Universal Monsters coming soon Hot on the heels of the EA partnership announcement, Bigpoint has now revealed that they’ve struck a deal with Universal. The partnership and licensing agreement also includes plans to develop Universal Monsters, a browser based title.

If you’re thinking, “Hey wait a second, didn’t they already have this deal via The Mummy?” you’d be correct, however, this new agreement will incorporate a vast array of classic Universal characters, and include The Mummy within this new title. Score two for The Mummy. The deal was announced by Bigpoint Inc., the U.S. based, fully independent subsidiary of Bigpoint GmbH (the German holding company). Bigpoint Inc. will take on the development of the new MMOG. As previously mentioned, both The Mummy and the new Universal Monsters are under license from Universal, and will remain their own independent properties.

Bigpoint Inc. will build both titles from the ground up and be built upon the growing Unity 3D platform in their San Francisco studios. “With full 3D, increasingly sophisticated design, and easy access for the end user, browser-based MMOG’s continue to emerge as an exciting gaming segment,” said Bill Kispert, Vice President and General Manager, Digital Platforms, Universal Partnerships & Licensing. “We look forward to partnering again with Bigpoint to bring some of our most iconic characters and universes to life in this space.” The Universal Monsters title will feature a number of Universal’s legendary cast of ghouls. On tap for digitalization are Frankenstein’s Monster and Dracula, both of who are slated to duel to the death, or … life as it were. Likewise, The Mummy will make an appearance. On The Mummy solo side, the title is slated to appear in conjunction with the third installment of one of the highest grossing film franchises of all time; The Mummy Returns. Not satisfied with a simple digitalization, Bigpoint’s SFO based team will leverage Unity’s technology to include a number of original techniques used in the films they draw from. Conversely, The Mummy Online seeks to create and incorporate the same style and intricate detail found within the previous The Mummy films. Bigpoint’s goal is to differentiate the titles, and make them both their own unique artistic presentation.

Production for both titles began in February. “We see tremendous opportunity in translating Hollywood titles into browser-based games. Battlestar Galactica Online was our first attempt in working with such significant properties, the games recent launch has already surpassed our expectations,” saidHeiko Hubertz, CEO and Founder of Bigpoint. “We’re excited to begin these new projects in San Francisco inspired by great films that bring a built-in appeal from legions of fans around the world.”