MUMBAI: Sony Online Entertainment (Soe) and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) have announced exclusive long-term licensing agreements.

They will allow Soe to develop a DC Comics massively multiplayer online game for PC and next generation consoles. Soe ha also acquired the rights for The Matrix Online game.

Soe president John Smedley said, “By working with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment we will fuse the knowledge Soe has in the online space with some of Warner Bros.’ phenomenal properties. Soe will work closely with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics to maintain the authenticity consumers demand from the DC Comics franchises. We will also take steps to continue the same high level of service that subscribers have come to expect from The Matrix Online game.”

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment senior VP Jason Hall says, “Our goal is to deliver quality content and consistently advance our key properties within the online games space. We have done just that with The Matrix Online.

"Because of our compelling work in developing and launching that game we can now move it over to the leaders in the MMO space, SOE. We look forward to working with SOE to enhance our overall services to massively multiplayer online gamers for The Matrix Online and a new DC Comics game.”

Soe will work with WBIE, a creator, developer and licensor of key game properties, to create a next generation online game based on the vast universe of DC Comics. DC Comics claims to be the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world and home to such iconic characters as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Sandman. Soe will create a DC Comics game for the PC and next generation gaming platforms, and is currently planning on a fourth quarter release in 2007.