<i>Firefly</i> licensed for Multiverse MMO game

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.