Universal Studios lends monsters for MMO

Why stop at a Michael Jackson MMO? Why not go all the way and make an MMO based on Frankenstein and Dracula and the Mummy and the Phantom of the Opera and the Hunchback of Notre Dame and the Creature of the Black Lagoon and the Invisible Man as well?

SEE Virtual Worlds is, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

A new deal has been struck with Universal Studios to create a massively multiplayer world called Universal Monsters. The idea seems to be that you are to hunt these beasties as if you were Van Helsing himself.

Universal Monsters, along with Planet Michael, will be a part of the Entropia Universe operated by MindArk - a network of themed MMO worlds.

But how is SEE Virtual Worlds getting the nod on such big deals? Well SEE (Special Entertainment Events) started in the '90s building mobile theme parks based on franchises Star Trek, Titanic, I Love Lucy, Pokemon and the NFL. Evidently the big players were impressed.

Planet Michael and Universal Monsters are due for release later this year.

MindArk's Entropia Universe currently supports two worlds: Planet Calypso and Rocktopia. They're both made by MindArk, and there's a third - the time-travelling planet of Next Island - on the way.

The idea is that MindArk builds the tech and the platform and entices business partners to exploit it. The core to all of this is a free-to-play model supported by in-game currency that can be bought with real-world cash a la Second Life.

SEE Virtual Worlds is just one of the partners building worlds in the Entropia Universe. Real world resort designer called Creative Kingdom is down to make a planet, too.