Ghosts 'n Goblins Online confirmed for Korea

Ghosts 'n Goblins is going online. Capcom has confirmed a deal that will see Arthur take his unending quest against the undead into uncharted territory next year.

Ghosts 'n Goblins Online, which has been confirmed for release only in Korea, will be developed by Seed9. The studio's previous work includes Tomak: Save the Earth on the PlayStation 2 and the PC online shooter Bumpin' Heroes.

A teaser trailer for the game showed protagonist Arthur in multiple suits of armor, dispatching opponents with melee attacks and combos, which are uncommon traits for the series. The clip also showed more familiar faces, from minor enemies to Firebrand, the red gargoyle and star of the spin-off Gargoyle's Quest series.

This is not the first time the series has attempted the jump to online. But like so many leaps in the notoriously difficult arcade series, it met with failure. In 2003, Capcom announced that the massively multiplayer title Ghouls 'n Ghosts Online was in development for multiple platforms at Taiwanese developer Game Factory. The cel-shaded take on the series had an early 2004 beta test announced, but a final launch of the game never materialized.

With series like Lost Planet and Dead Rising, Capcom has made a point of developing games to maximize worldwide appeal. But the Japanese publisher is taking a much narrower approach with its current forays into online-focused games, announcing both Ghosts 'n Goblins Online and Mega Man Online only for the Korean market.