A new job listing on the LittleBigPlanet website suggests that Sony are at least looking into, if not already working on, an MMO based in the LBP universe.
So there I was, casually reading the latest of the regular LittleBigPlanet community updates on the PlayStation Blog when I noticed that Media Molecule (and the rest of the LBP studios – Double Eleven, United Front etc.) are hiring.
Reading through the listings, which include gameplay, tools and network positions – there’s not too much exciting, until you get to the page for Lead Community Manager.
Under the ‘requirements’ section is “a strong knowledge and passion for games, ideally to include social gaming and MMO’s”. Now sure, the LBP franchise is easily the most family-friendly in Sony’s stable (sorry Kratos!), but the existing entries are pretty solid and challenging platformers, not what you’d describe as “social games”.
And, while the series is pretty well-known for its online capabilities, you wouldn’t really describe any of the games so far as MMOs.
Now of course this could just be Sony looking for someone with a lot of experience dealing with creative and commited communities like the one that surrounds Media Molecule’s baby, but given the company’s recent experiments with console MMOs (in the form of Free Realms, DCUO and Home), and testing of the free-to-play waters (MAG, Killzone 3), it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to suggest some kind of ‘LittleBigUniverse’ project is brewing somewhere at the Worldwide Studios.
Looking for a community manager with MMO experience now suggests that such a project might already be pretty far along.
Roll on E3…
GhostViper
Sackboy is getting around. Looking forward to seeing what this is if true.
And also looking forward to seeing what Media Molecule is doing.
colmshan1990
Are Social Gaming and MMOs not at opposite ends of the gaming ‘hardcore’ spectrum?
Unless you’re talking micro transactions.
I’d think a scaled down LBP would be a good fit for social gaming, especially if some version of create mode was included.
ron_mcphatty
Its a shame we can’t send Media Molecule request… wait a minute, I’m going to Guildford on Wednesday, maybe I can ask them for Minecraft meets hemp and cotton in person!
nofi
Hopefully a PS4 thing.
stage1
This sounds interesting, hope they have news at E3.
bmg_123
I don’t see how this would work. What would you do? How would the world be shown? It’ll be interesting to see whether this is true, and if it looks good I’ll probably be a sucker for it too. I’d assume it would be going the SOE free to play route, no?
TSBonyman
Sounds intriguing and potentially very exciting, nice find and i hope we hear something official soon.
Foxhound_Solid
This will be ace.
Aquastyle
That’s a really interesting idea. Perhaps it’ll be something like Minecraft having various servers with lots of people on huge building projects on some, and unsafe platforming mayhem on others. Either way a really cool idea.
Sympozium
It hardly works with 4-players so a MMO.. could be even worse. They really need to sort out the lag.