LEGO Universe
Screenshots from LEGO Universe (PC). Developed by NetDevil.
So I hear you love the LEGO games. Sure you do. We do too! Maybe LEGO Indiana Jones was sub-par compared to LEGO Star Wars, but that's what happens when you're popular. Do you really think LEGO Rock Band is going to be stellar? Sure you do. You love LEGO!
At this years CES, videos were being shown, screenshots displayed, and Beta sign-ups being passed around for this years LEGO Universe. The best we can tell, it's Lego MySpace/Lego Facebook/Lego BeBo/Lego [insert social networking service].
With a creative and building focus, LEGO Universe invites players to explore, battle, make friends, and flex their imaginations with the brick in a vibrant online world. Developed by The LEGO Group and NetDevil, LEGO Universe is a family-friendly online game, appropriate for players aged eight and above. The LEGO brick lies at the center of the experience, and several levels of building are available, from simple gameplay-oriented challenges all the way up to sophisticated brick-by-brick building.
Announced back in June of 2007, the game is currently scheduled to have only missed it's release date by 2 years. Press releases make it clear that the purpose of the Lego Universe is to present a kid-safe social network that focuses on creativity and imagination. Going to assume this means "ask your parents for their credit card so you can get the coolest, newest blocks first". I might be wrong about that, but these things need to be funded somehow.
From the Press Release (in 2007):
The full-featured MMOG will be complete with character advancement, expansive social and community features, and will provide a child-safe alternative to other MMOGs on the market. As a player, you'll be able to customize your mini-figs and interact in the universe as any character you choose, providing unique opportunities for players to expand and explore with their creations.
Make sure you sign up for the Beta @ http://universe.lego.com
