Zarksoft Games announces Empire of the Eclipse MMO for iDevices

Zarksoft Games, which is comprised of developers which worked on the Unreal, Diablo and Star Trek franchises, has announced Empire of the Eclipse, which is being hailed as the first online, real-time strategy MMO for iDevices.

ZarkSoft has build an engine for the game which can support up to 1,500 players per game instance across 90K sectors of space, and will forgo microtransactions in order to maintain a "fair and competitive play experience for all."

"As long time fans of games like Civilization and Master of Orion, we've worked diligently to make a game that lives up to the standards set by those milestone titles," said company president Lee Dotson. "Empire of the Eclipse also brings accessibility and massively multiplayer capabilities to mobile devices."

Key features include:

• Massively Multiplayer: Fight, trade, scheme and vie for universal domination with up to 1500 other players per game.
• Epic Universe: Games can range in size from 2,500 to 90,000 sectors. Explore, conquer and exploit hundreds of thousands of planets.
• Explore: Fog of war and dynamically generated universes require exploration and reconnaissance, key components of the empire building experience.
• Streamlined Interface: Jump to any controlled planet or fleet from anywhere in the galaxy with just a few touches.
• Diplomacy: Enact a state of Peace, War or Embargo with other players. A rich array of interpersonal player dynamics awaits.
• Many Ways to Win: Win by the application of brute force or economic superiority. Transcend the stars or collect ancient alien artifacts. Whether warmonger, diplomat or explorer, there are always ways to win.
• Skill Trees: Utilize a diverse and flexible selection of 40 skills to uniquely tailor and individualize an interstellar empire.
• Player Communication: Robust in-game mail and chat systems feature private channels and item attachments to better facilitate trade and covert operations.
• Retina Display: Stunning visuals are tailor-made to support both Retina and traditional iPhone displays.
• Universal: A single account may login from any i-device you or anyone else owns.
• Fair Play: Players cannot purchase their way to victory. Robust server side gameplay ensures a fair and competitive play experience for all.

Set in a distant future, Empire of the Eclipse has players establish and "interstellar empire"  using diplomacy, "economic acumen and conquest to thrive".

Empire of the Eclipse will be available Q1 2011 for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Thanks, Joystiq.