Funcom today announced that it has extended it's licence agreement with Conan Inc. to develop MMO games based on the Conan brand until 2018 with an option for a further 5 years. I'm guessing that means they are confident about the future success of Age of Conan - Hyborian Adventures. The licence covers PC, all current and future consoles as well as mobile devices.

"It's great to see the evolution of Age of Conan, and we truly believe we will deliver a special and fun online experience," said Trond Arne Aas, CEO of Funcom. "At the same time we look ahead, and we feel confident that Conan is a brand which will stand strong for many decades. With the investments involved in today's online games and the very long life spans of MMOs, it is important to have long term license agreements, and together with Conan Inc. we will continue our focus on investing in the Conan brand."

"We have a great passion for the qualities and works of Robert E. Howard, and we share this with Funcom," said Fredrik Malmberg, Head of Licensing at Conan Inc. "We have worked very close with Funcom for more than three years now, and we have great belief in their ability to deliver. Virtual worlds become ever more important, and we feel certain Age of Conan stands a great chance of gaining a large share of the MMO market."