Funcom is a developer heavily involved with the MMOG genre. With sci-fi massively multiplayer online game Anarchy Online already tucked under its belt,they're currently developing Age of Conan for PC and Xbox 360, andthey recently announced The Secret World, raising an eyebrow whenthey said it's an MMOG that's going to be something completely different than what we're used to.
Currently, the developer's keeping its lips firmly sealed where The Secret World is concerned, but with MMOGs seemingly being announced left, right and center,plus the increasing popularity of the genre, we thought it washigh time to pick the studio's brain to discover its views on massively multiplayer online gaming.
Facing theGamesRadar firing squad is product manager Erling Ellingsen.
Why does Funcom invest so heavily in the MMOG genre, what appeals about it?
Ellingsen: We're a company with great experience working on massively multiplayer online games, ever since we started production on Anarchy Online at the end of the 90s. This means that we've had the chance to build up our own proprietary technology for these types of games, and we've also created a team of people that are highly specialized to work within this genre.
There are also obvious financial reasons, as we believe - and always have believed - that there is a growing market for massively multiplayer online games. Recurring revenues and no piracy is a tempting thing for game developers!
On the creative side of things, everyone at Funcomis in love with these types of games and we enjoy the fact that we can create entire worlds that people can socialize in and lead separate, virtual lives in.
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