At this juncture in our MMO marketplace, comic-themed MMO games are rather limited and most of our understanding comes from what we've seen in City of Heroes/Villains and what we hope for in DC Universe Online and Champions Online. Yet there is so much more unexplored territory from just what we've seen on television. Fantasy is still king in the MMO industry, but wouldn't it be nice to see some of the other IP's we know and love available as a playable universe? I'm not saying it has to be a complex AAA title with a hundred million dollar budget. Even a more simplified product with solid mechanics could make a tidy profit and cross promote a movie or DVD. We can't just have any old cartoon like the Care Bears or She-Ra however. It needs to have mass appeal and the flexibility for localization in parts of the world where cheesy 1980's cartoons never thrived. I have four potential MMO games based on cartoons and while yes, they are a little outside the box, I can guarantee that each of these will have at least a little success in North America.

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First up we have the beloved family that everyone knows and loves: the Simpsons. After an unprecedented twenty seasons and a feature length film, this show is a household name recognized wherever there is TV (except China maybe). What better place than Springfield to unleash chaos, exciting minigames, and general hilarity? I'm having trouble envisioning the game as class or level-based but maybe skill-based or upgradeable items are more appropriate for the minigames. Just being able to get a Blueberry Squishy at the Qwik-E-Mart or go see one of Krusty's performances would guarantee fans plenty of entertainment. Now obviously this couldn't use the in-depth gameplay we've come to know in other MMO games, but if you consider how wide an audience this could be marketed to, all you hear is cash registers in the background. The only thing that frightens me about this project is that Fox has enough money and reach to consider trying to do it themselves instead of leasing the IP to a good development company. That might be an epic failure on their part.

Along those same lines, we have another family-based cartoon that has maintained a cult following and is the only show to my recollection that was put back on the air after cancellation. Family Guy follows the life of Peter Griffin and his life in Quahog while mocking various stereotypes and pop-culture icons. This one would have to be built in a similar manner to the Simpsons and remain skill and minigame-based. The lack of complexity could be supplemented by great writing and a strong use of familiar places from the show. If you've seen the show (and if you haven't shame on you), imagine a quest to bring Stewie parts for a device that will destroy the world, or a drinking game with Peter, Quagmire, Joe, and Cleveland. There are so many possibilities with good writing.

When you consider the cartoons that began the industry and brought entertainment to countless children over decades, one stands out among the rest. In brief adventures meant to whet moviegoer appetites, Warner Brothers Looney Tunes made Bugs Bunny and friends a legend. What better icon to market to the younger generation and those of us with fond memories? It would, of course, not be serious and would trade intricate combat with bouncing on people or summoning anvils to drop on their heads. I know Disney already tried something similar with ToonTown, but this is using an actual IP that already appeals to consumers all over the world.

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Another childhood favorite that had us watching battles without casualties and teaching us valuable life lessons about talking to strangers [Editor’s Note: Now you know!] was GI Joe. Sure most of it was just a marketing ploy to sell really cool toys that were just designs of existing military vehicles (some experimental) but we all loved it. With a movie coming out this summer, the timing is perfect for an MMO game. This could have an intricate FPS based combat system with different classes such as medic, engineer, and soldier. Players would need to be able to fight for COBRA thus presenting an amazing venue for PvP. With enough development time even vehicle combat could be incorporated. With jetpacks, tanks, and airplanes flying around with soldiers shooting at each other, you might wonder why we don't just augment a Battlefield title. If you can figure out how to theme Battlefield in a GI Joe manner, and then add a hub, quests, an RPG type progression and characters to it… I'm on board.

So there you have it. Four cartoon based IP's that could have successful runs in the MMO gaming market. These are hardly all of the available IPs that are out there as Pokemon, Scooby Doo, and many more also have a fighting chance. Whether or not companies like Fox, WB, and whoever owns GI Joe (I really tried to find out) will take the risk is unknown. What we do know is there is demand, and I would know, because I'm the Comic Book Guy. Disagree with me? Think Scooby Doo would blow as a game? Email me and tell me why.

Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

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