IT Territory is sending word that it's managed to acquire a license enabling it to use Simutronics' HeroEngine for an undisclosed MMORPG project. No details are out regarding the new game, though we note that BioWare's also using the same engine for their own mystery MMORPG. More info is available in the full article.

 

After being licensed by BioWare for an undisclosed MMO title in the works, Simutronic's MMO development platform, HeroEngine, is licensed by three more companies, all working on MMO titles slated to come in the near future. Virgin Games UK, together with Trianit, is developing a new virtual island portal A World of My Own using HeroEngine.

Announced at the 2007 Game Developers Conference, the list of licensees grow as Stray Bullet Games and Colony Studios also snag the engine for their own MMO titles. Although they have been open with the fact of using HeroEngine, they weren't keen to spill details on their projects.

Simutronics provides HeroEngine as a decked-out MMO development tool, to creating an entire MMO title from the ground up - interfaces, content, sub-systems - while allowing developers to view the world visually and in real time. They can test elements created for the game through the same view a player would be seeing their online world.

Simutronics, creator of the HeroEngine, announced recently its very first licensee for the HeroEngine - BioWare Austin. Well, as they say, you have to start somewhere, and this is a good start. In case you think HeroEngine is a car, well, let us fill you in. HeroEngine is a complete integrated platform for development of MMORPGs. BioWare Austin will be using this for the development of their new MMO venture. BioWare, in case you didn't know, has developed a lot of games including Jade Empire, Neverwinter Nights, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.

When asked why they chose to take their chances on Simutronics and its creation, BioWare Co-Studio Director Gordon Walton said "at BioWare we selected HeroEngine because it had the most sophisticated and complete development tools available for building an amazing online experience...Our team wanted a great rapid prototyping environment and to work with experienced MMO developers. The HeroEngine from Simutronics is a perfect fit for BioWare Austin's requirements." Well, Simutronics' five years of slaving over this platform certainly paid off now that the big time is knocking on their door. Let's wait and see how this development turns out.