The New York Comic Con is a relatively new venue to not only the world of comics but also videogames. Exhibitors, publishers, and game developers have realized the potential for cross marketing their products among manga, toys, and anime. Established in 2006, this year reports show attendance well over 75,000 people which is roughly half what the legendary San Diego Comic Con sees on an annual basis. What did this years event bring to the gaming MMO gaming world? The list of exhibitors was a "Who's Who" of the industry, including Sony Online Entertainment, Mythic Entertainment, NetDevil, Cryptic and many others. Let's take a look at a few of the highlights shall we?
DC Universe Online - One of three major MMO in development at Sony Online Entertainment, DCUO will bring players into the world of some of the greatest heroes such as Superman, Batman, and Flash. Senior Producer Wes Yanagi did a number of demos and interviews showing Lux Luthor attempting to break out the always dangerous Doomsday. Ten Ton Hammer of course had video which let's you see exactly what I'm talking about.
border="1">
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/63224">
style="border: 0px solid ; width: 200px; height: 117px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/63224/preview">
Superman Will Make Plenty of Appearances.
One other interesting tidbit we saw was Creative Director Jens Andersen's attempt at making Aquaman sound cool. Insisting he is a "badass" and doesn't get enough credit, Andersen has even instituted Aquaman Wednesday's at SOE. Despite all this and the valiant effort the Justice League cartoons have made, Aquaman is still that goofy guy in an orange suit many of us remember from the 1970's. It's fairly certain we'll probably see him in DCUO, however.
Champions Online - Cyptic's superhero themed MMO game was in a perfect venue at the New York Comic Con. On hand to run a demo was Executive Producer Bill Roper who showed off the versatility of the character creation system. One message Cryptic seemed to be driving home was the uniqueness each player will have when they design their hero. We also got to see a few of the environments combat will take place in, which move away from the traditional "city" we've become accustomed to.
Star Trek Online - Cryptic's other headline project is certain to be swarmed by geeks of all kinds and embraces the universe of Star Trek. Few details are available due to it being so early in development, but they did cover the game features which is well worth watching.
Warhammer Online - Mythic was in their usual form with Jeff Hickman and Paul Barnett on the front lines entertaining everyone. Showing off the highly anticipated Dwarf Slayer class, fans that showed up were not disappointed. During a Ten Ton Hammer sponsored panel, they also shared a new contested Realm vs. Realm dungeon which will provide a new playground for the PvP minded. The video we have is lengthy but it's well worthwhile to hear more about the Night of Murder and see the antics of Hickman and Barnett we've come to know and love.
Jumpgate Evolution - Jumpgate Evolution has been in development for awhile and at many shows it sometimes slips below the radar. NetDevil made a point to attend NYCC and show their commitment to the game. In Ten Ton Hammer's video, NetDevil CEO Scott Brown was on hand to provide details about the game and you'll get to see some unscripted gameplay in the background. From the interview it sounds like Jumpgate Evolution has high aspirations and we can expect a complete product very soon.
FusionFall - What is Fusionfall you ask? Your kids and their friends likely know. This MMO game sponsored by the Cartoon Network provides a safer gaming environment than what you'd see in other venues. Creative, flexible, and full of customization, this game could very well be the future in kids gaming. Ten Ton Hammer had Executive Producer Chris Waldron, Content Designer Matt Schwartz, and Community Manager Rich Weil on a panel to discuss more about the games launch and some interesting facts. If you are already a fan of the game, they provide a few hints about their plans for expansion.
border="1">
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/63311">
style="border: 0px solid ; width: 200px; height: 117px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/63311/preview">
Global Agenda Packs Explosive Action
Global Agenda - You haven't heard of it? Neither had I until this week, but Hi-Rez Studios based in Atlanta, Georgia have been working on this game for some time and are near closed beta. earing power suits and wielding the kind of firepower only available to Cable, players in this game will bring a sandbox style PvP in a futuristic world. They hooked Ten Ton Hammer up with a number of screenshots which give an idea of what to expect.
So there you have it, the 2009 New York Comic Con in a nutshell for MMO gamers. There were of course plenty of other exhibitors and more that could fit here, but these are the highlights. This has been an important year for NYCC drawing a record breaking crowd, more game developers, and most importantly a ton of press. So if you live in the northeast, and are a fan of games and comics, make plans for New York next year. I see big things happening for this event in the future. I should know, I'm the Comic Book Guy.
Worst...Story...Ever
