Middlebury Enlists Muzzy Lane for Online Language-Learning RPG

Middlebury Interactive Languages, a leading figure in foreign language instruction for children and young adults, has reached an agreement with Making History series creator Muzzy Lane Software to produce an online language-learning role-playing game. The upcoming game, aimed at high school students, will supplement Middlebury's full-immersion online foreign language courses. The company operates the Middlebury-Monterey Language Academy, a four-week language learning program that will reach over 800 students this summer. Muzzy Lane's game will be a first-person online RPG that immerses players in environments unique to each language's specific culture. Students will interact with other players and with computer-controlled characters who are voiced by native speakers. "We are excited to be partnering with Muzzy Lane to develop a full immersion language game as a part of our new Middlebury Interactive product," said Dave Benoit, chief executive officer of Middlebury Interactive Languages. "Foreign languages are critical to the skill set of today’s young people and the combination of Middlebury's academic expertise and Muzzy Lane's gaming technology will prove to be a strong combination." "We are thrilled to be developing the game worlds for Middlebury Interactive Language," said Dave McCool, president of Muzzy Lane. "We have seen how online, multiplayer games create deeply engaging and immersive environments. Our structured, virtual world platform provides a great medium to extend Middlebury's proven immersive foreign language programs to the online world." The initial versions of Muzzy Lane Software's game will focus on Spanish and French upon the project's launch later this year.