Marvel Signs New MMO Deal
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, with the following mission statement:
Our team of world-class creative talent is comprised of leaders from the videogame, entertainment and technology industries who are focused on developing and supporting a new generation of superior quality, massively entertaining online properties.
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 as well as a second incarnation of Marvel Universe currently in developent but without a projected release date.
This announcement comes just over a year after official confirmation that the Cryptic Studios / Microsoft / Marvel project Marvel Universe Online had been cancelled, ostensibly because World of Warcraft was the only MMO to have obtained the numbers that Microsoft was looking for. The MUO debacle, as we know now, resulted in Cryptic Studios’ development of Champions Online.
Also of interest here are reports that Gazillion Entertainment, which has been in operation since 2005, counts well-known MMO development studio NetDevil as one of its five current studios.
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NetDevil, for those who might not be aware, is the company behind such upcoming (and hotly anticipated) MMO titles as LEGO Universe and the sci-fi space flight MMO Jumpgate Evolution an pre-existing titles Jumpgate (classic) and the now defunct post-apocalyptic car based MMO Auto Assault.
As mentioned above, the company is currently made up of five studios:
- Netdevil: As outlined earlier, a proven MMO company with two hotly anticipated titles in the works with LEGO Universe and Jumpgate Evolution.
- The Amazing Society: This is the studio working on the current Super Hero Squad MMO. Its focus, according to the company, is as a “Casual MMO development studio”/
- Gargantuan: Ironically the baby of the company, Gargantuan was founded in “early 2009” and is the studio that is developing the Marvel Universe MMO
- Slipgate Ironworks: Slipgate is said to be “led by a team of seasoned game industry professionals” and is working on an unannounced original IP game
- Smartycard: This is the company’s learn / earn / play company geared toward families. Their products aren’t so much MMOs, but are described as “Much like a virtual arcade, parents purchase points and kids unlock them as they complete a series of educational games, quizzes and lessons. Created by industry leaders in family entertainment, educational content and toys...”
There are some who would question the first use of the mighty Marvel franchise being a game not only marketed at kids, but based on a not-yet-debuted cartoon series as an odd way to go given the support and interest that had been built up around the first Mavel MMO title, but fans should rest assured that Gazillion has the option to create online games based on any of the vast number of Marvel universe stories and characters.
As of today, the new Gazillion Entertainment website it up and running, so if you're the kind of person who wants to know what careers are available, who the company's investors are or any other tidbit about the company as a whole, you can check it out at http://gazillion.com/.
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.
venturebeat.com/2009/03/16/gazillion-to-launch-series-of-major-online-games-with-marvel-comics-characters/
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.
...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.
I love Marvel Comics, but aren't they jumping on the Superhero MMO bandwagon a little late?
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?
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.
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?
I'll have to keep my eye on the forums and news on this game.
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.
SuperHero Squad will be kid orientated and expected for 2010
Marvel Universe, made by a different Gazillion studio, has no details yet
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.
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
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 =).
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.
Well, there goes another guess in what Blizz's next MMO will be.
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/
the previous attempt involved Microsoft Game Studios too - not just Cryptic
kotaku.com/354886/why-microsoft-murdered-the-marvel-mmo
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 .
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.
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.
I hope they give Stan Lee a slice of the pie.
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 :)
I always wondered about that considering how their relationship began... with Marvel sending agents into City of Heroes to document people making look-alikes of Marvel characters, then bringing suit. I mean, how cordial can a relationship that begins with a lawsuit be?
one more comic mmorgp.. i wonder when they will learn that kids dont have money to pay monthly fees, and that just 5% of gamers are still into that kinda games..
well probably after both of champions and dc heros or what its called. launch.. and they end up with 100k subs at best..
And the game will cater to PvE, you can count on that.
I've blogged it, but Gazillion has NetDevil (two failed MMOs and counting), Slipgate Ironworks (John Romero's MMO studio), two unknown studios, a kid-focused MMO coming out based on a subset of Marvel miniatures (and a cartoon series debuting in 2009), a Marvel MMO along with a whole heap of other large IPs while appearing to be based on F2P / microtrans revenue models. It's seven MMOs and counting.
It's too big and unwieldy to succeed. Plus Marvel isn't easy to work with - they'll be expecting big returns. If the kids-friendly Marvel MMO flops, I can't see the other one making it to release.
Maybe Marvel decided it would wait hoping in 5 to 10 years it takes to make the MMO people will be bored of the other super hero ones =P
Nice i really hope they pull this off but i wont get too excited untill i see the finished product as mmo tend to fail at release still thumbs up!½
the kid mmo is going to be a browser based game
news.bigdownload.com/2009/03/17/feature-gazillion-entertainment-ceo-on-marvel-mmo-game-projects/
The first title is a browser-based game aimed at kids that focuses on Marvel's new "Super Hero Squad" property, which debuts on Cartoon Network later this year.
Nickelodeon did something similar with Avatar but no idea how popular it is
www.nick.com/avatarlegends/
avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Avatar:_Legends_of_the_Arena
So they're putting out a kid friendly MMO. Probably for all those kids who watch their big brothers playing CoH, CO or DCUO but never get to play. Of course it's going to be a F2P with a cash shop. That way Mommy and Daddy are happy to let them play it, until junior starts begging and crying for them to buy him upgrades. As Admiral Ackbar would say: It's a Trap!
Marvel pulled out on Cryptic, they'll have to do something pretty spectacular to make up for that in my eyes.
I thnk Microsoft were the ones who pulled the plug on the first project, not Marvel or Cryptic.
Ah, I see. Thanks for the info Stradden.
So the company behind the most succesful superhero mmo on the market couldnt fill the marvel expectatives.....but an unknown developer(that is NOT netdevil,read the news) will do?
Now theres some amazing understanding of the mmo business in Marvel.
It seems Cryptic had a perspective of the game,a personal view (and forget it:no mmo will catch WoW 'till Hydra) on the game and finally Marvel decided to drop them to work with a team that has not published anything and so Marvel will keep 100% creative direction(wich is not even remotely posible on Jack Emmert hands).
This is not gonna launch.Furthermore...i dont think we will never see a simple and sad screenshot of this project.
I've had some interaction with the Marvel guys some years ago... seen how they approach new business dealings and all that. I can see them getting all martini-lunched up when Microsoft was on board as publisher and going into panic "dig-a-hole" mode when they pulled out.
Love or hate Emmert and Cryptic's games, you still have to admit they approach the work professionally.
Don't get me wrong, I love Marvel's properties, and I'm happy as a clam now that they seem to actually be investing in successful film ventures, but I just don't see them meshing with the game developer culture very profitably.
Yeah, it'd be great to see an appearance from guys like Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, among other greats. I've always kind of liked Marvel over DC (I could just relate to them better than some alien with super powers, or a vigilante (superman/batman duh)). I want to fight side by side with Captain America and the Avengers!
(I call Hawkeye! my fave)
I actually feel a bit sorry for Marvel right now, there main competitor has a decent looking MMO coming down the tubes (if SOE does not ruin it), and the MMO they were having made attained a different but popular superhero IP.
So not only are they late to the ballgame. They aare on the wrong field and have an team of reletive rookies they are fielding, against SOE who has done MMOs for a long time (but always manages to much things up), and Cryptic, the guys who singlehandedly brought about the superhero MMO genre....
I know its not Marvels fault but still.... even after Microsoft left, they could have chosen to let Cryptic keep the IP, I mean they were willing to use their own money to develop and buy their own IP.... Marvel could definately have worked something out.
Yea.. I really feel bad for them, but I think they brought it on themselves.
Why they chose them over cryptic is just.....mind boggling. I hope they work on character customization and making a non-linear world , then it will be great. But having cryptic loose it isn't always such a bad thing. Cryptic makes pretty linear games. ( no offense )
Oh boy, i wonder why no name company gets license to exploit such a huge trademark... look what SOE did with Star Wars, now Marvel is giving away their name to a newbie company... how can that turn good ?
Well Gargantuan ( The devs making the new Marvel ) dev team is mostly composed of former Blizzard, Sony Online Entertainment, Cryptic and NCsoft developers. So that can't hurt.
I was always curious what happened between Cryptic and Marvel when Cryptic listed Marvel Universe as a game they had in developed. Then all of a sudden it disappears and they announced Champions Online.
I like the idea of the game, but I dont know the company. I hear that it's big so I hope it will turn out awsome
I claim the Hulk!
As much as I would love to play this game or even desgin it... I think Marvel is too "hands on"...and the same issue I have with DC , I have with this. I don't want to play a side-kick to <insert Marvel Hero> and the devs wont be able to build a game where player heroes surpass the "world" heroes...
interesting......
slipgate ironworks is a part of these companies.
thats john romero's company.....
Considering this company they have gone with is still taking in apps for all positions tells me there is no way of knowing how this will turn out. but considering NetDevil's experience it will be a so-so game. and maybe more kid oriented as others have said.
I wouldn't expect anything fancy that's for sure... sad they moved from cryptic to go with this other company though. cryptic shows they have what it takes to make a good super hero mmo.
just have to wait and see, and give the free trial a run before buying that's for sure.
I have to agree with your statement 100%. Better off getting the right company to make your MMO, especially a well known comic book company and spend the extra mills to make the ultimate MMO based off your IP! To me this MMO business is getting out of hand and a lot, i mean a lot of the games out including P2P are boring as hell! Im now playing a F2P entitled Runes of Magic and its got my focus more than LOTRO atm! I dont know why either, it just does! But as Loke said I also played CoH/V both for about 2 weeks and got bored with it easily! Im probably not even gonna follow these games for the fact that its to little to late making a game you shouldve done a long time ago! Star Trek,DCUO,MarvelOnline,Champions,I even think the new Star Wars game is gonna flop as well! If you follow how a lot fo these games have been made, espeically to suit kids or dumbed down casual players, the games get worse and worse! No originality, no real gameplay systems to turn heads, and the graphics, geesh the graphics has all gone to cartoon network imo. Its getting so bad Im thinking of going to Vanguard Saga of Heros cause it seems to be a game that doesnt treat you like a kid or a retard who has trouble mashing one button tied to the most awesomeness skill in the game! I just wish they would make a serious title with all a gamer would like some of us want! Action,Adventure, realistic plots and gameplay, crafting REAL crafting, every action changes your adventure and no going back, puzzle systems much like the old RPGs of yestersay like TombRaider but ever changing, rewards! Omg rewards have gotten to be the worst in any game Ive played! Spend 3 hours beating a 100foot boss only to get a shield thats not much better than the one you got 5 levels ago! The industry just blows I tell ya! how much you want to bet that if they tried to make a game like UO again it would be so dumbed down that the old players would be laughing their ass off, then stop and think of how bad games have gotten, and then think maybe its time ot go back to simgle player games and give up online play as its just not going anywhere at all!
have you looked at today's PC RPGs? most stink (altho there are some good ones)
"today" defined as any RPG released in the last 2 years
people dont talk about the bad ones -- only the select few good ones that you can count on 1 hand
here's an IGN review about a RPG I bet you never heard of
Call for Heroes: Pompolic Wars
pc.ign.com/articles/806/806979p1.html
Closing Comments
avoid Call for Heroes as if your life depended on it. It’s enough to destroy your motivation to ever game again. If you see it on a retail shelf, scream like you’re on fire, berate the store manager for carrying the game, sprint out, drive home and immediately take a shower.
Game Rating: 1.2
Oh, I can see it now!
Coming soon:
John Romero is going to make you his bitch (for real this time) in...
John Romero's Marvel Universe Online
Now you can be Supafly's sidekick and face the forces of giant green mosquitos!
Another ho hum heros MMO. Sorry the genre is already saturated. This is a complete waste of time if you ask me.
Too many idiots throwing too much money at the MMO genre. Most are going to fail. This one will probably one of them.
Too bad they can throw their money at something innovative, they might actually have a chance at a hit.
in fairness, there have been zero details about what the Marvel Universe mmo will entail
beyond the fact that is being developed by a new studio, Gargantuan
www.gazillion.com/studios.php
the only game with a few details is SuperHero Squad for kids -- a browser game
Hookay, being a huge Superhero comic fan I followed the ongoings of Superhero themed MMos with great curiosity. CoH, while being a cool game, was somehow quite limited with its repetitive missions.
I admit I am a much greater fan of Marvel than of DC. I mean Batman is ok and some, but generally the Marvel comics are a tad better to read. Too cryptic and complicated entranglements of story-arcs there over at DC. And Champions... ok, it may be a solid PnP game, but I never had heard of the Champions comic universe before and nothing I see about Champions Online really thrills me. It looks just quite odd with that CellShade style. While SOE's DCU looks decend enough. So far. But truth be told neither DCU nor Champions Online kicked me out of my shoes. So all in all I really hope for a really cool, big Superhero MMO based on Marvel.
Still, the biggest question is: is there still space? I guess DCU will be a success, not skyrocketing, but I am sure it will establish well. With Champions I am not so sure. Unknown franchise when you have the chance to meet Batman, Superman, Wonder Women and whoever? Cellshading when you can watch the relatively cool DCU graphics? I think Champions is going to be in a hard time. Still, how much part of the pie is left for Marvel? They would need a really good company, Blizzard or Turbine. The IDEAL Superhero MMO however would be a really big one with both DC and Marvel, heh.
Btw, their own News speakes of "games" - in plural. So it may well be a simple browser kid game first and something else later. I would not get my hopes too high for the moment anyway. If they start this now we are still many years away from anything substantial. 2015 maybe, hehe.
I would like to know how the superhero mmo market is "saturated"? There is exactly 1 superhero mmo on the market today. One. And there are two more on the way. 1+2 = 3. How many fantasy mmos that are on the market can you list? I can list five without even thinking about it. I'm sure many of you can list even more without effort. How about science fiction? There's quite a few of those too. More than three, I'll tell ya that! If this mmo is even half-way decent I doubt it'll fail. Too many fans. And that's good. It means there's competition and choice. So, can we please stop calling doom when the only detail we know of is the name of the company?
If you were designing this Marvel MMO, what fun things would you like to do for more than a year ? If there cannot be 5000 copies of your favorite Marvel superhero running around in the same city, who would you expect to be ?
I think what is important while playing any big comic book MMORPGs is that it is importnat that the gamer would be able to play any comic book story arc that he wish. Take for example DC Universe Online. Early video trailers show that there would be an event about Superman fighting Doomsday and it's up to the gamers choice to either help Supes or help in capturing doomsday. With a vast library of comic book arcs the possiilities are endless!
This game, just like every comic book MMORPG released, is not for everybody. I think they are targeting persons of the comic book community that has not jumped yet into the MMORPG bandwagon...
yeah...
i think given a month or so everybody would be wolverine or iron man...
... which would be sad...
This looks shaky.
12 year olds aren't the comicbook hounds they used to be so targeting them is some sort of attempt to recapture their imagination and hopefully try and sell a few more books. Probably a dumbed down doof-fest = No challenge = no interest, 12 year olds aren't the idiots these game companies would have them be. Next.
I just hope to actualy see a superhero MMORPG, sorry CoH/V seem fine games, tried and even subbed to them but they are far from what I would consider a MMORPG as to me personaly they felt like a regular multiplayer game with more customisation options and quests.
Champions online looks very similar but think they might do a few nice suprises with the game, overall not seeing much MMORPG in it, same goes for DCUO, evne thought the game is already named NOT a MMORPG but a action online game is more what I feel it is going to be, just a action online game.
Now I can only hope that the Marvel MMORPG will be closer to it being a MMORPG instead of the same route many company's are following right now, which to me is the multiplayer route instead of the MMORPG route.
there are no details yet but I do get concerned when I see things like this, from the Chief Executive of Gazillion
World of Warcraft is for "hardcore" young male gamers
www.massively.com/2009/03/22/world-of-warcraft-is-for-hardcore-young-male-gamers/
Forbes.com paraphrased (Hutter) as saying, "...Most people unaccustomed to MMOs might be intimidated by complex games like 'Warcraft,' Hutter says trends in technology suggest the audience for simple, well-designed games will grow quickly. The runaway success of Nintendo's Wii proved virgin gamers will try new titles if they are easy to play, while the boom in social networks like Facebook suggests people of all ages are looking for new ways to interact online, he says."
whats Gazillion going to create? easier mmos ?
Mmmm Hardcore.
I think he's saying if you play WoW you live in your mom's garage. Bastard. I love that garage.
Hey, I resent that! How dare you or anyone assume the stereotype that I live in my mother's garage just because I play World of Warcraft! I find that offensive. I'm not Fonzy! I don't live in my mom's garage. I live in her spare bedroom.
Gazillion interview at joystiq
www.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/gdc09-joystiq-interviews-gazillion-vp-about-marvel-mmos-lego-u/
has a promo screen for browser-based mmo SuperHero Squad
i wish they would drop the superhero squad theme and make a game that would target older mmorpg players...
i have a bad feeling about this... i think DC universe Online would win this fight...
they are making an older player mmo -- Marvel Universe
from the link I posted
www.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/gdc09-joystiq-interviews-gazillion-vp-about-marvel-mmos-lego-u/
Marvel Universe is an "adult game" of the "kids game" (Super Hero Squad)?
We'll say it's a "mass market" game, but you can probably call it the adult version.
The kids' version, or our first product to market, is Marvel Super Hero Squad, which was a specific attempt by the folks at Marvel to reach all the young kids that love the Marvel characters.
they are making an older player mmo -- Marvel Universe
from the link I posted
www.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/gdc09-joystiq-interviews-gazillion-vp-about-marvel-mmos-lego-u/
Marvel Universe is an "adult game" of the "kids game" (Super Hero Squad)?
We'll say it's a "mass market" game, but you can probably call it the adult version.
The kids' version, or our first product to market, is Marvel Super Hero Squad, which was a specific attempt by the folks at Marvel to reach all the young kids that love the Marvel characters.
Well that's good to hear :D
I'm pretty excited to see what Slipgates Ironworks come up with, wonder if they took over Kaos War ?
Smells like... vaporware.