New MMOG Planet Will Reinvigorate Iconic Monsters from Classic Universal Films
LOS ANGELES, Thursday, October 28th 2010 [ME NewsWire]:
(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SEE Virtual Worlds™, an entertainment company publishing a virtual reality universe of connected planets tied to licensed franchises, today announced a collaborative deal with Universal Partnerships & Licensing to publish a virtual world based on the classic Universal Monsters™. The massively multiplayer online game will allow players to emulate the infamous monster hunter Van Helsing as they track down the monsters in celebrated scenes based on the series of horror films distributed by Universal Pictures.
Slated to launch in late 2011, the new world will combine the classic survival horror genre with the interactive elements of a true virtual world. As monster hunters, players will experience the legacy of the battle between Van Helsing and a variety of the original Universal Monsters including Frankenstein, The Mummy, Dracula, The Wolf Man and more. Gamers will also have the chance to travel to different lands based on the licensed characters including the Vatican, Dracula’s Castle and The Lagoon, to compete in various missions and battles against each nemesis.
The new Universal Monsters virtual world will be the second themed planet published by SEE Virtual Worlds in the Entropia Universe, a vast dynamic 3D environment created and provided to end users by MindArk PE AB. The Entropia Universe features several existing planets and combines a revolutionary cash economy with cutting-edge graphics. Earlier this year SEE Virtual Worlds announced a collaborative deal with the Michael Jackson Estate to publish Planet Michael, SEE Virtual Worlds’ first planet in the Entropia Universe, also set to launch in 2011.
“Partnering with Universal allows us to revive the horror genre for the 21st century by introducing timeless film franchise characters into an interactive platform,” said Martin Biallas, CEO of SEE Virtual Worlds. “Fans of Van Helsing and the classic Universal Monsters will be delighted with the extent to which they can interact in the deep, immersive social gameplay of the Universal Monsters virtual world when it launches next year.”
“Given the vision offered by SEE Virtual Worlds for an online world featuring our iconic Universal Monsters, we can’t wait to bring fans the first opportunity to interact with their favorite characters in a real-time evolving social game,” said Bill Kispert, VP and GM, Digital Platforms, Universal Partnerships & Licensing. “At Universal we are constantly striving to be at the forefront of digital media and with support from the advanced Entropia Universe platform, we are thrilled to bring the Universal Monsters to both fans and gamers alike via a dynamic and exciting all-new virtual world.”
About the Universal Monsters
Starting more than 80 years ago, Universal Pictures created some of the most iconic characters in cinematic history. These monsters introduced visions of terror that created indelible impressions, and their legacy continues to haunt our collective nightmares. Beginning in 1923 with The Hunchback of Notre Dame and continuing with the horror classics The Phantom of The Opera, Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Mummy, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, The Creature from the Black Lagoon and Van Helsing, the Universal Studios Monsters have stood the test of time, appealing to countless generations and living on in popular culture today.
About Universal Partnerships & Licensing
UP&L oversees Universal’s consumer product licensing, film and home entertainment promotions, and all corporate alliances for Universal’s theatrical, home entertainment, theme parks and stage productions. This dedicated division is also responsible for monetizing the studio’s vast library of films and characters through licensing, branding and marketing opportunities. UP&L is part of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% owned by Vivendi.
About SEE Virtual Worlds
Special Entertainment Events or SEE has been in the business of themed entertainment for over a decade. For SEE this is a process of utilizing known entertainment titles and franchises in new and innovative ways to increase brand awareness and create lucrative additional revenue streams for Licensors and project investors. SEE has worked with some of the most iconic names in show business, including Star Trek, Pokémon and Titanic. SEE has received numerous awards for excellence in touring attractions and other themed entertainment projects.
SEE Virtual Worlds, LLC is the newest division of the Los Angeles-based SEE corporate group. A natural extension of the company’s core licensing business, SEE VW brings the world of themed entertainment online. Through a virtual reality universe of connected planets, participants interact with their favorite motion picture, television, sports, and music properties. Universal Monsters is the second such themed-planet and more will be announced in the months ahead. Using the state-of-the-art Entropia Universe platform, the real cash economy is incorporated in the planet, enabling participants to earn money through gameplay. For more information on the company and its products, please visit SEE VW at http://www.seeglobalentertainment.com.
SEE Virtual Worlds is a trademark and copyright of SEE Virtual Worlds, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Planet Michael is a trademark and copyright of SEE Virtual World MJ, LLC. All Rights Reserved
About MindArk PE AB
MindArk develops, operates, markets and provides Entropia Universe. MindArk is based in Gotenborg, Sweden and has 80 employees.
About Entropia Universe
Entropia Universe launched in January 2003 and has grown to more than 950,000 registered accounts from over 200 countries. It is the only virtual universe with a real money trading (RMT) economy whose currency, the PED, has a fixed exchange rate of 10:1 with the U.S. Dollar. Its business model is unique as it is based on micropayments, meaning that the client software is free to download from the Internet, and there are no monthly subscription fees, thus Entropia Universe provides a way for new players to immediately start exploring without having to deposit money. Virtual funds acquired in Entropia Universe can easily be exchanged and then withdrawn into real-world funds. The RMT business model has been very successful; The 2009 turnover of Entropia Universe topped $422,000,000 U.S. For more information, visit http://www.entropia-universe.com. Additional information about MindArk PE AB, developer of the Entropia Universe is avail-able at http://www.Mindark.com.
ENTROPIA UNIVERSE® and MINDARK® are registered trademark of MindArk PE AB. MindArk supports and monitors the services and maintenance of the Entropia Universe platform.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Bender/Helper Impact
Parnaz Taheri, 310-694-3120
Parnaz_Taheri@bhimpact.com
Marion Wallace, 310-694-3151
Marion_Wallace@bhimpact.com
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