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'LEGO Star Wars Battles' is a competitive strategy game for mobile
The upcoming LEGO Star Wars Battles is a real-time competitive jam for mobile. While most LEGO games are tied to a specific platform and based on adventures, this title breaks the mold. Anyone with iOS or Android will be able to battle, in real-time, as Luke Skywalker, Rey, Darth Vader and other familiar characters.
Pack up your toys: LEGO Universe is shutting down at midnight
The clock is chiming, and kids (and the young at heart) everywhere are asking for just a little more time with LEGO Universe. Unfortunately the struggling MMO has gotten no reprieve from the imaginary video game governor, and its servers will go offline tonight at midnight EST. The shutdown FAQ encourages LEGO Universe players to share their favorite memories on the forums and ends with a heartfelt message from the team: "Our decision to end LEGO Universe is similar to decisions we also make with LEGO Product collection, where favourite sets come and go to make space for new sets. It was time for LEGO Universe to end and hopefully new digital LEGO experiences will come in the future." We first heard of LEGO Universe's closure last November, when the studio announced that the game's freemium model was not bringing in enough paying customers to keep the title afloat. LEGO Universe is a youngling in the MMO genre, having released in October 2010, making the game one year and three months old at the time of its shutdown. Refunds for those who had a paid subscription on file after December 31st, 2011 will be distributed early next month. Unused LEGO game cards may also be exchanged for LEGO e-gift cards.
LEGO Universe shutting down January 2012
Playtime's over, people -- time to pack up your LEGO bricks and move on. The word's come down from the LEGO Group that LEGO Universe is closing its doors on January 31st, 2012 due to a lack of paying customers. While the game has been free-to-play for a while, apparently not enough players were interested in dishing out cash to keep the MMO operational. The news was posted just moments ago on the official forums along with a more in-depth FAQ: Hello Adventurer, today we are very sad to announce that LEGO Universe will be closing on January 31, 2012. This was a very difficult decision to make, but unfortunately LEGO Universe has not been able to attract the number of members needed to keep the game open. We are thankful to have had the opportunity to share this adventure wiith an amazing community of players. We hope you will continue to enjoy LEGO Universe for the last few months. As a thank you, if you are a paying subscriber on December 31, 2011, we will provide you the full game for the final month for free. Again, we want to thank the fantastic community of players who made LEGO Universe such a vibrant, fun and creative experience. Sincerely, The LEGO Universe Team Unfortunately, this closure means that the associated studios, including one in Colorado and one in Denmark, will be shuttered and 115 employees will be affected. LEGO Universe launched in October 2010 and converted to a free-to-play model this past August. We've included the official press release behind the break.
Life of George melds Lego bricks with iOS for 'digital-to-physical' gameplay, captures our hearts
There isn't much that can't be done with some Mindstorming and plenty of Legos, so color us intrigued by the Lego Group's new game, Life of George. Using a free EyeCue-enabled iOS app, players are tasked with recreating George's photographs using 144 included Lego bricks on a specialized "green screen-like" gaming mat. Once the model is complete, you'll take a photo with your iDevice to be scored based on your building speed and accuracy to the original picture. The $30 kit promises 12 levels featuring 10 photos each, and varying difficulty levels. For added replay value, there's a two player game and a creation mode which lets you create playable models out of your own snapshots. To sweeten this story even more, you'll also be able to keep up with George at his eponymously titled Facebook page, I am George. If the Lego-builder inside of you is itching to snag one, it'll be available from Lego on October 1st. In the meantime, you'll find more details in the PR after the break.
LEGO Universe goes F2P today
Free-to-play conversions have been in the news a lot lately, with games as diverse as Age of Conan and Champions Online throwing open their doors with various flavors of free access. LEGO Universe is the latest freemium convert, and today is the official kickoff for the brick-building MMORPG's new membership tier. So what can you do for free in LEGO Universe? Two adventure zones and one player property area are available for starters, and the game also offers up a decent selection of free mini-games, build options, and basic functionality (including the ability to sample faction gear and collect up to 10,000 coins). The LEGO Group is clearly looking to entice gamers to upgrade to a full membership, though, as it only costs $10 a month and it unlocks the full game including over 15 adventuring zones, access to upcoming expansion content, and the ability to join in competitions and community events. Head to the official LEGO Universe website for a full listing of free-to-play offerings and subscriber benefits. You can also click past the cut to see a new free-to-play trailer featuring gameplay and world-building highlights.
Ex-NetDevil programmer talks LEGO Universe and getting an industry job
Fan site MMO Fallout has an interesting interview with Stephen Calender that's worth a read. Who's Stephen Calender? He's a Flash developer who was front and center for the brouhaha that went down when The LEGO Group acquired the LEGO Universe MMO from NetDevil (putting many NetDevil programmers out of work in the process). The interview is a wide-ranging and lengthy affair, and it features discussion on Gazillion's relationship with NetDevil, a blurb about the ill-fated Auto Assault, and of course, the bulk of the piece that focuses on the past and future of LEGO Universe. For all of the aspiring game devs in the audience, Calender also spends quite a bit of time talking about selling yourself in an increasingly competitive industry.
LEGO Universe going freemium this August
Fallen Earth? Check. City of Heroes? Check. Which AAA MMORPG act is warming up to take the stage next on the free-to-play 2011 world tour? That would be LEGO Universe, and the LEGO Group has announced via press release that the kid-friendly building-block title will be joining its formerly subscription-based brethren in the freemium ranks as early as this August. Interestingly, LEGO Universe will continue to make its money via paid memberships, with no microtransactions planned at this time. Free players will have access to a limited selection of game content for an unlimited period of time. If the trial content tickles their fancy, tire-kickers are then free to pony up $10 per month for full access. LEGO Universe is also doing away with its physical media, as new users will find that the game is transitioning to a download-only model for both paid and free players. Full details on the content available to free players isn't yet available, but check back with us frequently as we bring you all the latest updates.
Former LEGO Universe dev: 'I have decided to get out of the MMO game'
We're all familiar with that guy who gets burned out on his game and makes a very public and lengthy rant as to why he's quitting on the official forums. But what happens when a developer does the same thing to a larger audience? Today we found out, as former LEGO Universe dev Ryan Seabury wrote an open letter saying why he left NetDevil -- and why he'll never work on MMOs again. Seabury cites four reasons: that the "MMO" label has lost its meaning, it takes too long and is too stressful to develop new games, it's difficult to play around with creative concepts, and the market is trending toward indie titles anyway. He left to start up END Games Entertainment so that he and others of a similar mind could indulge in "a ridiculous variety of game ideas" instead of treading the waters of the status quo. His letter is largely upbeat as he focuses on the joys of game development and play, and he thinks that it's high past time studios break out of old mindsets to embrace the new: "We have come to a point where the game concept trumps such insignificant bullet points, and global social connectivity is a given. From a creative standpoint, this is fantastic. Ideas are king once again; the industry feels as vibrant to me as the golden nostalgia years I experienced as a kid growing up through the coin-op and early console eras, except we've finally ditched the nerd-in-basement stigma." You can read Seabury's full letter over at Kotaku.
LEGO Universe unveils May contest schedule
May in LEGO Universe is all about faction pride, and as such, players are invited to participate in a host of exciting contests to demonstrate their factions' superiority. Well, that and win prizes. You can have your blocky cake and eat it in LEGO Universe! The site has posted its May contest schedule for your edification: All month: Join the community effort is underway to build the Nexus Tower via donations. May 7-8: Race in the LEGO Grand Prix, which will take place at a soon-to-be revealed location. May 14-15: Take aim and fire during the Shooting Gallery Showdown, where players will try to hit enemy ships and creatures in the water. May 21-22: Submit your best faction screenshot for a shot at several prizes. May 28-29: Unite with your faction in the Battle for Nimbus Station! Take a gander at the contest details and the many, many goodies you can win over at LEGO Universe.
LEGO Universe on sale for $9.99
Have you seen the prices for LEGO brick,s these days? Some parents have had to choose between purchasing their child a Harry Potter Hogwarts set or paying the mortgage that month -- and Harry Potter usually wins. Fortunately, you can get your virtual LEGOs on for cheap: LEGO Universe is on sale for $9.99 in the official LEGO store. You'll want to note that this is a physical copy of the game, not a digital download. The purchase also includes the first month of play, which certainly lowers the barrier of entry. This promotion is a limited time offer, although the company didn't put an exact end date on it. This follows LEGO Universe's transition from Gazillion to the LEGO Group. Newcomers to the game will certainly want to check out the cooperative community events that highlight this MMO's unique strengths.
Gazillion press release clarifies Netdevil layoff rumors
The NetDevil/LEGO Universe brouhaha that unfolded earlier this morning is officially official thanks to a press release just published by Gazillion Entertainment. Gazillion has formally agreed to sell its development stake in the LEGO Universe MMO to the LEGO Group (the game's publisher and custodian of the world-famous toy brand). Most of the LEGO devs, formerly employed by NetDevil (a Gazillion subsidiary), have received employment offers from the LEGO Group and will continue iterating on the game from the company's Louisville, Colorado studio. Gazillion is re-focusing its ongoing development efforts into browser games, according to President and COO David Brevik. "The transition of members of our team to the LEGO Group enables us to focus completely on internally-published, free-to-play game businesses," he said.
Lego Group purchases Lego Universe and dev team from Gazillion
The Lego Group has acquired Lego Universe -- and most of the NetDevil developers who were part of the project. A Gazillion representative explained to Joystiq that before Gazillion's acquisition of NetDevil, NetDevil had already begun Lego Universe as a work-for-hire project, and now Lego has bought the rights from Gazillion for Lego Universe itself. "The transition of members of our team to the Lego Group allows us to conclude the work-for-hire segment of NetDevil's business and lets us expand our internally-published, free-to-play game businesses," said David Brevik, President and COO of Gazillion. "We're proud of the Lego Universe game that our team built, and we are certain that it has a bright future." Gazillion notes there was a "minor staff reduction" at NetDevil, but that most of the staff was retained by Lego. Lego System A/S is expected to take over the space that NetDevil is currently occupying, and the remaining non-Lego-aligned NetDevil staffers are moving to a new building. NetDevil is currently working on Fortune Online, with Gazillion unable to comment on the status of Jumpgate Evolution due to the current legal entanglement. Update: Following up on NetDevil's "minor staff reduction," a Gazillion rep told us: "Less than a quarter of the Lego Universe team was let go with the transition." We weren't able to obtain NetDevil's prior or current head count, but we were told that 40 people are working on the Fortune Online project, which is the studio's key focus.
LEGO Universe invites players to battle for Nimbus Station
Grab three of your buddies, gear up, and get ready to travel through time to save the LEGO Universe (or at least, Nimbus Station). Starting on February 23rd, NetDevil and the LEGO Group are inviting groups of four players to journey backwards to battle the evil Maelstrom in a thrilling confrontation to decide Nimbus Station's fate. You'll need to find Wenn Wuzzit, a Venture League time traveler who has taken up residence in the present-day Nimbus Station. His time-twister contraption serves as your personal way-back machine and as a gateway to epic battles vs. 30 waves of enemies and bosses. In addition to the Nimbus Station shenanigans, LEGO Universe is releasing new build missions and achievements tied to players' Property Worlds. Four new dailies and 12 new achievements are on tap, with rewards that include faction tokens, Mega Brick booster packs, and new Doom Star and Behavior Model sets. Sound exciting? Check out all the details via the new trailer after the cut.
LEGO Universe content keeps building toward the future
With nothing stopping players save for what their imagination can come up with, the worlds of LEGO Universe have been exploding with content since launch. As a matter of fact, in the last month the moderation team has approved over 86,000 different player-created spaces that offer tons of unique and interesting LEGO Universe content so it can be shared with other players in the game. Add to that Netdevil's push for new content including the Frostfell holiday area, as well as special LEGO World Builder League zones, and there's quite a bit of new content in the game since launch. According to information from the LEGO Group and Netdevil, the plans for 2011 are even more ambitious. Future content updates will offer LEGO Unvierse players the chance to interact with the LEGO factional leaders and further help push the maelstrom forces back -- unlocking new worlds and storylines in the process. The other interesting thing of note is the plan to add an all-new LEGO IP into LEGO Universe in 2011. In the meantime, check out the new screenshots and video offering a look at some of the myriad creations players are already enjoying in-game. %Gallery-49493%
LEGO Universe announces upcoming features
The upcoming LEGO Universe has recently announced the in-game currency plan they have in store for us. Apparently, you will be able to earn your LEGO bricks by spending more time in the game. "The more you play, the more you get to build things", says LEGO Group director of business and development, Mark William Hansen. The bricks will be traded for coins which players earn in-game.But one aspect of this news that we find particularly interesting is the real-world component that will be introduced. Users will be able to order physical versions of their online creations to be delivered to their homes. These aren't FigurePrints of your WoW characters, these are real LEGO bricks -- potentially up to 6,000 types -- for use in producing your game creations.
LEGO Halo: the complete collection
It turns out Mandalore's LEGO Elite was only the tip of the iceberg. We've just unearthed a massive collection of LEGO Halo projects. Everything from the Pelican Dropship to the Flood Infection form is featured at this bounteous portal, maintained by Justin "Saber-Scorpion" Stebbins. Mr. Stebbins, whose Warthog model is displayed above, is a self-proclaimed LEGO Halo veteran -- and also a fledgling novelist. Just shy of his twentieth birthday, Stebbins looks poised for a successful career in brick building. So is Lego Group hiring?[Thanks, Mr. Noodles]
