For real: Online gamers enter the world of Lego

Billund, Denmark – Lego is about to go virtual. LEGO Universe, developed by NetDevil, is a multiplayer online game that offers opportunities to build with traditional Lego bricks.

Players can smash pirates, build rockets or fly to distant lands in the game. While playing, there are two major stat bars: health and imagination. If a player loses all of their health, they become broken and must be rebuilt. Each player’s account will be linked to their My Lego Network account, where awards, equipment and player achievements will be showcased.

Lego is tapping the growth of online social gaming and games that use Facebook and similar sites as a platform to play casual games with friends – a trend recently reported in our Insight section.