Marvel MMO officially dead

by Xav de Matos { Feb 11th 2008 at 4:45PM }

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]

Tags: canceled-games, marvel, marvel-mmo, marvel-universe-online

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

AnOffday @ Feb 11th 2008 4:52PM

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.

Big Wizz @ Feb 11th 2008 5:38PM

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.

Gemini Ace @ Feb 11th 2008 4:53PM

Goddamnit!

Tony @ Feb 11th 2008 5:15PM

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.

ccc @ Feb 11th 2008 6:59PM

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.

Deck @ Feb 11th 2008 8:42PM

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.