Warhammer 40K MMO Will Cost At Least $50 Million

[IndianaJonny]

I am a 40k freak but am not confidant that this will work as a MMO, at least from the tiny things I have heard (mostly rumors).

Sure someone could turn this into an award winning MMO, but THQ?

Currently the most successful venture into 40k is Dawn of War, and that is published by THQ. Of course the credit doesnt go to THQ for making it, but to the developers... Relic made the Dawn of War series great (using THQs funding).

So its down to the developer in the end and how they spend that money (although pressure for deadlines and possible corporate influence- generally bad -could impact it somewhat).

That said, the developers are relatively new (as a studio) having only made Darksiders (which is a bit meh really), so only time will tell.

My point is that there is no way THQ has the resources to fuel an MMO using the 40k IP. $50 mill on a modern MMO? Chump change really. Also, you mentioned their dev. I didnt, because they were just a horrible choice.

Really sad.

Have they given any idea as to the general premise of the MMO? Unless it borrows heavily from the Inquisitor approach (thus 'alienating' (gettit!) many xenos players) I struggle to see how the MMO format can be mapped onto the 40k universe with its signature 'deaths-in-the-millions' approach.

 

[Bretty]

I am a 40k freak but am not confidant that this will work as a MMO, at least from the tiny things I have heard (mostly rumors).

Sure someone could turn this into an award winning MMO, but THQ?

I've heard nothing but good things (tho admittedly not whole lot of info at all). What tiny things have you heard that gives you some concern?

Friend of a friend, a web journo, has worked with the Dev. He told me to not hold my breath for this production. And with his contacts and track record I believe whatever he says lol (not been wrong yet).

That being said though I really do hope it is a great MMO. I love 40k, read 80% or the books and have 2 5k 40k armies. WAR killed my hope in MMOs (as well as most that follow these types of MMOs) there is no more good will and hope in books for companies wishing to cashin and rush to a quick buck.

Ignore me I am ranting.

 

[shadowform]

Here's the problem with a WH40k MMO:

People who just like MMO's are going to keep playing WoW, Aion, EQ, whatever - the game they're already familiar with, already have formed loyalties within, and already know that they like.

The people who like WH40k are going to play it - and then quit, because Tyranids would NEVER work together with Chaos, Space Marines would never willingly operate with Eldar (or xenos of any kind for that matter), IG should die WAY faster than they do (i mean, seriously? my khornate berzerker hit that guy THREE TIMES with his axe! an IG shouldn't be able to take ONE hit from a khornate soldier and survive!), they don't have my favorite but ubscoure and underrepresented faction of Space Marines available as a core faction, and there's no 'Rape' option for slaaneshi chaos marines.

The people who just like futuristic fantasy games are probably going to play it for a month or two, and then bail back to the Crysis 2 multiplayer, Microsofts new Halo 4: The Exploitation, whatever new futuristic game Valve is apparently coming out with, and so on... assuming they aren't too busy playing that new Star Wars MMO that's apparently coming out soon... or playing what will probably become a F2P-Freemium Star Trek Online.

In order to get any real kind of success, THQ is going to have to revolutionize how MMOs are played - probably doing something more along the lines of an MMORTS - to keep the core WH40k fanbase happy, and even then I really doubt that the actual fanbase for WH40k, vocal as it is, is actually big enough to sustain a game that cost $50 million at launch...

 

[icame]

Also, <a href=http://www.amazon.com/Homefront-Xbox-360/dp/B003Q53VZC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299172003&sr=8-1>Homefront will need to sell two million copies in order to break even; based on the fact that the shooter is the <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/108189-Strong-Homefront-Sales-May-Save-Kaos-Studio>most pre-ordered game in THQ's history, that doesn't seem like an unreasonable expectation.

Wait what? It must of had a budget of this MMO for it to need to sell that much.

 

[Twad]

All i want is to be part of a huge battleground as a basic grunt (of any "team", like ork, tyranid, Tau ect) and hope to not die too fast.
If im lucky im might even survive to see the next battle!
I might even get to die gloriously as i use my body to paint the ennemy's tank windshield red with my blood, so they cant see for 1.2 seconds!

I want none of the level grinding other MMOs thrive on. Gimme Wars!

And better if it is a FPS

 

[Cpt Corallis]

For all the people asking to play tyranids, I may have bad news. As far as i have remembered the tyranids were going to be the environmental enemy in the game, with eldar, orks, Imperium and Chaos as player races. These were going to split across Order and disorder like in Dawn of War: Winter Assault.
Frankly, I think its going to be cool, especially with the rumours of multiplayer vehicles.

Firstly though, I think THQ needs Space Marine to make some serious sales in the Autumn so they can gauge reactions to the MMO.

 

[Omegatronacles]

my only problem is that the only solution if you want to have factions(and everyone wants factions since they worked so well in wow) is to limit players to the Imperium and maybe make a chaos/orc alliance as the enemy. And that would suck, i will not play this game if can not be an eldar.

I would also settle for piloting a battlesuit

Who says they have to limit the factions? Just because WoW has 2 factions doesn't mean every other game has to have 2 factions.

 

[DefunctTheory]

My participation in this game hinges on how they do the Imperial Guard.

My Idea: You control a squad, with one heroic character. Damage taken reduces your squad population, reducing damage.

Its actually an interesting idea. It would make them basically a DPS class thats damage is based entirely on HP. Instead of multiple classes, you could just modify your squad, which would determine your abilities and stats. Higher levels equal better equipment choices.

I donKt know... I like it.

 

[Ragsnstitches]

I am a 40k freak but am not confidant that this will work as a MMO, at least from the tiny things I have heard (mostly rumors).

Sure someone could turn this into an award winning MMO, but THQ?

Currently the most successful venture into 40k is Dawn of War, and that is published by THQ. Of course the credit doesnt go to THQ for making it, but to the developers... Relic made the Dawn of War series great (using THQs funding).

So its down to the developer in the end and how they spend that money (although pressure for deadlines and possible corporate influence- generally bad -could impact it somewhat).

That said, the developers are relatively new (as a studio) having only made Darksiders (which is a bit meh really), so only time will tell.

My point is that there is no way THQ has the resources to fuel an MMO using the 40k IP. $50 mill on a modern MMO? Chump change really. Also, you mentioned their dev. I didnt, because they were just a horrible choice.

Really sad.

Wait wait wait, before I go on... 50mil won't be enough to fuel an MMO? or a 40k mmo? Because right there we have a problem. There is no way 40k can be fully represented to please everyone in any one game. So your expectations of the game (which for any 40k fan, will be unattainably high) could be a handicap on your judgement of it.

50mil, is more then enough to fund the first year of an above average MMO (considering that Blizzard spent 200mil on WoW over a 5 year period, from pre-launch onwards) and that's what I believe THQ means. However as is evident by every iteration of the franchise ever, no feasible amount of money will be capable of representing all of 40k... its just far to vast and dense.

Then we come back to Vigil. They are still too new for us to be confident in their abilities and passion, but it also flips the other way in that they are doing something we haven't seen them do before. They could be the most avid 40k fans in all of gamedom and will spill blood to get it right... or they could just fart out GenericMMO:40k edition and it will go the way of many other 40k games.

Time will tell...

 

[GothmogII]

Is it just me or is someone upstairs a little too eager to get the horse out of the door? I would have thought with the relative disappoint that WAR was (not saying it's bad, just saying) that they'd have the wherewithal to stand back, and think "Hmm, maybe jumping right into another MMO isn't such a good idea?" or "Should we really be spending this kind of money?"

But that quote in the middle there really gets my goat, as it is essentially saying for an MMO to be successful it's all down to the money you put into it.

 

[IBlackKiteI]

I'm looking forward to this, but after seeing how people get during TOR's development, I can only imagine how they'll critique this game pre-release. It occurred to me that, as awesome as 40k is, there's some lore reasons it might struggle with a wider audience. One is how gender-specific everything is. Female Space Marines are impossible and I've never seen a female Ork. Eldar might have the closest to gender equality, but I'm not super-familiar with them. In a genre where even the slightest limitation for "lore reasons" is met with hostility, some aspects of character creation might not go over well with players unfamiliar with 40k's galaxy. This is one IP where you simply can't make compromises on certain things (like female Marines).

Oh no, reading that reminded me of the many things that will likely deviate from 40k significantly for the game to work as an MMO.

I love 40k, I love Dawn of War, but an MMORPG? I cannot at all see that working in the Warhammer 40k setting.
Maybe it could work though, but it's going to be very difficult. Just have to wait for some more news.

But what about a Warhammer MMOFPS? Or MMORTS?
Hmm...

 

[Exort]

50 million is not a lot for a MMO.
WoW cost Blizzard 100 million not including post-release, and that was 7 years ago.
The Old republic is rumored to cost 300 million pre-release, even it might be wrong, it probably still cost more than 100 million.

 

[Omegatronacles]

my only problem is that the only solution if you want to have factions(and everyone wants factions since they worked so well in wow) is to limit players to the Imperium and maybe make a chaos/orc alliance as the enemy. And that would suck, i will not play this game if can not be an eldar.

I would also settle for piloting a battlesuit

Who says they have to limit the factions? Just because WoW has 2 factions doesn't mean every other game has to have 2 factions.

Faction creates conflict.

I mean, look at WoW. Even if you was playing PvE, you always had actual enemies on an actual faction you could raid their cities with even.

Without conflict, there is no real reason to keep playing. I'd say WoW having factions meant a huge deal for it's popularity.

FOR THE HORDE!

I'm not saying to do away with factions, I'm asking why there only have to be 2 factions? Why not 3 or 4?

 

[Dochand]

I'll probably give it a try when it comes out. I've grown to like the 40k universe over the past couple years. I'll use my limited knowledge to attempt and answer some of the problems posed.

Couldn't they still use a factional approach if they use the Imperium vs Xenos vs Chaos? I concede that I don't know enough about the Xenos in 40k aside from the Eldar being manipulative, the Orks fighting for the fun of it, and the Tau working toward the greater good. I really don't think Tyranids could be playable since they're just one big hivemind bent on eating everything. I'm not sure about Necrons.

As for giving an option to play female Space Marines, couldn't it just be handwaved by saying they're Adepta Sororitas? I know they're not the same, but it would allow people to play as women in power armor.

Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing how they do Imperial Guard. I really like AccursedTheory's idea of a character being squad, although some tweaks would need to be made. If it isn't possible then maybe the actual character classes are Commissar or other CO/NCO that have various guardsmen as minions?

 

[Ohlookit'sMatty]

Well in all fairness it'd to be expected // MMO's cost massive amounts to get started& to me $50million seem pretty cheap for creating a Univearse as big as 40K // I'm excited to see how this turns out as I'm kind of bored with WoW at the moment

-M

 

[Gudrests]

my only problem is that the only solution if you want to have factions(and everyone wants factions since they worked so well in wow) is to limit players to the Imperium and maybe make a chaos/orc alliance as the enemy. And that would suck, i will not play this game if can not be an eldar.

I would also settle for piloting a battlesuit

Who says they have to limit the factions? Just because WoW has 2 factions doesn't mean every other game has to have 2 factions.

Faction creates conflict.

I mean, look at WoW. Even if you was playing PvE, you always had actual enemies on an actual faction you could raid their cities with even.

Without conflict, there is no real reason to keep playing. I'd say WoW having factions meant a huge deal for it's popularity.

FOR THE HORDE!

I'm not saying to do away with factions, I'm asking why there only have to be 2 factions? Why not 3 or 4?

3 was tried back in DaOC and the main problem with it was a balancing issue...a 1v1 is easy to do..a 1v1v1could cause quite a few problems...1 being the classes. knowing what little i do would evert faction have a tank/healer/dps/cc/support roles? could they all be balanced...and would 2 of the factions be liked more then a 3ed..like a 3ed wheel on a bike

 

[Carlston]

I'd like to see different paths...
Start say as a Imperial Guard, move to officer, then have a choice...Space Marine or Commissar.

Let the Commi get his own line of perks the power armored boy don't get access to...

Hell ya can do it with every race.

 

[sleeky01]

Female Space Marines are impossible and I've never seen a female Ork.

The Sisters of Battle don't count?