Cartoon Network Delays FusionFall Until Fall, Faces Rising Competition
Last July Cartoon Network showed off demos of its upcoming virtual world, FusionFall, at the San Diego Comic-Con. Originally slated for a Spring 2008 launch and then pushed to Summer 2008, FusionFall has now been delayed until Fall 2008, though Cartoon Network is now accepting beta registrations. No one's explaining why, though, outside of the general complications inherent to creating a virtual world.
The competition for FusionFall's 8-14 demographic is heating up, though, with over 100 youth-oriented worlds live or making their way to market. There's a particular focus on the tween and early teen demo that FusionFall is aiming at (there are 60 aimed at the 8-12 market).
"When we started building 'FusionFall,' 'Toontown' was the only kids MMO," Chris Waldron, the world's executive producer told the Hollywood Reporter. "Since then, we've seen a proliferation of MMOs targeting the same young demographic as ours, including 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' 'RuneScape,' and even social games like 'Club Penguin' and 'Habbo Hotel.' So, yeah, it's getting crowded out there and there are many more in the works so it's getting even more crowded. But I honestly believe that ours is a different kind of game."
One of the main differences he notes is that FusionFall is a casual MMO, focusing on gameplay, but without requiring hours of grinding to increase character stats. That's a rising trend in the youth market, though, as developers add more framework and ordered activities to kids virtual worlds.
Waldron also explained to the Hollywood Reporter that Cartoon Network hasn't settled on any one business model. With the likely exception of advertising, FusionFall will bring in money according to local habits in the international market, whether that be subscription or micro-transaction.
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