Joystiq

Lego Universe will end in January 2012, offices closing

Jessica Conditt — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST

Lego Universe has run out of those skinny, flat, four-pronged pieces that are necessary to hold entire structures together, but that there never seem to be enough of in the Lego bin, probably because you lost them all and that's what happens when you don't take care of your things -- now go to time out and think about what you've done.

Lego Universe's problems actually run much deeper than missing pieces -- it's missing players. Since going free-to-play in August, "it has not been possible to convert a satisfactory number of players to paying subscribers," The Lego Group said. Lego Universe will officially close Jan. 31, 2012. Developer Play Well Studios in Louisville, Colorado, and the marketing division in Billund, Denmark, will be closed, affecting 115 people. We hope they'll be able to build new, better careers out of this.

Continue reading Lego Universe will end in January 2012, offices closing

Lego Universe will end in January 2012, offices closing originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: Lego Universe free trial begins today

JC Fletcher — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 13:15:00 EST

] There's no longer a financial barrier blocking your access to Lego Universe. The block-rocking MMO's free-to-play trial offer has opened, allowing players to experience a chunk of the game, including one "property area" to build as you see fit, and two "adventure zones."

If you decide you like the interconnecting world of Lego Universe, you can upgrade to the $10 monthly membership at any time, and open up the rest of the world, comprising five "property worlds" and 15 adventure zones. There's also a Ninjago expansion coming this year for paid users. You wouldn't want to miss that.

Gallery: Lego Universe (Free-to-play)

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PSA: Lego Universe free trial begins today originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free-to-play trial version of Lego Universe coming in August

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST

The world of The Lego Group's blocky MMO, Lego Universe, will expand to include a brand new, thriftier audience this August when a free-to-play version of the title will open its plasticky doors. Users of the free version will have unlimited time to romp around a specific zone that features a limited set of features from the full game, and will be able to upgrade to a full-blown, $10-per-month membership at any time.

The Lego Group has elected to make the game's client a free download rather than a retail product, alongside this free tier. This may upset those who previously purchased the game for real, tangible currency, but think of it this way: You were basically just paying a premium to get a head start on picking up the best bricks. These freeloaders will have to settle for those sticky bricks, most of which have all manner of bric-a-brac lodged into their hollow undercarriages.

Continue reading Free-to-play trial version of Lego Universe coming in August

Free-to-play trial version of Lego Universe coming in August originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lego Group purchases Lego Universe and dev team from Gazillion

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 13:02:00 EST

The Lego Group has acquired Lego Universe -- and most of the NetDevil developers who were part of the project. A Gazillion representative explained to Joystiq that before Gazillion's acquisition of NetDevil, NetDevil had already begun Lego Universe as a work-for-hire project, and now Lego has bought the rights from Gazillion for Lego Universe itself.

"The transition of members of our team to the Lego Group allows us to conclude the work-for-hire segment of NetDevil's business and lets us expand our internally-published, free-to-play game businesses," said David Brevik, President and COO of Gazillion. "We're proud of the Lego Universe game that our team built, and we are certain that it has a bright future."

Gazillion notes there was a "minor staff reduction" at NetDevil, but that most of the staff was retained by Lego. Lego System A/S is expected to take over the space that NetDevil is currently occupying, and the remaining non-Lego-aligned NetDevil staffers are moving to a new building. NetDevil is currently working on Fortune Online, with Gazillion unable to comment on the status of Jumpgate Evolution due to the current legal entanglement.

Update: Following up on NetDevil's "minor staff reduction," a Gazillion rep told us: "Less than a quarter of the Lego Universe team was let go with the transition."

We weren't able to obtain NetDevil's prior or current head count, but we were told that 40 people are working on the Fortune Online project, which is the studio's key focus.

Lego Group purchases Lego Universe and dev team from Gazillion originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Castlevania: Lords of Shadow soundtrack nominated for 2 IFMCA awards

Ludwig Kietzmann — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 13:30:00 EST

The elegiac score accompanying Gabriel Belmont's action-packed emprise in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow has impressed the International Film Music Critics Association (IFMCA). Spanish composer Oscar Araujo is nominated for the "Breakout Composer of the Year" award -- notably alongside French duo Daft Punk, who pounded cinemagoers into Grid-grout during Tron: Legacy. The Lords of Shadow soundtrack is also one of five nominated in the "Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media" category.

It's up against some stirring competition in the form of James Bond 007: Blood Stone (featuring Sega legend Richard Jacques) and Dark Void, which isn't usually written about unless it's in praise of Bear McCreary's distinguishing soundtrack. Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole earns a nomination, thanks to Winifred Philips, as do the themes of Lego Universe, assembled by Brian Tyler.

Though the majority of awards focus on film soundtracks, the IFMCA's sentiment seems just as applicable to video games. "The IFMCA strongly feels that a film score's strength lies in the combined impact of two important elements: the effectiveness, appropriateness and emotional impact of the score in the context of the film for which it was written; and the technical and intellectual merit of the composition when heard as a standalone listening experience." Winners will be announced on February 25, 2011.

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Castlevania: Lords of Shadow soundtrack nominated for 2 IFMCA awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All MMOs 20 percent off at Direct2Drive, Fallout: New Vegas $20 off this weekend

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 03:00:00 EST

Direct2Drive's running a pretty sweet deal for anyone looking to reach out and touch other members of the gaming community (in a completely non-weird way, we mean) -- until Monday morning, the site's entire catalog of MMOs is discounted 20 percent. That includes massively multiplayer gems like World of Warcraft, Star Wars Galaxies, Lego Universe, Guild Wars and more; just input the coupon code "JOKER" while checking out, and watch the prices fall like so, so many enemy NPCs.

If you'd rather play a game which rivals the length of an MMO, but lacks all the other human contact, the retailer is also knocking $20 off the price of Fallout: New Vegas from this Saturday until Monday morning. You don't need a coupon code for that one, though if there were one, we imagine it'd be something like "NUKA COLA" or "CREEPY HOVERING NO-BONES MAN."

Continue reading All MMOs 20 percent off at Direct2Drive, Fallout: New Vegas $20 off this weekend

All MMOs 20 percent off at Direct2Drive, Fallout: New Vegas $20 off this weekend originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gazillion raises another $60 million

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 03:00:00 EST

MMO publisher Gazillion Entertainment, which recently launched Lego Universe and c urrently has at least three other MMOs in development, has raised another $60 million in its latest round of funding. Gamasutra reports the funding is intended to assist the company as it enters "a key phase of expansion."

Gazillion's next release should be Marvel Super Hero Squad Online sometime in 2011. The company is also working on Marvel Universe and the interminably (not terminally) delayed Jumpgate Evolution.

Gazillion raises another $60 million originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lego Universe is live for pre-orderers, full launch coming October 26

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

If you got on the Lego Universe bus early by pre-ordering the kid-friendly MMO from "Lego sales channels", you can now get busy with the bricklaying. NetDevil has launched the game for a special, two-week "Founders Release" for these early adopters, giving them access to the online DIY adventure before Lego Universe's proper October 26 U.S. launch.

Perhaps even more newsworthy than the game's early debut and launch window is that its launch trailer, posted after the jump, is so super hot. Not only does it do a great job of setting up the Lego Universe ... universe, it features the vocal talents of Patrick Stewart, who's beginning to reach Nolan North-esque levels of video game ubiquitousness. (Not that we're complaining!)

Continue reading Lego Universe is live for pre-orderers, full launch coming October 26

Lego Universe is live for pre-orderers, full launch coming October 26 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lego Universe's childhood innocence-preserving measures outlined

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 02:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Let's face it, when hand-delivering the faceless, twisted corners of the internet a set of tools which are renowned for their capacity to create anything ever, things are going to get ... bad. Like, boners, we mean. Fortunately, NetDevil recently outlined the measures the developer has taken to protect the MMOs younger-skewing target demographic: Content moderation for player-made objects and names, combined with a privacy-ensuring "Lego Universe ID" system for in-game friends.

The first measure is pretty straightforward -- both player's names and the objects they create must be moderated before anyone else can see them. However, to lighten this substantial workload, NetDevil's made it so in-game friends can see each other's creations before they get moderated. Friends, however, have to exchange their personal ID codes outside of the game in order to achieve this level of acquaintance. Sounds hauntingly familiar to Nintendo's Friend Code system -- but we suppose it will help protect the childrens. That's what it's all about, isn't it? The childrens?

Lego Universe's childhood innocence-preserving measures outlined originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lego Universe closed beta now available on Mac

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Hey, fans of Apple products love stacking things on top of other things to make bigger things too, you know. That's why NetDevil recently opened up Lego Universe's closed beta process to Mac users. Potential stackers and builders can hop on the wagon by going to the game's official Beta Center and applying to join up.

These new players are getting in at an opportune time -- though the beta's currently only playable on certain days of the week, the game's official site promises that "it won't be long before the game servers will be open 24/7, which means non-stop playtime - woohoo!" That was their woohoo, not ours, though we can certainly see why that's cause for celebration.

Lego Universe closed beta now available on Mac originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chew on these Lego Universe 'Gnarled Forest' screens

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 03:20:00 EST

We've seen a few of the bright and generally welcoming environments of Lego Universe -- today, we get a look a few screenshots from the MMO's Gnarled Forest area. We never would have assumed a game about toy heroes could contain such ominous imagery. Check out the images after the break.

Gallery: Lego Universe (8.11.10)

Chew on these Lego Universe 'Gnarled Forest' screens originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 03:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dire Wolf Digital is building a Lego Universe trading-card game

David Hinkle — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 05:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Dire Wolf Digital and NetDevil have signed an agreement that will see the creation of a LEGO Universe trading-card game, due in 2011. (The Lego Universe MMO is set to launch on October 26.) What makes this deal interesting is the potential to create products outside of just the TCG.

The agreement gives Dire Wolf Digital "a license to produce physical TCG products as well as digital products for PC, Mac and mobile devices." This could portend the TCG will come to digital spaces or it could simply refer to additional products outside of the card game -- as soon as we know something, we'll be sure to pass it along.

Head past the break for the full press release.

Gallery: LEGO Universe (Comic-Con)

Continue reading Dire Wolf Digital is building a Lego Universe trading-card game

Dire Wolf Digital is building a Lego Universe trading-card game originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lego Universe trailers rebuild our capacity to love

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:05:00 EST

If you feel like dedicating around 10 minutes of your day to media from NetDevil's upcoming MMO Lego Universe, you'll find everything you need here. Check out a ton of screens in the following gallery, or watch videos featuring in-game pets, factions and the "partners" who helped create the game.

Continue reading Lego Universe trailers rebuild our capacity to love

Lego Universe trailers rebuild our capacity to love originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Preview: Lego Universe

Mike Schramm — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:40:00 EST

There's no question at all: Lego Universe is a game built for children. Creative Director Ryan Seabury says the primary audience of the game is ages 8-12, and the interface is very clearly young user-friendly, with big, brightly colored buttons, and easy-to-use UI widgets. The game centers on collecting "imagination," and while there is combat in the game, it's simple and trouble-free, more fun than strategic.

But here's the thing: good game design is ageless. And Lego Universe seems like a tidy summation of everything both developer NetDevil has learned about making MMOs, and Lego has learned over 75 years of making classic toys.

Gallery: LEGO Universe (E3 screenshots)

Continue reading Preview: Lego Universe

Preview: Lego Universe originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seen@E3: The best business card ever

Mike Schramm — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

We got this business ~~card~~ LEGO person from LEGO Universe Creative Director Ryan Seabury yesterday, and every single person we have showed it to since agrees that it is indeed the best form of sharing contact information ever seen. Seabury's name and likeness are on the front, and his phone number and email are on the back of the little guy.

We've placed him atop the pile of business cards that's been handed to us this week. We've met a lot of fun people on the show floor at E3, but if we need any LEGO-related advice, we'll know exactly who to call.

Seen@E3: The best business card ever originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lego and Warner Bros. partner on Lego Universe distribution

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 09:25:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

In an attempt to further expand its digital Lego empire, Warner Bros. has partnered with the iconic brick manufacturer and NetDevil to act as the retail distributor for their upcoming family-friendly MMO, Lego Universe. According to the press release announcing the partnership, Warner Bros. will be responsible for distributing the game "outside of LEGO channels." We assume they're talking about Lego Stores, and Legoland, and the underground Lego black market which operates in the shady corners of most metropolitan cities.

Lego and Warner Bros. partner on Lego Universe distribution originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Jun 2010 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lego Universe pre-orders now available

Ben Gilbert — Sun, 16 May 2010 11:30:00 EST

Somehow -- and we don't know how -- pre-orders for Lego Universe kicked off this past Friday and, again, we don't know how, there's no "special edition" that includes some actual Legos. Some of you Legomaniacs may already know, but boxed copies of the upcoming Lego MMO from Netdevil are now available for pre-order at Lego retail outlets, the online shop, the amusement park (Legoland!) and on LegoUniverse.com.

Dropping your 39.99 USD/EUR or 29.99 GBP on a copy will net you not just the game itself on DVD, but also a month of free play (30 days, to be precise), a "story leaflet," and a user guide -- some folks will also get an "exclusive Minifigure" and a code to redeem said Minifigure in-game ("while supplies last"). Though the game has been in closed beta for some time now, the game has yet to receive an official launch date. That said, we have to imagine that Netdevil is building towards that announcement, right? You know, with Legos? Isn't that what they do over there?

Lego Universe pre-orders now available originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 16 May 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lego Universe beta invites being sent out

David Hinkle — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:30:00 EST

We're received a handful of tips, and Massively confirms it: beta invites for the surprisingly hype-worthy Lego Universe beta have started to roll out. It's something we entirely want in on.

But, alas, no invite for us. Our tips box is only a repository for our own sadness, as others regale us with tales of their conquests; their own acquired beta invites. No, it's fine -- don't worry about us. We're just going to sit in the corner, with our real-life Legos, pretending there are actual people behind those hopelessly optimistic smiles, willing to interact with us in a virtual world.

Lego Universe beta invites being sent out originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LEGO Universe beta constructed, signups begin

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:00:00 EST

If we've learned anything about LEGO Universe, it's that the game should not be dismissed. Yes, it's an MMO aimed at younger gamers, but did you see the trailer? Whether you did or not, you need to watch it right now. We've embedded it directly above this post. There should be a play button right in the middle. Click it. We'll wait.

Now, having seen that, know this: The LEGO Universe beta is now accepting signups. We suggest you head over to the signup site and sign up immediately. Unfortunately, no one is guaranteed a slot in the beta so, while you're waiting on confirmation, why not check out some footage of the actual game in action? After that, you can start refreshing your inbox like mad.

[Via Massively]

LEGO Universe beta constructed, signups begin originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lego Universe trailer looks unexpectedly thrilling

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 13:30:00 EST

We know we've built a permanent establishment in our cheek in which to house our tongues, but we're being completely sincere when we say that the above trailer for Lego Universe is one of the coolest trailers we've seen in a long time. Who knew that a kid-friendly MMO in which colorful, stackable bricks are collected could cause our adrenaline to rise in a way we only thought really intense episodes of 24 were capable of? We certainly did not know that.

Check out the trailer above, then check out a fresh batch of screenshots below. They're considerably less awesome than the trailer, but they can't really be blamed for their stationary nature.

Gallery: Lego Universe (CES 2009)

Lego Universe trailer looks unexpectedly thrilling originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 09 Jan 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CES 2010's Gaming Showcase to have more showcase, not much more gaming

JC Fletcher — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST

From the on-site report of last year's Gaming Showcase at the Consumer Electronics Show, it wouldn't take anything more than two video games to dramatically expand upon what was previously available in the dedicated games area. And despite the Consumer Electronics Organization' announcement of double the floor space for the Showcase, only one game is named specifically as a feature: Lego Universe.

The PC Gaming Alliance will be there, and Microsoft and Sony should be showing games in their own respective areas, but the exhibitor list for the Gaming Showcase focuses almost entirely on peripherals, middleware, hardware, and other things that aren't games. But there will be a lot of space for you to try out Wii controller shells, DDR mats and chairs with speakers in them!

CES takes place in Las Vegas from January 7-10 and, as always, Joystiq will be reporting from there with the latest, breaking news on games you control with your mind.

CES 2010's Gaming Showcase to have more showcase, not much more gaming originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Lego Universe shots revealed, no assembly required

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:20:00 EST

Things have been fairly quiet on the Lego Universe front since the game was first announced over two years ago. Developer NetDevil finally broke radio silence today, releasing a handful of screenshots which depict, in no particular order, the game's login screen, a character creation menu and a spiky-haired block-man running away from ninjas and pirates. Mind you, those two groups are pictured in completely separate images -- history has taught us that they wouldn't be caught dead intermingling.

Our innate fondness for meticulous bricklaying and level grinding has set our anticipation for this title ablaze -- unfortunately, with a nebulous "2010" release window, we've got no clue as to when said flame will be doused by the cool waters of satisfaction.

Gallery: Lego Universe

[Via Big Download]

First Lego Universe shots revealed, no assembly required originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC09: Joystiq interviews Gazillion VP about Marvel MMOs, Lego Universe and where the publisher came from

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:00:00 EST

Gazillion. Up until a couple weeks ago, the word was representative of numerical hyperbole, and now it represents a publisher with massive venture capital backing and the MMO rights to major IPs like Marvel and Lego. We had a chance to interview the company's VP of Marketing Paul Baldwin -- with a fire drill intermission -- during GamesBeat 2009 last week. We asked him pretty much anything we could think of ... you know, considering we knew almost nothing about this new publisher.

Joystiq: We're here with Paul Baldwin, who is the vice president of marketing at the "newly founded" Gazillion Entertainment? What's the deal there?

Baldwin: Newly announced. The company was in stealth mode since 2005, so we've been around for a while, but we are "newly announced."

You guys just appeared on the scene and got the Marvel license. I can tell you, we spent hours the day we first heard of the company, just calling up several journos and PR asking, "Who are these guys?" So, who are you guys?

Good question, I have to first say that I was amazed myself that we were able to keep the company quiet since 2005, additionally when we acquired NetDevil in July of '08 and obviously we were very excited to get Jumpgate and of course Lego Universe, then we also acquired a company in Seattle, and we've been slowly building up the Marvel Universe studio, Gargantuan, in San Mateo, and throughout this period we were able to keep it quiet, which, once again, really surprised all of us. As I mentioned, the company started in 2005. At that point, we had kind of modest goals, frankly. We had an original IP, which is going to be a big client, high production quality -- World of Warcraft-like production quality -- coming out. That was the first product we had actually on tap.

Continue reading GDC09: Joystiq interviews Gazillion VP about Marvel MMOs, Lego Universe and where the publisher came from

GDC09: Joystiq interviews Gazillion VP about Marvel MMOs, Lego Universe and where the publisher came from originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lego Universe could add Indiana Jones, Star Wars content

Justin McElroy — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: PC, MMO

We haven't spent much time talking Lego Universe (if we're going to waste our lives in a pretend land, we at least want to be able to sport crude geometric breasts, thankyouverymuch) but a recent nugget from a Massively interview with project lead Mark Hansen has our interest piqued:

"Massively: Are you interested in bringing some of the more story rich play themes into Lego Universe? Star Wars, Indiana Jones?

Hansen: I think that IPs would be great to see in the game. It's not for the first launch.

Mass.:It's not something you're discounting, or isn't possible, though.

Hansen: No, not at all. I think you will ... yeah. (laughs)"

So, with Star Wars a possibility, could The Boss be far behind?

Lego Universe could add Indiana Jones, Star Wars content originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively week in Review

Joystiq Staff — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Features, PC, MMO

Joystiq's sister site Massively.com has all the news you'll need about MMOs. Here's the best, brightest, and most interesting stuff from the last week, all in one convenient place for your MMO minute.

	The Digital Continuum: Rock Band, the MMO I've actually entertained the idea for a long time now, only to shove it aside as a crazy notion. But the thing kept popping back into the forefront of my mind so often that I couldn't discount it as happenstance. I've become enamored with the idea, because let's face it; a Rock Band MMO has the potential to ooze- no, to gush pure liquid awesome.
	Massively's exclusive Mines of Moria dev tour Earlier last month, Massively was invited to get a hands-on look at Mines of Moria, the first-ever expansion for Lord of the Rings Online with Turbine's Adam Mersky and Moria Producer Mike Jablonn. During this special dev tour, we were treated to many of the features of the new environments, new creatures, certain landmarks and the Legendary Item system.
	Is LotRO coming to the console? According to a job posting on Turbine's website, they're looking to hire a Senior User Interface Engineer who "may be refactoring existing user interfaces or implementing completely new user interfaces for systems such as combat, skills, inventory, treasure, and social systems." Does this mean LotRO?

Continue reading Massively week in Review

Massively week in Review originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lego MMO to feature real-world integration, legos

Scott Jon Siegel — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:25:00 EST

Filed under: PC, GDC, MMO

Wired's Earnest Cavalli had a chance to talk shop with LEGO Universe developer NetDevil at GDC, and came away with a few sparse but interesting details about the game, as well as some totally hardcore pieces of concept art.

While the game isn't expected out until 2009, NetDevil discussed what they hope to be the core features of the game, like having players living amongst LEGO's impressive backlog of building sets, able to construct vehicles, buildings, and more for their avatars. The game will also feature the standard MMO quests, based on LEGO sets like Knights vs. Dragons, and Sailors vs. Pirates.

Perhaps most interesting is LEGO Universe's proposed integration with real-world LEGOs, with players able to create anything they wish in-game, and being given the option to order the exact pieces required to assemble their creations themselves. With a concept like this, the game could not only become a fairly successful MMO, but also help to revitalize the LEGO empire (we're already tempted to dig through our old bins). Check out Wired's piece for more concept art and details.

[Via Penny Arcade]

Lego MMO to feature real-world integration, legos originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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