After failing to find a business partner with which to deliver its vision for the now-cancelled MMO, Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millenium, THQ is looking to salvage an “immersive single player and online multiplayer experience” from the wreckage.
Details on how the big budget project will be “refocussed” have yet to be fully disclosed, though a sequel to last year’s Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine seems most likely. The bulky third person shooter scored an impressive 8 with Dan last year, the game managing to shift 1.2 million copies within two months of launching.
As a result 118 jobs have been cut, 79 full-time contracts terminated at Vigil Games, with 39 at Relic. We wish former members of both studios the very best.
yogdog
This news actually hurts me, love my Warhammer so much and I’m gutted that the MMO is cancelled and that Relic staff have lost their jobs: they’re all top guys/gals.
Jim Hargreaves
It could be for the best however. I imagine that if THQ went ahead with the MMO project without a business partner, it could have been a total write-off, therefore resulting in more job losses across the board.
Personally I’d prefer to see what they do with the Space Marine IP. Didn’t rate the game as well as others (mainly due to the hammy melee combat and lacklustre narrative) but there is huge potential.
Mundham
Agreed Yog.
hazelam
that’s a shame, partly because i was looking forward to seeing the 40k MMO.
but mostly for all the people losing their jobs.
Kennykazey
THQ sure is going through a tough time. I hope the people that are affected find new work quickly and that Darksiders and Warhammer continue to live well, we must support the company with our wallets and I hope Darksiders 2 is successful because I want to see all four horsemen get a game.