Despite having had their previous MMO plans canned back in 2007, Marvel remain determined to enter the online gaming space.
Having inked a 10-year exclusivity agreement with gaming startup Gazillion Entertainment yesterday, Marvel Entertainment will be hoping their persistence will finally pay off. Although the first title to spawn from the deal will be based upon the child orientated property Super Hero Squad, gamers can expect to be playing a MMO based on the 5,000 character strong Marvel universe in the near future.
Gazillion Entertainment, who were relatively unknown before yesterdays announcement, employ over 300 staff across four separate studios. Not only are they aiming to dethrone World of Warcraft with their series of Marvel based online games, but hopes are also pinned on the upcoming Lego Universe. By unveiling these two very ambitious projects, Gazillion have already made their mark.
The one thing that is certain is that neither will be guaranteed success. The newly formed partnership will be going up against DC Universe Online, a DC Comics based MMO being developed by Sony Online Entertainment for both PlayStation 3 and PC. With City of Heroes never having established itself in the online market, Marvel will be hoping their loyal fan base and strong product identity will help them along.