Another day, another LithTech announcement...Monolith has announced that they are making a special version of their LithTech engine to be used with massively multiplayer games, and that the first game to utilize this will be a title from Fox Interactive that uses one of their properties. Here's an excerpt from the full press release:

LithTech Inc. today announced they have begun creation of a licensable, multi-genre, massively multiplayer technology which will be a full featured extension of their proprietary LithTech 3D Game Operating System (3DGOS). The new technology, LithTech Online, will standardize the development of immense, persistent worlds, referred to as "LithWorlds(tm)," in which users can interact with others online.

Also announced today, LithTech Inc. is proceeding with an arrangement with Fox Interactive to provide a licensed property for LithTech's first persistent world. Several Fox properties have been discussed for the world's environment although one has not yet been selected.

"There is no doubt that massively-multiplayer persistent online environments are a huge and growing market. For this reason, we're dedicated to investing $15 million into research and development of the fully licensable LithTech Online," comments Jason Hall, CEO for LithTech Inc. "We are very excited to be working with Fox Interactive on the first of many future LithWorlds. Their strong entertainment properties will provide interesting environments and characters for us to develop and work with."