Developers have tried to bring massively multiplayer role-playing games (MMORPGs) to consoles for years, and have seen little success. Whether it be Everquest on the PS2 or Final Fantasy XI on the Xbox 360, history has proven that PC MMOs ported to consoles will not reap the same success. Now, a new development studio called Undead Labs is creating a console-focused MMO based on a subject matter that should be music to console gamers' ears--zombies.
The studio is being helmed by Jeff Strain, who has had extensive experience with some of the most well-received PC MMOs, serving key roles in the creation of World of Warcraft and Guild Wars. The game is still early in development, so there are no assets of the still-unnamed game, but a "Rude Q&A" posted on the game's official site reveals a few notable aspects of the game, stating that it will feature "the action, streamlined interface, polish, and same-screen cooperative play that console gamers expect." and that it "will almost certainly be subscription based." Additionally the language of the press release seems to indicate that the game might be from the perspective of survivors.
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You can find out more about the game at UndeadLabs.com, but if the interest this announcement has incited here at GamePro is any indication, expect to hear about the game quite a bit here, too. The press release is reprinted below.
Mmmm, Brains! Undead Labs to Develop Console-based Zombie MMO
Game Industry Veteran Jeff Strain Opens Video Game Development Studio in Seattle, WA
November 23, 2009 - Seattle, Washington - When flesh-eating, shambling undead corpses invade Seattle, Undead Labs will probably be the ones responsible. Video game industry veteran Jeff Strain today announced the formation of Undead Labs, a Seattle, Washington-based game development studio that's on a mission to take online gaming in bold new directions. Undead Labs' sole focus will be to create the definitive massively multiplayer online zombie game (MMOZ) for console gamers. Nothing screams funny quite like wading into a group of rotting zombies with lawn chair and a box of sharpened #2 pencils, and nothing says fun quite like doing it with your friends, whether online or on your couch. Undead Labs is committed to bringing to life an MMO loaded with action, humor and, of course, a whole lotta zombies, because the world doesn't need more dragons.
Strain left NCsoft last summer to build a creative studio around the most talented - and zombie loving - developers in the industry, and to pioneer a new development model that will create a new breed of MMO built from the ground-up for console gamers.
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