Codemasters eyes console MMOs

By Games Industry.biz Published 20 March, 2008

In talks to publish two titles.

Codemasters Online Gaming has confirmed that it's in talks to publish two massively multiplayer online games for home consoles, reports GamesIndustry.biz.

The group has begun to enjoy success in the MMO market – in two-and-a-half years since inception, the online division of the UK publisher has released four MMOs and has NetDevil's Jumpgate: Evolution lined up for release later this year.

And now it hopes to push into the MMO console market within the next twelve months, and go head-to-head with projects such as Sony Online Entertainment's The Agency, NCsoft's PlayStation 3 projects, and Funcom's Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures.

"The time is right for some good console MMO games. There's two titles that we're really interested in for taking to console right now and that's something I'd like to see happen in the next year or so, but it's got to be the right game," said David Solari, vice president and general manager of Codemasters Online Gaming.

"It's a little more challenging because of the restrictions of a console – certain games aren't going to work. Final Fantasy was very successful on 360 so I just think you need the right game, and I think there's a really good opportunity there because there's not enough companies there right now," he added.

Solari revealed that Codemasters has discussed the growing genre with format holders Sony and Microsoft, but the big sticking points for the publisher could be sharing revenues and the costs of maintaining an online environment for home consoles.

"It's got to be the right business model. It's more difficult because the first-parties take a share of the revenue – and it's quite significant share," stated Solari.

"You have to do your sums and see if it's going to add up at the end of the day. First parties aren't going to run the data centres for us and that's the biggest expense in our business. We have to work that out with them," he said.

For more in-depth coverage of MMOs, be sure to visit Eurogamer's freshly-minted MMO Channel.

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Comments (6) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • DFawkes #1 4 years ago

    First! To be honest, port Lord of the Rings Online to PS3 and I'll be more than happy :)

  • skillian #2 4 years ago

    Are people really going to accept paying an Xbox Live subscription and an MMO subscription on top?

    This and the first-party revenue cut definitely mean that finding the right business model will definitely be the biggest challenge.

  • Res #3 4 years ago

    You can play FFXI on a silver account, and the PS3 doesn't even have a subscription service so I don't think they have much to worry about.

  • George-Roper #4 4 years ago

    Oh wow, can't wait. Please release another bland, tedious, travesty of a game, Codemasters. You're so good at it!

    LOTRO is such a fucking pale, shambling, shadow of the true greats, its tragic.

  • Miths #5 4 years ago

    "Are people really going to accept paying an Xbox Live subscription and an MMO subscription on top?"

    Unless you're living in poverty (and yet still has a console, likely a HDTV and an Internet connection?) or so young you have to beg your parents for money, I really don't get why people are complaining every time they are being asked to pay fairly miniscule sums of money for many hours of entertainment.

    I'm not even remotely wealthy - and I'm now using my PS3 around 80% of the time - and yet I don't really have a clue what I'm actually paying for my gold XBox live membership or how long I've signed up for. All I know is that it's likely so modest a price that it doesn't really matter.
    Same thing with those 15-20 bucks or so you typically pay for MMO subscriptions. I consider that a rather cheap price considering how much you're getting for your money - and unless you're paying for 10+ games at the same time, probably not likely to put someone with an average income on the street :).

    So bring on the console MMOs please :). I've dropped PC gaming entirely and though I've never really been hooked on any of the MMOs I've played in the past for more than a few months at a time, I certainly wouldn't mind having a few to play on my PS3 or 360.

  • Nostrus #6 4 years ago

    Come on guys, do a bit of research before spouting your mouth off. Codemasters don't develop these games, they merely publish them. I doubt they have much input in their development at all; Lord of the Rings Online is developed by Turbine, of Asheron's Call fame. Funcom are developing Age of Conan. It tells you that much in the article.

    Also, the big problem with MMOs on consoles is the lack of keyboard support. I play World of Warcraft and there is no way that I could have all the commands required for play on the 360 without a keyboard. It just couldn't happen. Not only that, but a keyboard helps a lot in raid organization. On voice comms, you might have several people chattering away at the same time, whereas with a keyboard you can broadcast stuff on a raid channel that everyone can see.

    Edited by 1 at 25/03/08 @ 10:33