New game company Gazillion Entertainment has emerged with a major license and four wholly-owned studios.

The San Mateo-based publisher, developer and online game operator announced on Tuesday the signing of a long-term licensing deal to use comic publisher Marvel's 5,000-character-strong universe of superheroes for in-development "mass market" MMOs.

Internal Gazillion studios are currently working on two Marvel-based MMOs. The first comes from Issaquah, Wash.-based Amazing Society, which is developing a Marvel Super Hero Squad-based casual MMO aimed at younger players.

San Mateo-based Gargantuan is developing a "Marvel Universe" MMO for PC and consoles. The announcement of the game comes over a year after Microsoft revealed that it had cancelled its own Marvel Universe Online MMO, which was being developed by Cryptic Studios. This new Gazillion deal shows that Marvel is still very interested in establishing an MMO business despite the demise of the Microsoft deal.

Privately-owned Gazillion had been operating in "stealth mode" before today's reveal, quietly assembling a workforce and a wholly-owned stable of development studios. The firm revealed that it is the owner of Louisville, Colo.-based NetDevil, which is currently at work in the LEGO Universe MMO as well as Jumpgate Evolution.

Gazillion, backed by venture capitalists, also revealed itself as the owner of Slipgate Ironworks, the California studio founded by John Romero. His development house is working on an unnamed original MMO property.

The publisher is comprised of staff from companies including Apple, Blizzard Entertainment, Microsoft Game Studios, Pixar Animation Studios and others.

The firm also mentioned unnamed "additional titles" that are currently under development. More information on Marvel Universe will emerge in the months ahead.