17 Years Ago, Cartoon Network Took Their Wildest Gaming Swing Ever

Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games — aka MMORPGs — have proven to be a consistent but entrenched part of the modern gaming industry. While some long-running titles like World of Warcraft, EverQuest, and DC Universe Online have been able to retain a consistent player base, many of their would-be competitors have fallen by the wayside over the years. Some were poorly planned from the jump, while others had plenty of unrealized potential that just never got the chance to fully come to fruition.

One of the strangest (and most broadly appealing) entries into the genre was Cartoon Network Universe: FusionFall, a massive adaptation of their library of titles with an emphasis on anime-inspired art and simplified gameplay. Launching 17 years ago today, FusionFall was an intriguing concept that never fully took off like it was intended to. Looking back, it’s worth analyzing what made the title unique in the larger MMO space and the missed opportunity it was to become something special for the larger Cartoon Network brand.

How FusionFall Brought Cartoon Network Into The MMO Space

Cartoon Network Universe: FusionFall was one of the most ambitious gaming projects the iconic animation brand has ever embarked upon. Similar to the previously released Toontown Online, the game was meant to be an MMORPG that gave players of all ages the chance to realize their cartoon fantasies. The early seeds of the game were planted at the turn of the century, but development on FusionFall only really took off in 2006. Working with Grigon Entertainment, FusionFall was designed as an MMORPG that could appeal to a wide range of players, including younger ones.

To that end, the game was designed in Unity and with enough adaptability that most computers could play the game. It was even able to be played in a browser, as opposed to the more involved process of installing programs and going through several steps to update and activate a game. Set in a version of Earth where numerous Cartoon Network characters share a continuity, an alien race led by Lord Fuse attacks the world. This forces the heroes and villains of the planet to unite to fight against the threat. While FusionFall had a lot in common with MMORPGs of the era, it also incorporated some unique qualities like the prescene of nanos — recreations of Cartoon Network characters who provide buffs and bonuses in combat — and platformer gameplay.

The overall effect was a straightforward but fun experience that was ideal for getting younger players into the RPG space. While critics at the time did note that it lacked the sheer depth of competition like World of Warcraft, it proved to be an easy to learn and quickly entertaining entry to the genre. However, the fanbase needed to keep an MMORPG alive just didn’t connect with the title. Launching on January 13, 2009, with a subscription model, the game was made completely free to play the following year as a means of encouraging more engagement. Even with a second title released to tie into the overarching plot — FusionFall Heroes — FusionFall only lasted until August of 2013, when the servers were shut down, and the game was discontinued.

FusionFall Had Lots Of Unrealized Potential

FusionFall was a wildly ambitious project, especially for its time. While there have been plenty of network crossovers in gaming before and after this, FusionFall was an attempt to turn an entire shared universe of Cartoon Network heroes into a sustainable gaming IP. The live service approach to MMORPGs requires a larger commitment than what the game eventually got, and players ended up flocking to other games. It’s a shame, too, as there was clearly passion in the fanbase that did grow around the title. In fact, two fan-led projects sprang up in the years after FusionFall was discontinued, only for Cartoon Network to issue a copyright takedown notice.

The network would later be involved in other eventual crossover games, like with the greater Warner Bros. company in Multiversus, which also struggled to make a real dent in the gaming space. There’s a good idea at the core of FusionFall, though. Letting players create their own take on a Cartoon Network protagonist and throwing them into missions with established characters was a fun concept, especially when the game leaned into missions and settings based on those shows. The anime-influenced take on characters from The Powerpuff Girls and Dexter’s Laboratory ensured it felt like its own thing, while still retaining enough of the all-ages appeal of the network to bring in a broader audience.

Tying it into new releases or exploring retro concepts could have generated plenty of potential content. A longer commitment could have seen entire shows recreated in the world, along with future Cartoon Network hits like Steven Universe, potentially serving as ideal settings to incorporate into the game experience. FusionFall was a big swing from Cartoon Network that, in different circumstances, might have become something truly special. Instead, it remains a footnote in gaming history.