Firefly licensed for Multiverse MMO game

Cult Joss Whedon sci-fi television show takes first step to becoming a massively multiplayer online game; developer not yet determined.

Another Fox casualty.

Sci-fi geeks can attest to the fact that one of the best television shows that wasn't given its proper due was Fox's short-lived Firefly. The show was created by Joss Whedon, who also brought to the small screen cult favorites Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. The show ran just 14 episodes but was momentarily resurrected by a big-screen continuation, 2005's Serenity.

Now it appears the television series is getting a third shot at life in another form of media--a massively multiplayer online game.

The Multiverse Network today announced that it has attained the rights to develop an MMO game based on Firefly from 20th Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising. Multiverse has yet to announce the production team that will develop the game, but it hopes to have the product ready sometime in 2008.

"Fox's Firefly series is set in an incredibly rich and exciting universe. It's going to make a very compelling and unique online experience filled with adventure, humor, and mystery," said Multiverse cofounder and executive producer Corey Bridges. "It's our hope that Firefly's passionate and dedicated community of fans will enjoy the chance to become part of the story as they develop and explore the worlds of Firefly."

Eschewing the traditional practices of developing MMO games, Multiverse is creating middleware dedicated to MMO games, which can be licensed to developers who then use the technology to easily create a game. The company's profit is made off of revenue sharing.

362 Comments

  • avand963

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 7:54 am PT

    Ive been hearing rumors about this for some time now. i truly hope they stick with the project. After serenity special edition came out and sold very well Alan tudyk said there was talk of a sequal, Joss Whedon has dissmissed it as "wishful Thinking". but hopfully there is more firefly to come in the near future for all of us loyal browncoats.

  • Apollo5000

    Posted Mar 9, 2008 9:10 am PT

    The film didn't flop, not in the worldwide market anyway it fell just short of braking even. DVD sales are what matters not Box Office results, the studio only get a certain amount of % of the box office. Hell Keanu Reeves got 15% of the Box Office result on the Matrix Reloaded and another 15 from Revolutions. You don't add a gross points option if thats your main source of income. All the money from the DVD sales however go right back to the studios since most studios make the DVDs off their own back rather than go third party. And when you think about the cost of a cinema ticket compared to the cost of a DVD you can see why they make sequels to films that didn't perform well at the box office. So even though Serenity didn't perform well in the cinema it has done extremely well on DVD.

  • treksterjsc

    Posted Mar 8, 2008 1:05 pm PT

    Firefly fans give it up, there have been rumors for years, there is no game there wont be no game. The Show and one movie flopped

    Move on .....

  • secondshooter

    Posted Feb 23, 2008 8:32 pm PT

    Finally. Well, it's 2008 and I have heard no confirmation on this product yet. But hopefully it will get finished. Firefly is my favorite TV show, and I would love to see it made into an MMO.

  • buzzard31581

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 9:56 am PT

    What I envision is a cross between Star Wars Galaxies (don't hate me) and Freelancer leaning more in the Freelancer direction. I mentioned SWG specifically because it has both space and ground combat which uses projectile weaponry (guns). Make the ground combat a better FPS style and it would be an awesome game.

  • Bmariam

    Posted Jul 2, 2007 8:32 pm PT

    What they really need is an FPS based on the War!

  • specific_oceans

    Posted Jun 10, 2007 11:00 pm PT

    and it shall be called the big damn game!

  • Deza3737

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 12:51 am PT

    BROWNCOATS UNITE!!

  • MorGuliA

    Posted Apr 2, 2007 4:00 pm PT

    I hope it isn't going to be only an intergalatic war type of game.I would see more a GW,WOW,SW type of game apply to this.

  • Ballintinius

    Posted Feb 12, 2007 6:55 am PT

    Well, It's about grorram time. This will be very shiny seeing the Firefly universe in a MMORPG world.

  • Lionheart1_16

    Posted Feb 10, 2007 3:04 pm PT

    Dear buddha nix the pony and plastic rocket and get me this game!!!!!

  • insomniacnights

    Posted Feb 9, 2007 10:10 pm PT

    "This must be what going mad feels like" waiting for it that is.

  • mastermune89

    Posted Jan 31, 2007 2:38 pm PT

    Shiney!

  • swinghi_basic

    Posted Jan 3, 2007 8:50 pm PT

    They must and they will do this. Great show.

  • chrisser665

    Posted Dec 18, 2006 1:30 pm PT

    I MY GOD- THEY MUST DO THIS!!! Firefly was Fox's boon, and they completely sucked out on it. I will wait as LONG as it takes- please, whomever creates this game, give it the care and love it deserves. DO IT RIGHT, so it doesn't turn out to be some sucky short-lived cult favorite, like Star Trek Legacy turned out to be. It's got all the right stuff, please, do it right...
    WOOT

  • nikolaipetrovic

    Posted Dec 16, 2006 11:40 pm PT

    If they take 2-3 years to release they will lose a major portion of the fan base to some other installment, perhaps even by the same network. So, they will release the game ASAP and it *will* blow.

  • beowulfs

    Posted Dec 16, 2006 5:48 am PT

    Pushing for a 2008 release is too soon, I believe. I'd much rather see a longer development time frame and see a very polished, very impressive released product with a possible new take on MMO's, rather than a rushed piece of junk made to quickly capitalize on the market. They just need to understand that we fans aren't going anywhere. We'll buy the game when it comes out, even if it takes 2 or 3 years. Take a clue from Oblivion. It took nearly 4 years and just look at what Bethesda accomplished. Heck, make Bethesda the developer.

    just my 2 cents.

  • DEZITH

    Posted Dec 15, 2006 9:16 pm PT

    im worried...to say the least

  • mareaper

    Posted Dec 15, 2006 4:40 pm PT

    Wonder if this tv to video game translation will be any good.

  • snugglebear

    Posted Dec 13, 2006 8:47 pm PT

    Fox mismanaged a lot of shows. Even if a show got good ratings it got canned if those ratings weren't in the right demographic. Same thing that happened to Brisco County Junior. Ratings that any other network would give a chance, but not the right age bracket for the commercial interests. Very much looking forward to an MMO if it's done right. So few are, though.

  • drazhar2000

    Posted Dec 13, 2006 1:41 am PT

    oh yea, i peed my pants!!!! i can wait!

  • fabbuki

    Posted Dec 13, 2006 1:20 am PT

    Just dig up the PC game "Freelancer" and call it Firefly. Same thing! Freelancer needs a sequel. They should get the guys who did that game, make the sequel, and call it Firefly. This would be a lot like what Bethesda did with Sea Dogs 2, repacking it as "Pirates of the Carribean"

  • Gezquester

    Posted Dec 13, 2006 12:17 am PT

    I hope this is good! I am so looking forward to it, I love Firefly and I love games! Shiny!

  • faToe

    Posted Dec 12, 2006 11:31 pm PT

    funny...

  • kappachan

    Posted Dec 12, 2006 10:02 pm PT

    *droooool* I can't wait!

  • kleinbottle23

    Posted Dec 12, 2006 12:29 pm PT

    "Eschewing the traditional practices of developing MMO games, Multiverse is creating middleware dedicated to MMO games, which can be licensed to developers who then use the technology to easily create a game. The company's profit is made off of revenue sharing. "

    So, basically, they're planning to make and sell a Firefly mod for an engine they hope somebody else is going to develop? Now that's a business plan!

  • ufopuller

    Posted Dec 12, 2006 9:42 am PT

    Good Sci-Fi

  • ReaperXxxx

    Posted Dec 12, 2006 7:50 am PT

    This is cool. Every time I watch the Firefly episodes I am just stunned that the series was canceled. Fox mismanaged it so badly. I wonder if they ever realized what they let go and how huge it could have been if someone competent were in charge of their scheduling and promotion at the time. Such a shame...

  • linmukai

    Posted Dec 12, 2006 6:10 am PT

    Is there going to be a 14 minute free trial? I think that's about all the time I'll need...

  • Machalel

    Posted Dec 12, 2006 5:16 am PT

    Excelent!

  • formzero

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 10:10 pm PT

    I loved Firefly / Serenity but somehow getting a great TV show turned into an MMO is like watching the conception of your parents.... best left to one's (twisted) imagination and never brought up over the dinner table...

  • grandgundam3

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 5:21 pm PT

    I loved Firefly, and I don't really care if this game is good or bad, I want to try it out. It's such a shame though, the series could have been so great. I hate Fox.

  • synapticflow

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 4:49 pm PT

    I don't play MMOs but I'm still excited about this because I really enjoyed the tv series and movie. The fanatic fans of the show will eat this up, but only if
    Joss Whedon is involved. His writing talents have always been the key. Needless to say, the original cast (with the real actors providing voices) need to make some appearances in the game.

  • gozalo

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 3:14 pm PT

    what the hell...

  • flamehead17

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 3:00 pm PT

    This might be interesting. If they dont screw this up, then it might turn up to be a good game. But, with all the MMO's out right now, like WoW, The Matrix Online, and Star Trek Online, this might not be too popular. Well, i would have prefered a 3rd person shooter, or something like that, but i guess the storyline can support an MMO.

  • ssj4_2004

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 2:40 pm PT

    When I first saw the picture, I thought it was an MMO based on the OC. But I guess I was wrong

  • deadman578

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 2:23 pm PT

    I'd rather have a new series, as i love firefly, but hey this is better than nothing.

  • Revan84

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 2:18 pm PT

    It'll be just another EVE online.

  • capthunt

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 1:30 pm PT

    I Love the show and the movie, but I seriously think this will flop if you are not able to follow the crew if serenity. It just wouldnt be the same.

  • shadyelf

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 1:29 pm PT

    Does it have elves and orcs and magic?

  • daviwinn

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 1:11 pm PT

    Evilbunz
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefly_(TV_series)

  • Evilbunz

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 1:03 pm PT

    whats firefly??? i thought this was about the text messaging firefly is thats what its called...

  • daviwinn

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 12:21 pm PT

    Firefly is a good show. It might make a good MMO. I think another TV show that would make a good MMO is Highlander.

  • the_real_VIP

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 11:55 am PT

    Seriously, writers should stop going to FOX because they butcher good franchises (i.e. Futurama). There are lots and lots of other networks that surely easily accept an idea.

  • Nick_Rc

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 11:44 am PT

    sounds like a nice idea so long as you get to smuggle things unlike a certain mmo and to all those eve fanboys firefly was a sucessful show and film so long as fox dont get their hands on this it would make a unique and intresting mmo

  • brotherscampos

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 11:38 am PT

    Another Game is Another Game

  • Hydrolix

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 11:29 am PT

    Those of you who have never seen the show and are bad mouthing it need to stop. Yeah, it only lasted one season but that was FOXs fault not the shows. It had some of the best writing of any TV show period. Watch it, so far every person I have introduced it to has LOVED it.

  • Rokin1

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 10:50 am PT

    "Another Fox casualty"

  • go_commando_92

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 10:30 am PT

    Love Firefly have box set and seranity
    HATE MMO's

  • cjcr_alexandru

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 10:30 am PT

    I agree with XOXIXO.

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