In our effort to become your official Shane Kim news aggregator comes another tidbit from a DICE Summit interview with the Microsoft Game Studios corporate VP conducted by Stephen Totilo from the MTV Multiplayer blog. In the interview Kim confirmed longstanding suspicions that the announced Marvel MMO, Marvel Universe Online, for the Xbox 360 has been canceled. Strange as it may seem, the reasoning behind this cancellation is probably the smartest move on Microsoft's part. "If you really look at the data," Kim explained, "there's basically one [subscription based MMO] that's successful and everything else wouldn't meet our level or definition of commercial success." Of course the MMO he is referring to is Auto Assault.[via Joystiq]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-11-2008 @ 4:52PM
AnOffday said...
So they can't compete with WoW. Here's an idea. Don't charge people to play it. Charge for the game itself and be done. Problem solved. I don't see the issue? Greed I guess.
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2-11-2008 @ 5:38PM
Big Wizz said...
Ummm....how do they pay for the servers and needed upkeep if they don't charge?
Now I can't be random regular guy who snipes Capt. America in the head, only to have him brought back later.
2-11-2008 @ 4:53PM
Gemini Ace said...
Goddamnit!
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2-11-2008 @ 5:15PM
Tony said...
The thing is that nothing can compete with WoW. It's a complete anomaly in the MMORPG world and it's ridiculous to only consider that one "successful". There are quite a few doing well by general MMORPG standards (Eve, Lord of the Rings Online, etc).
I don't think it was a bad idea to cancel this either, though. Perhaps they can salvage some of it or the license work in some way.
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2-11-2008 @ 6:59PM
ccc said...
Wow is not the only mmo that has done well.
Lets not forget about PSU in all it's console incantations. People still pay and play that game by the boat loads.
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2-11-2008 @ 8:42PM
Deck said...
No, WoW is not the only one to do well. It is the only one doing well at the moment though and it completely has a hold on the market.
To leave WoW for another MMO, it is going to take something rather large. In my opinion the one thing potentially coming that can compete would be if in fact, Bioware's MMO actually was a Star Wars MMO. Star Wars is so popular, and not being made by SOE, it would attract zounds of people. Those not playing any MMO and many on WoW. Sure they may just get it to try it and keep their WoW subscription active, but if it is good, it would pull them away.
2-12-2008 @ 7:00AM
Boff said...
I thought the post read:
Marvel MMO offically dated
Then I read the article. :o(
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2-12-2008 @ 8:37AM
Michael Paul said...
It was predictable. A MMO where you play one of 100,000 generic heroes is one thing, but who wants to be one of 100,000 Hulks or Thors or Spideys?...
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