Firefly Studios announces Stronghold Kingdoms, which they are describing as "the world’s first castle based MMO." They have not yet established a release date for the project, but the Stronghold Kingdoms Website is online with some info and screenshots, promising more details are coming soon. In the meantime, here's the announcement:

Firefly Studios today announces a new kind of online game: ‘Stronghold Kingdoms’.

Live the life of a medieval lord in the world’s first castle based MMO.

Besiege the castle that’s never been taken, overthrow tyrants, bankroll your factions war effort, pillage your neighbour’s resources, peacefully raise sheep or do it all! The choice is yours in a wide ranging simulation of medieval life, played out in real time against thousands of online opponents striving for power and glory.

A unique hybrid of web and PC based gaming brings online interactivity and community together with a richly depicted medieval world of thriving villages and dramatic battles. Build a kingdom over days and weeks. A mix of real time gameplay with long term planning, bring a truly novel twist to the Strategy genre.

A huge range of stats and rankings give every player something to aim for, whether it’s ‘Besieger of the month’ or ‘Apple farmer of the day’! Join a medieval social network! Factions and elections, liege lords and their vassals, all provide a real sense of structured community.

Whilst strong and well planned castles are at the heart of any lord’s domain, players can also specialise via a vast research tree. Starting out as a humble peasant, each promotion brings research points to spend on becoming the best in as many areas as you wish, trading, diplomacy, warfare, farming and more, as the player seeks to control the local parish, county and beyond. As their power grows, players can eventually join in a country wide war for the Crown.

Classic Stronghold goes online in a world where players can, Build, Besiege, Pillage, Farm, Explore, Research, Vote, Trade, Banquet, Fight and much, much more. Many unannounced and surprising game features will be revealed in the coming months…