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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.

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.

[Via Big Download]

After jumping back into the slipstream of development this past May, NetDevil announced today that the latest beta for Jumpgate Evolution has had 250,000 sign-ups. The game is currently in the "friends and family testing phase," but it plans to go into full beta ... um, somewhere in the future.

Jumpgate Evolution's development is in an interesting place at the moment. All we know officially is that the game missed its June release, and that feedback during the current stage of testing of the "feature complete" game caused the team to rethink some stuff.

Jumpgate Evolution will not be making its scheduled June release. What, you've nova heard of a delay before? Anyway, following three years of development, NetDevil noted on its forums that the game is going back into the darkness of development to emerge at some point in the future. The company doesn't even plan on announcing a new release date until it has "established [its] road map for the next few months."

The delay was caused after response during the "Friends & Family" phase of testing brought up a lot of feedback. Considering how competitive the MMO market is now, the company is probably taking the wise approach by polishing the "feature complete" title to a shine before release. MMOs don't get a second chance to make a first impression anymore.

Sci-fi fans who love the idea of galactic war and space-age dogfighting will want to have a look at NetDevil's Jumpgate Evolution. In this Massively Multiplayer Online game, players take command of their very own fully-customizable spacecraft in a war against a mysterious alien enemy. The developers describe the game as an MMO version of Wing Commander with the intensity of Battlestar Galactica's fast-paced fighter battles.

This war not only has to have grand action, but also has to be set on an equally grand stage. And in that, we can attest that Jumpgate fulfills those duties very well. The artistic direction will be the very first thing that will grab one's attention upon sitting down with Jumpgate. The diverse locales we've been shown are all very colorfully vibrant and lively; there's rarely a spot that's dull or fails to dazzle. Open space is accentuated with swirls of thematic nebulas, while cruising along the backdrop of beautifully rendered planets is an amazing sight on its own. There are various other places to visit including mining colonies, asteroid fields and debris-filled 'space graveyard.'

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]

Codemasters' love affair with all things MMO seems to have no bounds, with the company continuing to throw money and people at the genre like a kind of catapult gone mad. Though like a clueless homeowner who perpetually waters his plants into an early grave, Codemasters' track record with keeping the MMOs under its stead alive is spotty at best.

Its latest target is NetDevil's re-engineered space-combat MMO Jumpgate Evolution, which Codemasters announced today that it will publish across both North America and Europe in "late 2008." While the game's North American release will be handled by both NetDevil and Codemasters' online devision in tandem, the publisher/developer will be calling the shots all by its lonesome for the title's European debut. Given Jumpgate's lineage, the title tracing its roots all the way back to when dinosaurs roamed the earth in 2001, this is a game that many have been waiting to offer up subscription fees to play for some time -- though given Codemasters' history we predict that players may be playing the game for free before it's all said and done.

Don't get too excited: this trailer is purely conceptual and merely reflects what the NetDevil boys are thinking about for their new MMO LEGO Universe. Still, it's pretty eye-opening. From customizing characters (is that Saiyan armor in there?), to building vehicles, to fighting winged LEGO daemons, Universe is already looking like a fun diversion from the WoWs and the LoTROs currently populating the massive genre.

[Via GamersInfo]

The LEGO Group has announced today that their upcoming MMO will be called LEGO Universe. The game, in development by NetDevil, is slated for release in the first quarter of 2008.

According to the press release, the game is poised to "provide a child-safe alternative to other MMOGs on the market. As a player, you'll be able to customize your mini-figs and interact in the universe as any character you choose, providing unique opportunities for players to expand and explore with their creations."

We get the impression that there won't be an option to freely build with LEGO bricks in the world, given the possible NSFW imagery that one could (and undoubtedly would) create. The world of LEGOs has proved to be profitable in the games industry with LEGO Star Wars; also due in 2008 is LEGO Batman.

[updated to reflect newest information.]

Independent game developer NetDevil (Auto Assault) announced today a partnership with The LEGO Group to develop a MMOG based on the colorful little building blocks. Few details apart from the brief announcement were given, but a representative from LEGO told Gamasutra the game would merge social interaction with physical play. A virtual community where you can build things with LEGO blocks? Yes, please.

The game will likely be aimed at children, but that won't stop us kids who have jobs from giving it a try. After all, everybody loves LEGOs.

[Thanks, Phillip]

Several Joystiq readers are anticipating NCsoft's upcoming cliché-busting MMO Auto Assault, but this news might come as a shock. NCsoft have teamed up with in-game advertising firm Massive Incorporated, who will be bringing "real-life advertising" into the post-apocalyptic world of Auto Assault.

While NCsoft's Dorothy Ferguson seems confident that the ads will fit within the game environment, the futuristic feel of the game doesn't immediately strike us as a suitable setting for modern-day adverts. No word has been released yet on this partnership's effect on pricing; it may drive the monthly subscription cost down, but don't bet on it.

For those interested in experiencing the world of Auto Assault ad-free, there's an open beta (US link) (European link) this weekend, marking the final phase of beta for non-preorder customers.