Transformers online game announced for 2012

(All rights reserved - Jagex Games Studio)

Toy manufacturer Hasbro is working in conjunction with British developer Jagex, the company behind free-to-play RuneScape and casual gaming site FubOrb, in order to produce a massively multiplayer online game set in the Transformers universe.

That's to come after July 2011's Transformers: Dark of the Moon, third in Michael Bay's trilogy of films, and the accomanying video game set just prior to the film's events.

With Jagex's involvement, Transformers will join Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean in making the jump from box office to the MMO market.

An online game of The Matrix ran from 2005 to 2009, while Star Wars: The Old Republic has been slated to debut before the end of March 2011.