An early look at the Warhammer 40K MMO
by Rubi Bayer 
Dec 2nd 2009 at 11:00AM
Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, New titles, News items, Warhammer 40k
We've been hearing about a Warhammer 40k MMO for a very long time, beginning back in March of 2007. We also received some tantalizing general details back in April of 2008 -- It will have an RPG feel, there will be extensive gunplay, and all races important to Warhammer 40k lore will be included. Spring of 2008 continued the information train with several interviews here and there in which Vigil Games offered a few more details and assured fans that development was continuing.
Yesterday, Kotaku received new concept art for the Warhammer 40k MMO, and while it's not exactly a completed game, it's a step in the right direction. The images include a nice look at character models and weaponry, so follow along after the jump to see for yourself.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Steerpike said on 11:15AM 12-02-2009
Hopefully you will be able to play a chapter other than Ultramarines. The models do look nice though.
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Holgar said on 11:22AM 12-02-2009
*adds game to radar*
The concept art looks cool thats for sure.
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Goonja said on 11:22AM 12-02-2009
That's good news,now let's wait and see and most of all hope they do justice to the universe and makes us forget the shame that is Warhammer Online to the warhammer universe.
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Yeg said on 11:44AM 12-02-2009
Don't you even dare associate this game with the piece of garbage released by Mythic. The latter should not even have been attempted. This is the real Warhammer. This is the real deal. I hope...
Khai Mann said on 11:42AM 12-02-2009
Here we go again.... I was going to write a long comment about how you shouldn't get all hyped up over a few screen shots, images, wallpapers, etc... but you know what? If you get burned is because you deserve it.
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Score said on 11:50AM 12-02-2009
Oh wow I've been looking forward to an mmo based on this IP for a very long time, the timing is right too imo all the tech and talent is available now to develop this game the way it needs to be, if Vigil just follows the lore of the title and listens to the fans this game has a real chance.
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Kdolo said on 11:52AM 12-02-2009
Thanks Massively and THQ, now my pants are sticky.
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Kalex said on 12:02PM 12-02-2009
If this MMO will stand a chance, it will have to be something really unique/different and preferably squad/RTS based. You should be a commander of a squad, and have a stable of squad types you can fit and field with teamates/guildmates to the point where you actually have a sizeable force to compete against other sizeable forces. By end game, you would be a full force commander with a specialized mini-chapter in a barge. If you were more tech based you could involve decked out dreadnaughts and tanks, if you were more troop based you would have dope elites and terminators etc.. Think MMO-RTS hybrid if you will. Anyone ever play a game called Shattered Galaxy by Nexon? Thats what the 40k MMO needs to be like.
40k MMO can't be about Tank, Healer, DPS, Raids, and PVP battlegrounds. If they're going in that direction and it involves spacemarines, it will fail. In my opinion, anything other than Marines and Chaos shouldn't be playable at all from the start. They need to hit the nail on the head first before bringing in other races. Orks Eldar Tau etc is for expansions cause the "Xenos" experience in 40k needs to be reserved, and done right, gelling it all up front would be stupid.
Plan for a small release, build your product over time, think niche, don't expect a big sell in cause this WILL be good, but different. Let your audience find this kind of game over time and you will win, don't try and sell this like your typical big budget MMO these days cause you have built in capacity to dissapoint based off higher consumer expectations.
There, i just made a unique and bad ass 40k RPG in one post! Now if i have to see another WoW clone for any game ever again I will ragequit the internet.
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jealouspirate said on 12:53PM 12-02-2009
I agree that it should definitely be squad-based, but I can't decide whether or not I'd prefer an RTS or third-person shooter style of gameplay... is there a way to blend the two together?
Vehicles are definitely a must, big sieges of enemy encampments... orbital bombardment, jetpacks, viable melee combat... all these things are really important to live up to the IP, I think.
I'll remain skeptical for now, but I love Warhammer 40K and it'd be a real treat to have a fun and innovative MMO based on it.
CDave said on 1:12PM 12-02-2009
Yeah you just described a Dawn of War MMO
LaughingTarget said on 3:31PM 12-02-2009
It should be a FPS with squad NPCs, not other players as your squad. This way, you can join with other squads (players) and have some pretty epic fights. Each faction would have different size squads with different quality units in each, like the table top. Using the RTS as an example, Ork players would have squads that contain 15 NPC members and Space Marines will have 5 members. Each squad member is customizable. To form guilds, you'd be able to do things like create your own Space Marine chapter or Ork Waaagh. It would also need a real concept of taking and holding planets/zones and have a real winner with a system that resets the game each time someone conquers the universe. The winners will get items, losers will get fortification bonuses for their worlds for each reset. That would make a great game.
Wjowski said on 12:17PM 12-02-2009
I'll wait and see.
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kasapina said on 12:34PM 12-02-2009
I see 2012, I read 2014. Oh, and it should include necrons as playable, for the sake of the developers's safety ;D
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Speeni said on 12:58PM 12-02-2009
Lol just the thought of this IP becoming a WoW cloned mmorpg makes my stomach turn
But you know the deal by now, if "they" can have 11mil subscribers why do it differently.
i mean just look at SWTOR you couldnt get more like WoW if chewbacca grew horns and called himself bloodhoof....
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Kalex said on 1:35PM 12-02-2009
Agreed... Can you just imagine?
"Can I play a spacemarine Tank character, so my wife can be a eldar farseer healer please?"
The thought of an idle NPC inquisitor character, standing still by a fire outside of circle of tents with a big exclamation mark above his head gives me nightmares.
Archipelagos said on 1:44PM 12-02-2009
Even Blizz says that copying WoW is not the way to go for future MMO's. I agree with the previous poster in that squad based is the way to go but not in the sense of tank, healer, dps but in a more realistic troop set-up.
Fris13 said on 12:48PM 12-09-2009
Yeah something similar to Tabula Rasa's idea of letting players own and grow their own squad. Adding members, leveling them up, and equiping them.
Pedro said on 2:02PM 12-02-2009
Those initial models are looking good. However, for the disapointment of most posters here it was stated that the game would follow a standard RPG setup.
I also wanted to see something more shooter type or in alternative, something more RTS like.
However, if you guys notice the direction THQ took with DoW 2 in the single player campaign it's pretty clear they will do something more RPG like.
This is a game where a morality based system like the one being developed by Bioware for KOTOR would work perfect: who wouldn't want to play a Space Marine being corrupted by the Chaos Powers?
Fortunately THQ has already proven that they can do great games.
This game will have a good build up torwards it since there's the new action RPG for the PS3 based in the Ultramarines coming out and the movie as well.
And i don't get all the bashing against quest givers and other stuff like that: this MMO will follow some established mechanics in the genre. That much is obvious.
I just hope this game has decent PvP (with at least 3 different factions), a deep crafting system and somewhat persistent worlds.
We still don't even know if this game will be based in a single planet with the different armies fighting over it or if it will have space content as well...
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Speeni said on 2:21PM 12-02-2009
I like the way the DoW games play and THQ have done a decent job with the ip so far but from what i remember of the tabletop game (which i played many years ago ) it was all about troop positioning overwatch taking cover etc...
i would have thought a wh40k game would play more like gears of war than any mmo i can think of...
Im not so sure about an in depth crafting system either, especially for IG grunts and tactical marines... i cant see them sticking a bolter or lasgun together on the fly...
I think the aforementioned ultramarines game will be a good indication of which way it will go
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Joey_the_mad26 said on 3:28PM 12-02-2009
This is really a very exciting bit of news, as I've always been a deep lover of the 40k Universe after completing the 'Eisenhorn' series of books a few years ago. Soon after I picked up the DoW games and expansions and, again, fell completely in love with the Dark Gothic/ Sci-Fi elements.
Many have already stated the obvious as to the possible pros and cons of this impending title, so I won't travel down that route anymore than is needed. I will say that Warhammer Online was a staggering dissapointment, even more so for me since I purchased the special collectors edition, and in the end I came to enjoy the Box/Book design of the collector's edition package more than the game itself.
What really burned me, aside from them not being up-front about the fairly meaty system specs for the game, is the fact that Mythic tried to force feed and strong arm the player base into PvP. Well, at least those who have no love of PvP. And, yes, I understand that massive armies pitted against one another is at the core of the Warhammer mythos; none the less, it is not everyone's cup 'o tea, and those people should not be deprived of enjoying this title simply because PvP might be mandatory to get through certain areas. If WAR40k is going to be a success Vigil and THQ will need to follow the King on Hill (I know, I know...) and seperate the PvP from the primary game quest line. No PvP zones smack dab in the middle of a PvE area. Keep 'em seperate and instanced. Really, that, and what the system specs will be, are my primary concern as I'm not looking forward to spending another 800 dollars plus on upgrades.
Aside from everything aforementioned, this title is looking amazing and I'm truly excited to see what info comes down the pipe-line next. By the by, hope the Sisters of Battle are a playable class. Cliche, I know, but damn I love 'em...
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