Warner Bros Online has today announced that they have signed a deal with IBM to provide their forthcoming MMORPG Matrix Online with a stable infrastructure, which is set to be released in North America and Europe on March 22nd 2005 and April 8th 2005 respectively.

The exact infrastructure sees the implementation of IBM hardware and software including IBM’s eServer pSeries and xSeries systems for the overall structure, and IBM WebSphere Application Server for registration and billing.

Announcing the deal, Jim Noonan, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Warner Bros. Online said, "Warner Bros. Online is working with IBM to help build a flexible, resilient infrastructure that will be able to ‘continue the saga' of The Matrix trilogy and support the complex demands of a MMORPG.”

"Responsive and highly flexible technology is required to create an engaging and complete urban environment for players in The Matrix Online," said Jason Hall, Senior Vice President of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. "Warner Bros. Online and IBM are working toward this goal in order to help provide a true interactive, online space that will allow gamers to continue the storyline of the Matrix."

"Warner Bros. Online is well positioned to capitalize on the promise of an increasingly on-demand marketplace in interactive entertainment," said Steve Canepa, Vice President, IBM Global Media and Entertainment Industry. "IBM technology, coupled with Warner Bros. Entertainment's storytelling expertise, can deliver a responsive quality experience for online game players."

The financial details of the deal haven’t been released by the companies, but as long as the infrastructure works and is stable so we can jack in and follow the ongoing Matrix storyline then we’ll be quite happy.

We’ll have more on The Matrix Online shortly...