So one of the things that’s making the MMO news rounds this week is the announcement of a new Marvel MMO.  And it certainly has the fan boys salivating at the thought of finally playing in a virtual world populated by and involved with their favorite franchises such as the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four.  Now, I am absolutely a self proclaimed Marvel fan boy.  One look at the  extraordinary number of busts and comics lying around my office will confirm that.  And of course, I’m a huge MMO junkie.  So why am I not excited?  Why does this announcement instill in me nothing but doubt and confusion?  Well here’s why.

It’s their partner.  Or rather I should say, the company that has acquired the license:  Gazillion Entertainment.  Prior to this week, you’ve probably never heard of Gazillion Entertainment.  I know I hadn’t.  The reason for this is that, prior to the announcement, Gazillion Entertainment was operating under the name NR2B Research, Inc.  A company in San Mateo, CA, going about the quiet business of lobbying for and receiving millions of dollars of investment capital, and acquiring (or creating) five different game development studios.

So how does a relatively unknown startup company go about acquiring millions of investment revenue?  I’m guessing it’s not too hard when your CEO is the former chief and founding partner of an investment company.  Robert Hutter, CEO of Gazillion Entertainment, was the former chief of Revolution Ventures.  In 2005 he created the company to make MMO’s.  He’s still listed as one of the principal partners of Revolution Ventures.  And if you check out the investors involved in Gazillion, well sure enough there’s Revolution Ventures.  So there you go.  Money begets money, and with the capital from his pocket venture company being used to fund his startup, Mr. Hutter went around acquiring additonal investments from other venture companies. 

But Mr. Hutter didn’t really want to start a gaming house.  He wanted to be in publishing, because that’s where the real money is.  So instead of growing his own company, he’s taken the savy venture capitalist route and acquired key studios that possessed the technology’s he desired.  He acquired NetDevil in June of 2008, and then asked them to be quiet about it until March 17th, when he could get all his ducks in a row.  Why did he acquire NetDevil?  Well it sure as hell wasn’t their track record.  More likely the fact that NetDevil held the rights to Lego Universe, an MMO they have absolutely no interest in completing because all their eggs right now are in the Jumpgate Basket.    But it does allow Gazillion to have a swank logo on their partner’s page. 

If you look at the company page for Smarty Card, you’ll see that Robert Hutter is already listed as co-founder.   This company already has partnerships with WebKinz and Club Penguin, and will be used for its virtual goods services.  And as for Slipgate Ironworks, Amazing Society, and Gargantuan, well there’s practically no news at all about them.  All we know is Amazing Society is building the Super Hero Action Squad MMO, and Gargantuan is tasked with the Marvel Universe MMO.  A title of which we know absolutely nothing beyond that it’s title, and that apparently it will be released on both console and PC’s, cause that’s how the cool kids do it these days.

I don’t begrudge Mr. Hutter’s business acumen.  In fact I applaud it.  But what I don’t see here is a company passionate about games.  I don’t see Blizzard here.. or Turbine, or Funcom, or even SOE — companies founded by gamers, managed by gamers, and driven by gamers.  What I see is a savvy businessman wheeling and dealing his way in the million dollar market trying to buy his way into the million dollar MMO business. 

And what’s Marvel’s role in all this?  Well let me tell you something.  Marvel doesnt’ give a shit about your MMO.  That’s because Marvel is now it’s own independant movie studio, and all of their effort, time and money is being poured into what they see as the much more lucrative business of making movies.  All of the effort for building this MMO lies solely upon the shoulders of Gazillion.  Marvel is interested, however, in licensing the crap out of their IP.   I think this quote from a Venture Beat article sort of sums it up nicely. 

“Activision Blizzard makes console games based on the Marvel license, but Simon Philips, president of Marvel Enterprises’ consumer products group, said that it makes sense to keep the console and online game licenses separate, since it takes very different kinds of skills to make each type of game.”

Except that the Marvel Universe MMO is going to be made on consoles.  But they require two different kinds of skills.  Clearly Mr. Philips is in touch with today’s gamer.  In May of 08, Marvel granted the exclusive license to make video games for Super Hero Squad to THQ.  I’m guessing  since THQ’s on the chopping block these days that license has been rescinded?  Funny no news story about that.  Or maybe the terms “exclusive” mean something different to Marvel lawyers. 

So there you have it.  What you have here is big money chasing after big money.  At least that’s how it smells to me.  What I don’t see are passion, vision, or direction.  The first game being built is a “casual” game based on the Super Hero Squad license.  My guess is, it wont’ even be an MMO at all, but more of a flash based browser bonanza — a Club Penquin Meets Baby Wolverine.  You’ll forgive me if that doesn’t sound like the MMO I wanted from Marvel.  And there is the Marvel Universe console and PC game, but right now that’s a nonentity.  There is so little known about what that thing is or who the people are making it that it there’s not even enough to speculate on. 

So thanks Marvel.  As a guy who’s office is adorned with statues of Mary Jane, X-23, & AoA Phoenix – a guy who’s got four boxes of only Marvel books crammed under his desk, and shelves upon shelves lined with Marvel TPB – well I expected more.  I wanted more.  Right now though, all I see is sellout.  Here’s to hoping I’m wrong.

Dusty