Games Radar have been fortunate in speaking to General Manager David Adams and Studio Creative Director Joe Madureira from Vigil games about the Warhammer 40k MMO currently in development. This is the first real time we have heard some solid details about the game and the points that we get from the interview are extremely positive! Here is a clip:

 The fact that Warhammer 40,000 is science fiction and not fantasy goes a long way to distinguish the game from other Fantasy MMOs, such as Warhammer. Besides the obvious visual differences, the setting also affects many aspects of the gameplay.

First off, unlike a fantasy MMO, guns play a major role in the dynamic of combat. The gameplay will be much more intense, focusing a lot on fire-fights, tactics, cover and general brutality (which is befitting a game set in the grim future).

Secondly, the sheer scale of Warhammer 40,000 lends itself to experiences players have never seen in an MMO. The term “Battleground” takes on an entirely different meaning. Our battlegrounds will be more epic in scale, more intense, and more true to a game with the tagline, "In the grim darkness of the future, there is only war." This doesn't preclude the more intimate battlegrounds that other MMOs have, only that we will also be including more grand affairs, that give a player the sense that they are immersed in an actual Warhammer 40,000 battle.

Another key point is:

To preface, let me say that this game will be an RPG. That needs to be said, because when someone thinks of a Warhammer 40,000 MMO there is definitely some question as to the style of play: will it be an FPS, an RTS, or some other genre altogether? Relic has the RTS angle covered with the awesome Dawn of War series - we are making an RPG.

However, that doesn’t mean that aspects of the tabletop don’t influence the style of play we present to the player. As I mentioned earlier, just the inclusion of ranged weapons as a dominant form of combat changes the basic underlying mechanics of a typical MMO. This leads to similar tactics that you might employ in the tabletop, such as cover, suppression fire, flanking, etc… If you think about it, “Group” is a just another way of saying “Squad”.

Be sure to check it all out using the link below:

http://www.gamesradar.com/f/warhammer-40000-online/a-20080502174245201051

Loken

IGN have posted an article discussing a recent chat with Jack Sorenson - THQ Exec. He says that Blizzards WoW has now peaked and they want to capitalise on some of the market with their 40K MMO currently in development.

 Jack said we are in for a wait though as we are still a couple of years away from release, the reason? "…To be great from day one". 

 So we still have some time before we see the 40k MMO but at least further details have been release.

 Source: http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/865/865325p1.html?RSSwhen2008-04-08_152300&RSSid=865325

Check back here for updates! 

So not many new details have been released this year about the Warhammer 40k MMO but at least we all know that there is going to be one. I would imagine that in 2008 we'll find out some solid details and maybe later in the year see some media (dare I say closed beta even!?!). I would imagine that Games Workshop are keen to keep news on the 40k MMO fairly quiet until Warhammer Online has been released on the second quarter of 2008.

It's a great time for Games Workshop at the moment with electronic media (and they’re not doing to badly with the novels either!) so we can rest assured we have some awesome gaming coming up in the next few years and it won’t be to long before your fighting shoulder to shoulder with other space marines kicking some alien ass!!

My hopes for the title are that it will be more action based than the current WAR development, for example, I think the difference in setting almost points towards an action shooter rather than an RPG style of game that WAR is. Let’s hope these core details are cleared up next year when THQ and Games Workshop are ready to release some details.

Here's to a great 2008!!!

So the official announcement for Warhammer 40k online was made some time ago but it might be the only details we have of the game so far. Here is a copy of the press release:

 The Studio that are developing the game (and owned by THQ) can be found here: http://www.vigilgames.com.