THQ has announced that the Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium MMO has been cancelled and the game will be re-structured as a standard single-player & multiplayer game. "As a result of this change, team sizes at two THQ internal studios will be reduced by 79 full-time employees at Vigil Games in Austin, Texas, and 39 employees at Relic Entertainment in Vancouver, B.C."
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THQ Inc. today announced that it has refocused Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium from a Massively Multiplayer Online game to an immersive single player and online multiplayer experience with robust digital content, and engaging community features. Further product details, platforms and release timing will be announced at a later date.
“As previously announced, we have been actively looking for a business partner for the game as an MMO. However, based on changing market dynamics and the additional investment required to complete the game as an MMO, we believe the right direction for us is to shift the title from an MMO to a premium experience with single and multiplayer gameplay, robust digital content and community features,” said Brian Farrell, President and CEO of THQ Inc. “Because we believe strongly in the high-quality and vast creative work that is in production, this is the right decision for both our portfolio and for gamers devoted to this powerful property.”
“We are genuinely excited about the new direction that THQ is taking with Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium, and we are sure that this will be a great addition to the ever growing stable of authentic and engaging Warhammer 40,000 video games,” said Jon Gillard, Head of Licensing for Games Workshop.
Breaks my heart to see THQ struggling. They have been responsible for several of my favorite games this gen (Saint's Row, the YDKJ reboot, and several others). Hopefully they'll be able to regroup and return to profitability in the very near future.
THQ needs some new management and investors quick, fast, and in a hurry. The 360 and PS3 uDraw was a huge flop, but the leadership teams should have known better than to bet the farm on it after lukewarm Wii sales.
I was worried this was too niche of an IP to survive as an MMO unless the game was beyond excellent but I was very excited and would have played it no matter what. I'm very sad today
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"You Must Gather Your Party Before Venturing Forth"
Smart move as MMO market is too crowded. No way this game would have been profitable.
Agreed. This move probably saves THQ from a much worse fate. A flailing MMO is a dog, whereas a standalone bad game can be more easily moved beyond to the next game.
Glad to see it wont be an MMO. I might actually purchase a Single and multi-player game. I really enjoy the WH40k universe but not when I'd have to camp futuristic Orcs and Elves to drop their cool loot.
I'd be all over that. We need another vehicular shooter to go up against BF. I'd actually like it to be more like Tribes than BF tho. EA basically has a monopoly on vehicular shooter genre.
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Originally Posted by randir14
I guess the best thing I can hope for now is they turn it into a 40K version of Battlefield.
Yeah, I just became a lot more excited. But only as long as they can actually transfer the assets they have for the game so far into this new form without it looking shoddy.
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Originally Posted by SaintBlitzkrieg
Also, Telltale signed with xbox, with fear that if they released Jurassic Park on the PS3, the dinosaurs would get loose.
I'd like to throw in with the folks who are happy about this not being an mmo. Sucks for the guys getting laid off, but better for those of us that don't really enjoy MMOs too much.
