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Turbine To Publish Middle Earth Online
John Callaham writes "Computer Games Magazine got a chance to chat briefly on the phone today with Turbine's Vijay Lakshman to get a few more tidbits on their plans for the MMO title Middle Earth Online now that they are developing and publishing the long awaited game." From the article: "Acquiring the license to produce massively multiplayer online games based on Tolkien's world-renowned The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit books is the latest in a series of aggressive business moves by Turbine - the once small contractor that transformed itself into the largest privately-held online game studio in North America."
Just what the word needs, another MMORPG.
I don't think anyone will be happy until everything ends up as a MMORPG. Still waiting for the announcements for:
1. Pokemon Online
2. The A-Team Online
3. Battlestar Galatica Online
4. Cheers Online
5. Zero Wing Online
6. America Online Online
7. World of Frank Stallone
8. Bible World Online
9. Evercowboyneil
10. Final Everworld of Ultima Warcraft's Lineage
Of course, the list could go on...and on a on.
"Leo Fender was in a 'state of grace' when he designed the Stratocaster." -- Paul Reed Smith
MMORPG Online: An entire online world of developers, creating MMORPGs for whatever franchise seems popular at the moment!
AC1 was a brilliant game; AC2 was a disappointment. However, AC1's graphics suck - some might say they already sucked when it was released. But I haven't had as much fun with any other MMORPG, and I've played most of them.
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We've been discussing this at f13 after Calandryll posted the news. Without going into the design of MEO, he's answered most of the questions on the scope of the publishing rights.
schild
editor, f13.net
I haven't heard too many cases of a publisher ditching a sure thing. So is MEO in trouble? It has been pushed back how many times? Now we have a "2006" release date.
It sounds more and more that MEO has had its premise rewritten more than once. I would guess they could not nail down a time period to play in that doesn't result in players knowing that regardless what you do history is written.
The game is already irrevelvant as the movies are more than a year old. By the time the game comes out we will have had over 2 years since the movies. Do they really think that the name will bring enough people into the genre? Star Wars Online did well but everywhere you turn there is something Star Wars. The movies are current and there are many console and PC games to keep interest up. What does MEO have to gen interest?
I think Vivendi didn't like the progress Turbine is making and didn't want to get into a no win position. I wonder if Vivendi would have forced the game out early if they had kept the publishing rights as Atari did to Artifact Entertainment with Horizons.
* Winners compare their achievements to their goals, losers compare theirs to that of others.
My guess is that Vivendi has no confidence in their ability to make publishing the game worth their while. Turbine has to be hurting. Neither AC game has strong subscription numbers. They have two development projects that aren't stirring up much interest in the fan community. Heck, people have been declaring MEO vaporware for a few months now. They can't even work up the strength to publish their established properties expansions.
You jump around on various fan boards for MEO and they are all nearly dead or on life support. There has been very little news of late that means anything.
This announcement isn't what I would label as "good news". Its more like "uh news", as in - whats going on here.
Still any hobbit movie would not be out till 07 or even 08 which would be to late to lift this game. Worse Turbine doesn't have a good track record or reputation with the gamers. Inside the industry they might but gamers shun them in general.
What is even more interesting is that their older titles are being distributed by SOE. I figure this is because turbine doesn't have the name presence at the retail level to get their games carried for a good rate. What are they planning on doing with MEO then?
* Winners compare their achievements to their goals, losers compare theirs to that of others.
Let me get this straight - you have two games each with a tiny player base - almost no one is on AC2 and the AC playerbase is dwindling by the day - you maybe rank 12 among MMORPGs on the big chart when you combine your numbers?
Launch the AC/AC2 expansions well, and luanch the D&D and LotR games well, and then maybe you can make a claim like this.
I think it's a great idea for the world that Tolkien created.
I mean, you read the books and you realize that he left a TON of room for storyline improvisation and future plots and subplots.
He'll mention the name of somebody or cryptically reference some old story that leaves you thinking, "Dang man! Where can I get THAT book?!"
And I'm not necessarily talking about the Silmarillion and stuff--but actually user-contributed stuff. The possibilities are endless--the only limits really being one's own imagination (kind of like D&D).
I'd wonder, however, which time period in the course of the LOTR storyline is the MMO environment to take place? Just somewhere arbitrarily in the middle?
I think that if it's done well, it could be gnarly! Like exploring the land north of the Misty Mountains, with the 'hobgoblins' he mentions in The Hobbit. Or the region known as Angmar (as in the Witch King).
Sounds great!
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