Somebody hold me.
Brick by Brick [GI.biz] [Pic]

Ed's note: The NetDevil folks first mentioned this possibility a year ago when we broke the news of LEGO Universe.

I'm off to NetDevil, driving up to Lousiville, near Boulder, to meet with the guys at their new studio tonight. Besides a chance to talk with the founders and the dev team leaders behind the LEGO MMO, Warmonger and Jumpgate, I believe they may also have some announcements and even some game assets to show off.

Keep your fingers crossed that it's for the LEGO game. I'll be tying to Liveblog, if it makes sense, around 5 p.m. Mountain Time. So check back to see if there were any live announcements made. Brian Crecente

A month back or so I noted that Colorado game developer NetDevil had signed a deal with a big toy company to make a massively multiplayer online game.

There were some impressive guesses in the comments, but none of them, I don't think, have the potential that the actual game will.

On Monday we broke the news that NetDevil and LEGO had announced a deal to create an MMO. Earlier today I had a chance to speak with Ryan Seabury, the upcoming game's producer, about how they landed the title, the game's terrific potential and other things NetDevil.

While Seabury couldn't talk about what the game, due to hit late next year, would include specifically, he could talk generalities.

"The specific IPs we will use are still under investigation, but you can safely say it's World of LEGO. It won't be confined to one thing," he said. "We are focusing on an experience that is playing and building and socializing."

"There will be building components."

Seabury said the team was first asked if they were interested in working on the game last year, several months before Auto Assault shipped.

The team was trying to figure out what they should work on next when they received an email from the company asking if they were interesting in the concept.

"We went to the store bought a bunch of LEGO and put them on the table and we were building stuff," he said.

Then in December a business developer and technology evaluator from LEGO flew out to Colorado to meet with the team.

When the finally got the tap to make the game, Seabury and the team thought it was because of their work with destructible environments, but later they heard that the real key was their passion for gaming.

LEGO is leaving much of the development process in the hands of NetDevil, so far they've decided it's going to be a fully-realized game, not just a sandbox and that the community is going to play a big role.

Since getting the project the game has grown from their all-time high of 48, just before the Auto Assault ship, to more than 60 people. And they expect they could grow to the 150 person range in a couple of years.

I think this could be one of the biggest things to happen to MMOs in a long time. Could be? The point is it has great, tremendous potential from the variety of IP and the ability to create your own in-game content to the blending of the virtual and the real worlds.

For instance, when I asked Seabury if there was any talk of a function that would allow you to create something in -game and then buy it in the real world he would only say that that idea is not off the table.
Brian Crecente

I think, if done right, this could very well be the next evolutionary step in massively mulitplayer online games.

"As children around the world continue to spend more time online we are developing new and engaging ways for them to interact with our brand," said Lisbeth Valther Pallesen, Executive Vice President, Community, Education and Direct Division LEGO Group. "The LEGO brand represents construction, creativity and problem solving — values that compliment the MMOG market. By merging the online world of social interaction with physical play, the LEGO brand is providing new experiences for children, as well as fans. NetDevil's technological capability, openness to work with a large community, and their enthusiasm for the LEGO brand made them a natural partner."

"Playing with LEGO bricks and developing online worlds are both creative activities. To bring them together is deeply professionally satisfying and we look forward to working with the LEGO team," said Scott Brown, President of NetDevil.

What I've heard is that the game could be sort of like Second Life but, you know, a game. The idea, I believe, is that you will be able to construct your own in-game content using the fun and familiar mechanic of building with real world Legos.

I suspect part of the reason NetDevil was selected is because of their amazing work with destructible environments, though I'm sure their enthusiasm for game development also played a large role in the decision.

We'll be meeting with the NetDevil guys, fellow Coloradoans, later this week and I'll make sure to ask all of the right questions. Like, does Lego have the go ahead to build Star Wars, Batman or their other IP into this game? SO HOT! Brian Crecente

BILLUND, Denmark, March 5 /PRNewswire/ — The LEGO(R) Group today announced it has commenced a working relationship with NetDevil(R) to develop a massively multiplayer online gaming experience to further engage its dedicated and active community.

"As children around the world continue to spend more time online we are developing new and engaging ways for them to interact with our brand," said Lisbeth Valther Pallesen, Executive Vice President, Community, Education and Direct Division LEGO Group. "The LEGO brand represents construction, creativity and problem solving — values that compliment the MMOG market. By merging the online world of social interaction with physical play, the LEGO brand is providing new experiences for children, as well as fans. NetDevil's technological capability, openness to work with a large community, and their enthusiasm for the LEGO brand made them a natural partner."

"Playing with LEGO bricks and developing online worlds are both creative activities. To bring them together is deeply professionally satisfying and we look forward to working with the LEGO team," said Scott Brown, President of NetDevil.