Do Licensed MMOs Inherit A Disadvantage?

Thanks to Stratics for its editorial discussing the problems faced by the licensed massively multiplayer game. The author points out: "Star Wars, The Matrix, Middle Earth - these are just some of the pre-existing worlds that are making the MMOG leap", and goes on to lament: "One of the problems is that you have to create an entire believable, explorable world. This is hard enough as it is, but then you have to cater to pre-existing notions of that world. Fans are your main target group here, and they have that world all locked up tight in their heads. Prepare for Foaming-at-the-Forum disease, my illustrious developers, prepare well." We've previously covered other aspects of this dilemma, but do licenses bring excessive expectations to a persistent world where everyone wants to be the hero?

Comments

Re:intellectual property owners have the last say.

[Anonymous Coward]

There is a relevent anecdote about a Lucasfilm Indiana Jones License dictating that Indy was not allowed to die at /any/ point in the game.

Good luck with that.

Re:Villainy

[UrgleHoth]

Existing MMORPGs DO have villians, and plenty of them. They are called griefers.