General Legends of Chima Handheld Games and MMO

[lol username]

Boy, that escalated quickly.

First, we learned that LEGO's new "big bang" theme, Legends of Chima, is getting a TV series, premiering on January 16. But the media tie-ins won't be stopping there. LEGO has just announced that three video games are in the works.

First up is LEGO Legends of Chima: Speedorz, an iOS and LEGO.com racing mini-game developed by TT Games and 4T2. If you haven't heard of 4T2, they're the developers of several very popular LEGO.com games, including Crystalien Conflict and Hero Factory Breakout, so this has the potential to be fun, even if it's certainly the smallest of the bunch. The game is set for release tomorrow, January 3, so we'll find out very soon.

Next is LEGO Legends of Chima: Laval's Journey. Developed by TT Games, this action-adventure title will be released for Nintendo 3DS and PS Vita this summer, as well as for Nintendo DS this fall. No details have been revealed on the gameplay yet, but hopefully TT will try to make this one a bit different from their more recent handheld games.

The biggest of the three games is LEGO Legends of Chima Online. It's set for release this fall, and yep, it's an MMO, and a free-to-play one at that. Unlike the other two Legends of Chima video games, this one isn't being developed by TT Games - rather, the developers are WB Games Montréal. The game certainly sounds ambitious: The press release says that players will be able to build and customize their own kingdom, explore massive environments, take on missions from NPCs, hunt for hidden treasure, and use LEGO bricks to build custom weapons and gadgets. So, essentially, this is LEGO Universe with furries?

This isn't the only LEGO MMO in development either, Funcom is also working on an MMO based on LEGO Minifigures, set for release in 2014.

Tying all the Legends of Chima games together is the Chima Vault. Part of the LEGO Legends of Chima website, players will be able to earn points while playing Speedorz and Laval's Journey, then redeem them through the Vault to earn rewards and exclusive content in LEGO Legends of Chima Online.
 

 

Sources: Joystiq

[Jimbob]

Wow, Lego is certainly upping their game (pun intended )!

I do remember them saying that we shouldn't drop the concept of a Lego MMO, although if this is their answer than I'd not be truly satisfied. Anyway, I like how they're linking they're games together. They seem very confident in this new theme, however.

But, seeing as it's free, I'm looking forward to getting involved!

EDIT: Whoops, didn't see that Funcom one. Lego Minifigures? Considering the range of themes that involves, I'm definitely interested in this one.

[Lair]

This Chima had better be good, it's already being hyped even more than Ninjago.

[STUDZ]

...And more than BIONICLE ever was. Chima must be more than just "LEGO for furries" after all.

[Cyrem]

They shutdown Universe to replace it with the same thing... this time Furry loaded... dissappointed. To me this shows the shutdown reason not to be because they didn't have enough income from it, but because they just wanted to make different MMO's. They went out and paid WBGames to make an entirely new game just to release it under the same failed model as before and this other thing by Funcom. This theme does not appeal to the larger audience that Universe had, it'll only appeal to kids that like playing as animals... It really shows that LEGO did have the money to splash around making these.

What LEGO doesn't seem to get is the MMO's are not the type of games you just shutdown because you want to make more MMO's, they are not the same as standalone game releases. Better be prepared for these two MMO's to shutdown 2 years after that startup, or sooner.

[LimeKiller]

Oooohhh...

Yeah, sounds like Universe, but worse.

Although I don't really have permission to say that because I was only a beta tester and never actually played the real game.

What was interesting for me was the fact that it's actually... three games.

And what was even more interesting is all the comments saying, "Aw, licensed LEGO games are so much better! Come on!"

[le717]

Suddenly I'm very disappointed in LEGO. VERY DISAPPOINTED.

The Speedorz game has been released (it's built in Unit3D, BTW), and guess what music they choose to use all throughout it:

The LEGO Universe Racing music.

I am so unhappy at this. It's just like Cyrem (?) said: They killed LU to pay WB to make Chima under the same flawed method, and this proves it.

But wait! This is made by TT Games and not WB! Since TT did not work on LU, this means it was LEGO's choice to use the LU music.

[lol username]

The Speedorz game has been released (it's built in Unit3D, BTW), and guess what music they choose to use all throughout it:

The LEGO Universe Racing music.

That music is from Audio Network, and has been used in countless games and TV shows besides LU.

I am so unhappy at this. It's just like Cyrem (?) said: They killed LU to pay WB to make Chima under the same flawed method, and this proves it.

Same flawed method? Dude, all we have is a loose description of the gameplay. You're really assuming a lot here, in addition to ignoring basic facts - we don't even know how much social interaction this game will have for starters, so far it sounds more like a single player focused RPG with social elements. Additionally, LLoCO has several things LU didn't have at all (tie-ins with other video games and LEGO media), or things it didn't have until far too late (focus on a heavily marketed and extremely popular LEGO theme with sets - not to mention Chima is shaping up to be even more successful than Ninjago).

But wait! This is made by TT Games and not WB! Since TT did not work on LU, this means it was LEGO's choice to use the LU music.

TT provided input on LU and met with its designers to discuss ideas at least once. And again, it's not "LU music", it's stock music purchased from Audio Network. Additionally, you seem to have forgotten that this game was primarily developed by 4T2.

That's Tim Courtney in that video, and if memory serves me right, he was the guy running the KIC up until just before it closed, giving us teasers for LU and such until he and LEGOUniverseMaster finally let us in on alpha testing the game. He knows quite a lot about LU, more about its development than us.

Also, I just finished playing through the Speedorz game myself. Pretty fun.

[le717]

That music is from Audio Network, and has been used in countless games and TV shows besides LU.

I know that, but the fact they used it in LU will make kids think that it was purely "LU music", and that they are "reusing LU music". Besides, I semi-consider it LU music myself.

Same flawed method? Dude, all we have is a loose description of the gameplay.

Hey, I'm just quoting Cyrem here.

You're really assuming a lot here, in addition to ignoring basic facts - we don't even know how much social interaction this game will have for starters, so far it sounds more like a single player focused RPG with social elements. Additionally, LLoCO has several things LU didn't have at all (tie-ins with other video games and LEGO media), or things it didn't have until far too late (focus on a heavily marketed and extremely popular LEGO theme with sets - not to mention Chima is shaping up to be even more successful than Ninjago).

But isn't that what LU was supposed to be? LEGO Universe, which implies the Universe of all LEGO? If a game is called by the theme it is based on, I expect it to be based solely on that theme, not other LEGO themes. LEGO Racers, while it had tie-ins to other LEGO stuff, was all about racing. It would be really weird to see something like bowling in a game who's title says it is a racing game. If it is called Legends of Chima, I would expect Chima stuff, as well as a little bit of LEGO tie-ins. I don't expect it to have, as you yourself reworded from the press release:

players will be able to build and customize their own kingdom, explore massive environments, take on missions from NPCs, hunt for hidden treasure, and use LEGO bricks to build custom weapons and gadgets.

That description is LU, not Chima.

TT provided input on LU and met with its designers to discuss ideas at least once. And again, it's not "LU music", it's stock music purchased from Audio Network.

OK. I had no idea they met at least once. And see point one.

That's Tim Courtney in that video, and if memory serves me right, he was the guy running the KIC up until just before it closed, giving us teasers for LU and such until he and LEGOUniverseMaster finally let us in on alpha testing the game. He knows quite a lot about LU, more about its development than us.

I think Neal was just acting crazy when he made that image. I used it only for the text, not the guy in the image.

[Cyrem]

Same flawed method? Dude, all we have is a loose description of the gameplay.

Hey, I'm just quoting Cyrem here.

I was talking about the business model, not gameplay.

[lol username]

I know that, but the fact they used it in LU will make kids think that it was purely "LU music", and that they are "reusing LU music". Besides, I semi-consider it LU music myself.

Is there something wrong with that?

Hey, I'm just quoting Cyrem here.

Then consider my reply directed at Cyrem as well.

But isn't that what LU was supposed to be? LEGO Universe, which implies the Universe of all LEGO?

I wish! As it actually happened, LEGO Universe had little to no tie-ins with any existing LEGO products or themes at all, until Ninjago came in during its last few months (and by then it was too late). Oh sure, a model cameo here, a returning character there, maybe some very loose inspiration from a theme from fifteen or thirty years ago... But LU was largely its own thing, and a thing that had extremely odd theme choice within itself (how on earth did they ignore castle and town, staples of LEGO since the 70s, yet include random things like rock music and post-apocalypse?). It had nothing to back it up besides its own poorly executed marketing (I've seen countless comments on news articles about the closure from people that didn't know it had ever been released). This Chima online game is backed by sets, a TV series, action figures, board games, and two other video games, and overall has a much more advertising and appeal to LEGO's target audience. Not to mention the pricing - LU didn't get F2P and price drops until most had already passed it up, and initially the payments were too high for a good chunk of kids to consider ($40 for the disc plus an additional $10 every month). The same goes for Funcom's LEGO Minifigures MMO - The blind-bag minifigures are incredibly popular, even with people who aren't usually LEGO fans, the game will be F2P from the get-go this time, and the MMO encourages real-life purchases as the purchases encourage the MMO.

If a game is called by the theme it is based on, I expect it to be based solely on that theme, not other LEGO themes. LEGO Racers, while it had tie-ins to other LEGO stuff, was all about racing. It would be really weird to see something like bowling in a game who's title says it is a racing game. If it is called Legends of Chima, I would expect Chima stuff, as well as a little bit of LEGO tie-ins. I don't expect it to have, as you yourself reworded from the press release:

players will be able to build and customize their own kingdom, explore massive environments, take on missions from NPCs, hunt for hidden treasure, and use LEGO bricks to build custom weapons and gadgets.

That description is LU, not Chima.

Ok, you've completely lost me here. How is creating a kingdom, exploring, questing, looting, and item crafting not related to Chima? It sounds perfect for the theme.

[Cyrem]

The same goes for Funcom's LEGO Minifigures MMO - The blind-bag minifigures are incredibly popular,

You mean to say it's based of the Minifigure Collectable series?

Looks like there will be no LEGO MMO's for me then, not interested in either.

But maybe this time the will allow other countries to play the games. They blocked out so many countries for the LU subscription, it's no wonder they couldn't get enough people. I found it pathetic that allowed people in Aus to beta test, but then denied them to buy subscriptions to the game.

[lol username]

The same goes for Funcom's LEGO Minifigures MMO - The blind-bag minifigures are incredibly popular,

You mean to say it's based of the Minifigure Collectable series?

Looks like there will be no LEGO MMO's for me then, not interested in either.

But maybe this time the will allow other countries to play the games. They blocked out so many countries for the LU subscription, it's no wonder they couldn't get enough people. I found it pathetic that allowed people in Aus to beta test, but then denied them to buy subscriptions to the game.

Yeah, it's an item collection and team PvP focused game based on the collectible minifigures. We don't know many details yet.

Ah yes, another reason LU wasn't as successful as it could have been... Only three countries had it. And just as they were about to toss in Australia as well (they had even begun setting up the server hardware for it), the game closed.