Report: Universal Monsters-Themed MMO Planned

Universal Pictures reportedly signed an agreement with SEE Virtual Worlds, the studio behind the Michael Jackson-themed MMO, to create an online game starring classic movie monsters like Frankenstein and the Wolf Man. In last month's announcement for Planet Michael, its MMO centered on the late King of Pop, SEE Virtual Worlds said it would create a "virtual reality universe of connected planets", with each planet tied to other licensed film, television, sports, music, and entertainment properties. Hollywood Reporter says the film company will announce later this week that one of those planets will be its Universal Monsters project. As with Planet Michael, this free-to-play game will be built on MindArk's Entropia Universe platform and will launch late next year. SEE Virtual Worlds intends to implement a "real money trading" system in the MMO, with which players can earn, trade, and even sell in-game items for virtual currency. Users will also be able to spend that virtual currency to buy more objects or withdraw them as real cash. The project will feature famous monsters from Universal films like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, the Phantom of the Opera, Dracula, the Invisible Man, the Mummy, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon.