Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium Online began its journey in 2007 and was under development until 2012 before being shelved forever. Warhammer 40K would have changed the landscape of MMORPG games, as they had massive ideas for the game
Warhammer 40K’s release would have harmed other online RPG titles’ success, such as Helldivers 2, by taking away the novelty of the game. The reason Helldivers 2 managed to garner fame was largely due to its unique game design, and in another universe, had Warhammer been released, it could’ve replaced Helldivers 2.
Warhammer’s larger-than-life idea
Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium Online was a science fiction game, and unlike a fantasy MMO, it would’ve played a major role in the dynamic of combat. The gameplay was supposed to be much more intense, focusing largely on firefights, tactics, cover, and general brutality.
In 2008, during an interview with Joe Madureira and David Adams, the developer and designer of Warhammer, they were asked to share their thoughts on the gameplay design, to which Adams replied:
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.
Warhammer was supposed to have an extensive world full of unique characters and alien settings. The game is set in the 41st Millennium, which was considered the Dark Millennium, as mentioned in the title of the game.
Answering further questions about the mission design of the game, Madureira said:
We’ll have a large number of solo, party, and PvP missions. We are not going to try to force grouping, as some games have tried to do – that’s just annoying. MMORPGs are about giving the player options, and that means letting them play the game how they want to.
Though, while it will be possible to solo for the life of your character, you’re definitely going to want some buddies watching your back in some of the missions, especially the PvP ones. Yes – there will be PvP and bloodshed.
Both of them were happy and excited to share some details about the game and were looking forward to it turning out to be a groundbreaking game, but the fate of the game had other plans in mind.
Warhammer met with a tragic end
Warhammer was announced in 2007 and was ultimately canceled in 2012 due to a failing market and the increasing investment required to meet the scale of the game. Vigil Games’ Warhammer was working with THQ, the studio behind Saints Row, during the development of Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium Online.
Rumors started to surface in the early months of 2012 that THQ had dropped the idea of developing Warhammer 40K as an MMO. They were allegedly trying to change the game from an MMO title to a premium experience with single and multiplayer gameplay, robust digital content, and community features.
THQ was on the lookout for business patterns to aid them in their development of the game as an MMO due to changing market dynamics and the additional investments required to make the game an MMO. However, THQ declared itself bankrupt in 2012, and Vigil Games was shut down one month later. THQ failed to secure a new buyer for the company during an auction, which further buried all chances of developing Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium Online.
