Joss Whedon

The Multiverse Network today announced they optioned the rights from Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising to develop an MMOG based on Firefly, the science fiction television series created by Joss Whedon that has enjoyed a hugely popular and loyal following since its premier in 2002.

"Fox’s Firefly series is set in an incredibly rich and exciting universe. It’s going to make a very compelling and unique online experience filled with adventure, humor, and mystery," said Corey Bridges, Multiverse co-founder and Executive Producer. "It’s our hope that Firefly’s passionate and dedicated comm unity of fans will enjoy the chance to become part of the story as they develop and explore the worlds of Firefly."

Fox Licensing & Merchandising selected Multiverse to lead the evolution of Firefly into an MMOG because of the technical strength and advantages of the Multiverse Platform and the vision both companies share for the future of online entertainment.

"One of the first meetings I had when I joined Fox was with Multiverse," said Adam Kline, Vice President of New Media Enterprises at 20th Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising Division. "We see virtual worlds as an extraordinarily promising new entertainment medium. This is a great opportunity for 20th Century Fox and for the fans of Firefly because Multiverse will deliver an experience that will remain true to the original series, while enabling a whole new level of personal involvement for fans."

Under the terms of the agreement, Multiverse will select and lead an independent production team to develop the project. Fox and Multiverse expect the offering to be available to the public through The Multiverse Network in 2008.

Bill Turpin, co-founder and CEO of The Multiverse Network, Inc, believes that the Firefly MMOG will create significant opportunities for other developers building games and worlds with Multiverse tools and technology.

"In addition to our world-class technology, developers choose Multiverse for our network, which lets them launch their games into a built-in market of consumers who are just one click away from any game on that network," Turpin said. "Firefly will bring in even more consumers, making the network that much more attractive to developers of other worlds."