MTV Networks Asia, GigaMedia Announce SpongeBob MMO

Viacom division MTV Networks Asia and Singaporean developer GigaMedia Limited announced plans to co-develop and jointly publish a massively multiplayer online game based on animated TV series SpongeBob SquarePants. The title, which will launch in multiple languages across China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and India, is Viacom's first game project with a studio outside of the U.S. It's designed to appeal to various audiences within Asia, particularly online casual gamers. MTV Networks Asia points out that this is the first MMO based on the extremely popular and heavily merchandised Nickelodeon property. The SpongeBob SquarePants creative team at Nickelodeon Animation Studios intend to work with GigaMedia to develop the game's environments and avatars. The SpongeBob SquarePants MMO will feature a free-to-play model in which users can purchase items from an online store to customize their experience, as well as videos and simple Flash-based games designed for users of all skill-levels and ages. "Partnering with GigaMedia on the development of a SpongeBob SquarePants MMOG allows us to bring the residents of Bikini Bottom into a whole new world -- one that is tremendously popular in Asia and presents unlimited creative and business opportunities for the franchise," says MTV Networks Asia's Digital VP Jihee Nam. He adds, "SpongeBob SquarePants is Nickelodeon's best known property within Asia and we're extremely proud to oversee the development of the MMOG with local business partners. We look forward to working hand in hand with GigaMedia on bringing SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, Gary, and Sandy Cheeks to life in an entirely new and incredibly popular online world."