by Art Young

Created on: March 18, 2009   Last Updated: March 19, 2009

If you have any doubts that the future of computer gaming rests with the "Massively Multiplayer Online" games, you might want to ask Spiderman for his opinion. Wait. There's no need! He and all his Marvel colleagues are packing up and moving online.

In a very large, or maybe a better term is "massive," press announcement in March 2009, Gazillion Entertainment revealed that it would be licensing the Marvel characters for massively multiplayer online (MMO) games over the next decade. This licensing partnership is one of the most far-reaching and potentially lucrative in the computer game industry because Marvel has over 5,000 characters, many of which exceed the hyperbolic term of "iconic."

Industry observers and gaming competitors were speechless. After the announcement the only sounds were a few "Holy Cows!" a couple of "Keeer Splats!" and more than a few cries of "OUCH! Right in the GUT!"

For the denizens who are addicted to computer games, this is one more reason to never go outside again. For the "suits" in the computer gaming industry, this is another confirmation that the future of computer gaming is online - not on consoles.

Oh yeah. There's also the matter of the multi-billion, or perhaps Gazillion dollar payday that the Marvel characters will bring to the company.

In case there are no young males in your household, a brief explanation of MMO games is in order. Multiplayer online games allow for thousands of people to assume roles of characters and play a game simultaneously. An internet connection and a free or paid subscription are the only criteria for play.

Plus, these MMO games never end. There is always another part of the world to explore or different gamers to play with. This makes them constantly fresh which is a delicious situation for avid gamers. Because of this, their popularity is skyrocketing.

Just how big is the MMO market? An industry marketing service, "DFC Intelligence," noted that $5.4 billion were spent on subscriptions and ancillary goods in 2008. This same group predicts that by 2013 the MMO market will reach $11.8 billion in revenue.

In a "Wall Street Journal" article, the CEO of Gazillion, Rob Hutter noted that the company "sees an opportunity to target a broad market of networked games as more people have gotten comfortable with the idea of social networking through such sites as Facebook'" In the case of this new licensing relationship, this "comfort" will likely be enhanced by the fact that several generations of fans know and love the Marvel characters. Talk about your "broad market!"

The first offering of the Gazillion and Marvel partnership will be a less-complicated game called "Super Hero Squad" and it will be launched in 2010. This game will target younger children and it will allow them to assume the identity of super heroes such as Spiderman or Captain America and complete missions.

This begs the question. What happens if everyone involved in the game wants to be Spiderman? Or, who wins a battle between "Iron Man" and the "Incredible Hulk?"

These questions will have to be sorted out by the Gazillion game developers. However, since the company also owns the well-known online "money" service - Smarty Card - which is a virtual goods transaction system that can be used across multiple games worlds, it is safe to assume that online auctions for the right to be Spiderman might be on their way.

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