Warhammer 40k goes to the MMO arena
In 2004, THQ and Games Workshop forged a strong alliance and enjoyed great success with their marquee real-time strategy franchise Warhammer 40,000 for the PC. Set in a violent era with a gritty attitude, the game prospered using fresh gameplay mechanics and inspired visual effects. It capitalized on the situation by launching one of the best RTS expansion packs ever made and is looking to break even more ground with its exciting new project.
This week, THQ and Games Workshop announced that a new pact was set to tighten up the ties between the two companies in order to bring Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (WAR) to the MMO market and compete with powerhouse games such as the mighty Worlds of Warcraft.
The pair has already employed the services of Austin, Texas developer Virgil Games to work on the upcoming offering and bring the Warhammer universe to the online plane. The game will feature six playable races and include a fresh gameplay factor known as Realm vs Realm combat (RvR) which seamlessly integrates player vs player (PvP) elements with player vs environment (PvE) action to add a new dimension to the quest-driven adventure.
“We feel that Dawn of War‘s (from the Warhammer franchise) success is just the beginning for this powerful franchise that resonates so well with gamers.” says Kelly Flock, THQ’s executive vice president for worldwide publishing.
It was also revealed that WAR may be released in North America, Europe and Asia as early as late this year. Given the competitive nature of the MMO scene, Games Workshop Head of Group for legal and licensing expressed confidence in this joint venture saying “we believe very strongly that the Warhammer 40,000 intellectual property delivers opportunities for unique and innovative gameplay in the MMO space, and the fact that WOW has grown the marketplace can only be a good thing for all of us.”
And while WAR will initially be available only for the PC, Flock and Jones have expressed that it is likely to see THQ and Games Workshop games on other platforms due to the fact that they hold licenses for development on all systems to date.
More screens await after the jump!
In 2004, THQ and Games Workshop forged a strong alliance and enjoyed great success with their marquee real-time strategy franchise Warhammer 40,000 for the PC. Set in a violent era with a gritty attitude, the game prospered using fresh gameplay mechanics and inspired visual effects. It capitalized on the situation by launching one of the best RTS expansion packs ever made and is looking to break even more ground with its exciting new project.
This week, THQ and Games Workshop announced that a new pact was set to tighten up the ties between the two companies in order to bring Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (WAR) to the MMO market and compete with powerhouse games such as the mighty Worlds of Warcraft.
The pair has already employed the services of Austin, Texas developer Virgil Games to work on the upcoming offering and bring the Warhammer universe to the online plane. The game will feature six playable races and include a fresh gameplay factor known as Realm vs Realm combat (RvR) which seamlessly integrates player vs player (PvP) elements with player vs environment (PvE) action to add a new dimension to the quest-driven adventure.
“We feel that Dawn of War‘s (from the Warhammer franchise) success is just the beginning for this powerful franchise that resonates so well with gamers.” says Kelly Flock, THQ’s executive vice president for worldwide publishing.
It was also revealed that WAR may be released in North America, Europe and Asia as early as late this year. Given the competitive nature of the MMO scene, Games Workshop Head of Group for legal and licensing expressed confidence in this joint venture saying “we believe very strongly that the Warhammer 40,000 intellectual property delivers opportunities for unique and innovative gameplay in the MMO space, and the fact that WOW has grown the marketplace can only be a good thing for all of us.”
And while WAR will initially be available only for the PC, Flock and Jones have expressed that it is likely to see THQ and Games Workshop games on other platforms due to the fact that they hold licenses for development on all systems to date.
Via GameSpot
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