John De Margheriti Q&A on The MMO Gamer talks middleware with the CEO of BigWorld Technologies, whose MMO middleware is being used by between 23 and 26 project, by his estimate. He also reveals that their Micro Forté group is at work on an MMOG of their own, following the cancelation of ...

Gamasutra reports Ubisoft's plans to create an MMOG based on the works of Tom Clancy, announced at a conference call this evening to follow-up on today's news that Ubisoft has purchased rights to make games in the name of the thriller author (story). It seems Ubisoft is ready to begin develo...

There's an article on the NASA MMOG on GameCyte following up on indications that NASA was looking to explore virtual space (story and story) in addition to outer space. In spite of budget woes, this project is not cancelled, though its funding has been shifted around a bit. The article also...

Trion World Network Announces First Game in Development has word that this developer/publisher has unveiled their first project, a fantasy-themed MMORPG by famed designer Jon Van Caneghem (Might and Magic and Heroes of Might and Magic). Details like a title and release date are not offered i...

Sci Fi Channel is game to join the virtual world has word on the Sci-Fi Channel's plans to partner with Trion World Network (the same developer as in the story above) to create an MMOG that ties directly in with a television series (thanks Mike Martinez and Kotaku), a plan they had origin...

Reports are surfacing indicating a number of layoffs have taken place at LucasArts over the past few days, where than 100 jobs may have been cut. Kotaku has word from some purported former employees discussing the  impact this may have on several games, both announced and unannounced. T...

The SCI FI Channel MMOG Q&A on Ten Ton Hammer chats briefly with Adam Stotsky, an Executive Vice President at the SCI FI Channel about the upcoming MMORPG they are creating in partnership with Trion World Network. ...

LucasFilm Files New Star Wars Trademarks, Is The Old Republic Its New MMO? on Kotaku (thanks Mike Martinez) points out that LucasFilm has filed trademark applications for Star Wars The Old Republic, The Old Republic, Star Wars Sagas, and Star Wars Legends, each being described as &...

The Cal Ripken's Real Baseball Website unveils a new plan where players can purchase new levels, rather than earning them within the game, in what seems like the equivalent of virtual steroids for the virtual sport (thanks DrDeath). These level gains are permanent, and provide the same prere...

Playspan Inc. and Gala-Net Inc. announced the launch of beta service for Upshift StrikeRacer, an online racing game.PlaySpan's system integrates into the game inside a widget. As an official, publisher-sponsored service, the application is a secure and reliable way to buy and sell goods without leav...

A pair of related reports come out of the Virtual Worlds Expo that's just getting underway today: Gamer's Daily News reports plans for an MMOG based on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, though this will be part of "Multiverse Places," a new social virtual world on The Multiverse Network,...

Who plays, how much, and why? Debunking the stereotypical gamer profile on Wiley InterScience offers an extensive analysis of demographic data of MMOG players based on anonymous EverQuest II data supplied by SOE, as outlined on Raph Koster's Website. The study offers some results described a...

Gamasutra reports that Ensemble Studios was working on a now-cancelled MMOG based on the Halo universe at one point, theorizing the game was internally cancelled last year without ever being revealed to the public. They have a screenshot of a level and another showing a prototype of the plan...

Blizzard's Paul Sams and Lee Sparks were at the London World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King launch, which subjected them to questions about their "other" MMORPG, which has been under pretty tight wraps. This tight-lipped approach doesn't seem to be changing right now as IncGame...

Kotaku has a follow-up to news from earlier this week that Ubisoft has acquired Massive Entertainment, quoting Ubisoft President and CEO Yves Guillemot saying Massive will play a key role in Ubisoft's MMO strategy, though their first efforts will be less, well, massive, referencing "l...

The LOTRO: Mines of Moria Launch Interview with Jeffrey Steefel on Ten Ton Hammer talks with the Turbine boss about the new expansion for their Tolkien-inspired MMORPG, discussing the launch, and the daunting task of going head-to-head with the launch of the new World of Warcraft and EverQue...