Earlier this year, Firefly fans were excited by the announcement that the Multiverse Network was putting together an MMOG based on the Firefly/Serenity universe. Now Fox has apparently cancelled the franchise once again, choosing to promote instead a new MMOG based on Joss Whedon's other show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The joint press release from Fox and Multiverse says that the game will be the first to be available as both a fully immersive 3D environment, as well as a flash-based 2D game. Players in both modes will be able to interact at its site within "Multiverse Places," a new social virtual world from Multiverse. The game is expected to be released in "beta" testing later this year.

Buffy ran seven seasons on television. Since going off the air, the story lines have continued with a line of top-selling comic books and other successful merchandising.

"Every once in a while a show comes along that lives long after its run on television, and ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ is that kind of show," said Fox merchandising official Elie Dekel.

Evidently, Fox doesn't believe Firefly is 'that kind of show,' despite the success of Serenity and its subsequent comics and other merchandising. The press release indicates that the Firefly MMOG is "delayed," but other commentators have opined that in fact the project is dead.

Multiverse is also excited about the upcoming project. "As a brilliant storyteller and world-maker, Joss Whedon crafts stories that expand perfectly into the new medium of virtual worlds," said Corey Bridges, co-founder and Executive Producer. "Not to give away too much, but when the 'Buffy' team finished the television series, they created the perfect launching point for an MMOG where everyone will feel like they're an important character in the ongoing story."