans.  I was hoping that Funcom would eventually do a fantasy title.  Even more exciting is that it will be a more dark, harsh fantasy world from the write up about it.  Maybe it can fill the void that was left when Warhammer Online was cancelled.

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Originally posted by rwyan
I absolutely love the visuals. They have a certain flare that EQ2 lacks.

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Conan the barbarien, from my presumptions on reading will be a Guild Wars-esque game.

To note on EQ2 Graphics. The graphics in EQ2 are superb, some of the best graphics in the entire community when it comes to "realism". To be fair, the graphics also have their down side.

They look metallic, shiny and a little over-bearing. The graphics from Conan seem smooth, realistic and carried over well.

Well, it looks like you WILL have to play through the entire Single Player before you can actually enter the online world.... Check this excerpt from an article on GameSpot:

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From article on GameSpot

Instead, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures will be a PC "online action-RPG" which will be a mix of "story-driven single-player experience and a massive and brutal multiplayer end-game." According to Funcom Game Director Gaute Godager, it will begin as a single-player RPG adventure, and, when that portion's story is complete, will allow players to bring their characters into an MMORPG universe. Said Godager, "Have you not felt the urge when a great single-player RPG ends to have your character live on and interact with other fellow travelers? To enter an even greater world? This is that opportunity, to have a detailed RPG all about you, your choices and your character, and if you win--to share that victory at an even greater stage."

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Now the question is, how deep, long and involved is the Single Player portion of this...