ManagerZone
| ManagerZone | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Power Challenge |
| Platform(s) | Web browser |
| Release date(s) | September 26, 2001 |
| Genre(s) | Sports management games, MMOG |
| Mode(s) | Multiplayer |
ManagerZone, also known as MZ, is a massively multiplayer online browser-based sports game by the Swedish developer Power Challenge. Football ManagerZone was first released on September 26, 2001 as a web and mobile game in partnership with Vodafone.[1] Hockey ManagerZone was released on August 18, 2003 as the second game of the ManagerZone sports franchise.[2] Both sports are managed by the player from the same account and share the same game features. As of August 12 of 2013, the game is offered in 32 languages and in 99 countries as well as a generic ManagerZone Country for players from non-listed countries. The game is free to play and offers premium features through either a monthly subscription package or micro transactions purchases.
Gameplay
Similar to other sports management games, the premise of ManagerZone is for the player to assume the management of his own virtual, fictitious football or hockey team, competing against other players in national and international leagues and tournaments. In ManagerZone these management responsibilities include the selecting of tactics, the training, recruiting, buying and selling of virtual athletes, as well as the management of the team's stadium facilities and overall finances. Players can analyze the performance of their team by watching matches live in 2D or 3D.
Development
ManagerZone was originally founded by Johan Christenson and Marcus Majewski. In an interview for the MZ in-game e-magazine called The Zone, founder and then CEO Johan shared how the game came about:
It was really a bunch of guys at the Blekinge Institute of Technology that gave me the idea that this could be a good and fun thing. They had developed a platform to build games on where you instantly could push the game to mobile, web and digital TV platforms. I was there meeting with them to see if it was of interest to work on. Funny enough, to show off their software they had built a rudimentary manager game. It was funny as they demoed it I got more and more interested in what can one do with a manager game on the web. So long story short one of those guys (Marcus Majewski) went on with me to start this long journey. We got a couple of other really great guys to sign up and help us get started.[3]
ManagerZone differs from other football or hockey manager games in that it offers a visualization of the matches in a 3D client, in addition to the more common 2D match viewers. MZ Live 3D was launched on May 14, 2004 at the E3 in Los Angeles.[4]
Community
Given the interactive and competitive nature of ManagerZone, the game has a strong social and community aspect to it. Players interact with each other through forums, guestbooks and tournament or league specific message boards. Additionally, most countries have their own, community-driven e-magazine called The Zone.[5]
Meet-ups and official events
In addition to the online community, players in many countries organize meet-up events to socialize, play football and discuss ManagerZone. The developers of MZ have also hosted larger community events in Stockholm,[6] Buenos Aires,[7] São Paulo[8] and Warsaw[9]
On the weekend of July 6 of 2013, seven MZ players who distinguished themselves in the game through their football team's achievements and their contributions to the community were invited as MZ Legends to a fully paid trip to visit the ManagerZone headquarters in Linköping. During the event, the MZ legends received a tour of the development studio, met with staff members, discussed with Power Challenge CEO Patrick Armstrong the present and future of the game, and competed against each other in the Legends Cup.[10]
Game Assistants
The community in MZ is organized through volunteer administrators who focus on different aspects of the game and community. They are called assistants and can be recognized in the game through a symbol next to their username. The main roles and responsibilities of the ManagerZone assistants are:
- Head Master Assistant (HMA): Responsible for leading and organizing Master Assistants and their teams. Usually organized by continents or languages.
- Master Assistant (MA): Responsible for recruiting and supervising all other assistants in a particular region, country or by language.
- Game Assistant (GA): Responsible for overseeing the transfer market for irregular purchases or sales, as well as responding to first line of support via email.
- Forum Assistant (FA): Responsible for moderating the forums.
- Reporter Assistant (RA): Responsible for writing and publishing the e-magazine The Zone in a particular country or language.
- Language Assistant (LA): Responsible for translating and localizing the game and game news.
- Game Player Assistant (GPA): Assist with testing of upcoming features, particularly the game match simulator.
- National Coach (NC): Manager of a country's national team. Periodically elected by all managers from that nation.
- National Coach Assistant (NCA): Assistant to the National Coach. Usually the person with the second highest vote during the election process.
Additionally, the designation "Crew" can be found on usernames that belong to the game developers.
Reception
ManagerZone has won the Multiplayer Online Games Directory's "Game of the Month" Award in March 2004.[11]
References
- ↑ Europolitan Holdings AB half year report, quoting Vodafone subsidiary's partnership with and launch of ManagerZone. http://news.cision.com/europolitan-holding/r/half-year--results-2001-2002,c49864 Accessed: August 12, 2013.
- ↑ History article with quotes from official news releases from 2003 and 2004. http://managerzone.dk/thezone/paper.php?paper_id=9784&sport=soccer&page=13 Accessed: 12th August 2013.
- ↑ The Zone United States magazine edition 91 from February 22, 2006. Interview with ManagerZone co-founder Johan Christenson. http://www.managerzone.com/thezone/paper.php?paper_id=2759&sport=soccer&page=8 Accessed: August 12, 2013.
- ↑ Press release for ManagerZone 3D unveiling at E3 Los Angeles 2004 http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20040510006230/en/ManagerZone-Launches-3D-Live-Matches Accessed: August 12, 2013.
- ↑ Archive of community published The Zone football magazines. http://www.managerzone.com/?p=thezone&sub=archive&sport=soccer Accessed: August 12, 2013.
- ↑ Official Facebook photo album of 2004 MZ Football World Cup event in Stockholm. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.399147289053.177042.91843834053&type=3 Accessed: August 12, 2013.
- ↑ Video highlights of MZ World Cup 2005 in Buenos Aires. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG7YUqUkJQo Accessed: August 12, 2013.
- ↑ Video highlights of MZ World Cup 2007 in São Paulo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMqT-X1Y5-Y Accessed: August 12, 2013.
- ↑ Official Facebook photo album of 2008 MZ Football World Cup event in Warsaw. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.93231899053.83665.91843834053&type=3 Accessed: August 12, 2013.
- ↑ Article by participant Hanzinho, about the MZ Legends event on the weekend of July 6, 2013. http://managerzone.com/thezone/paper.php?paper_id=11316&page=11&sport=soccer Accessed: August 12, 2013.
- ↑ Multiplayer Online Games Directory - Game of the Month: March/2004. http://www.mpogd.com/gotm/?Date=3/1/2004 Accessed: August 7, 2013.