HanbitSoft – Page 3 – MMO Fallout

People often ask me, Omali, why haven’t you done a “what happened” for Hellgate: London? The answer is simple: The game never died. Despite shutting down in Western areas, Hellgate London has continued to thrive in the Asian markets. Although the new publisher Hanbitsoft has given distinct interest in opening the game back up in Western markets, they have been impeded by Namco-Bandai, who still owned the rights to publish the software on this side of the hemisphere.

“We are pleased to participate in the revitalization of Hellgate through this agreement and are deeply gratified to allow HanbitSoft to take the lead on this franchise and bring this game to the people who seek it”
-Namco-Bandai

Sure it translates to “we had no plans to do anything with this franchise so we got some money off of it,” on Namco’s part, but who cares? Hellgate: London is coming back! Technically the first true resurrection in MMO history, in the same sense of having your arm reattached years after it was lopped off for financial reasons, plans are set to go in motion later this year to bring Hellgate back to the North American and European markets.

Looks like we will be seeing Hellgate: Tokyo and any other planned expansions after all. And that means, Hellgate: London? Back in the list of games you go! Hopefully Hanbitsoft will be willing to run the title somewhere other than directly into the ground (I’m looking at you, Flagship Studios)

On Halloween 2007, Hellgate: London launched in the United States and, much like Tabula Rasa that launched not too far away, both were launched at the same brick wall. Publisher Namco-Bandai shut down the MMO in February 2009. Back when Hellgate: London still had interest in the West, we wondered how they could introduce expansions in the form of Hellgate: Mumbai, Hellgate: San Francisco, and my personal favorite: Hellgate: Hello Kitty Island.

Well, Hellgate: London still isn’t coming back. Although Flagship Studios pulled a Flagship Studios♦ and dissolved in August 2008, Korean company HanbitSoft has obtained the rights and currently operates Hellgate: London in Asia. Although the company would like to reintroduce the game to the Western market, they have been blocked by Namco-Bandai;

“HanbitSoft does own the intellectual property of Hellgate: London and is interested in providing the game in the US and Europe, but is unable to do so at this time because Namco Bandai has the publishing rights for those regions.”
-HanbitSoft on reopening Hellgate: London in the West

Hellgate: Tokyo hits Asian markets in 2010.

Continue reading “Hellgate: Tokyo Coming Nowhere Near You!”