Although Dark Millennium Online was not cancelled, as per the false report circulated late last year, at the time we were given some rather uncertain news that the game was on uneven ground and that there was nothing set in stone. When THQ published its earnings report for the third quarter of 2011, they mentioned that Dark Millennium Online would be taking a more cautious approach.
Gamasutra reports that in an investor conference call, Brian Farrell (CEO) has revealed that THQ is seeking a partner for distribution, and that THQ cannot afford to publish the game by itself. Of course, a developer hiring a third party publish an MMO is hardly surprising, even more so for a company like THQ that has seen better financial times.
When I’m not fielding calls from the president of MMO Land asking me how to save the world from the evils of free to play scams, I’m generally fielding calls from frantic fanboys foaming at the mouth over the latest MMO to come out based on their favorite IP, and how it will revolutionize the genre (in the sliver of time that remains, I’m fielding calls from my pharmacist over my many medications). Warhammer 40k may not be coming out for somewhere around three years, but the developers want you to know that this won’t be your mama’s MMO.
In an interview with PC Gamer, Creative Director Mike Maza wants to remove your fears that you’ll be spending much of your time hunting down adorably savage wolves for still-standing NPCs who need their pelts, or something along those lines. You’re a fighter, damnit, and you should be crushing the heads of those who dare lower your status by giving you such a petty quest. On that note, Warhammer 40k Online should without a doubt have a beginner quest where you crush the head of an NPC for offering you such a quest. If anyone from Vigil is listening, you might want to write that down.
“We just couldn’t wrap our heads around a Space Marine killing ten wolves for their pelts. It’s just not 40K. We don’t want to give those kinds of quests to the players, we think it takes you out of the fiction. The objectives of our quests are far more epic than that.”
In the interview, Maza also notes that, although they could have made the game like World of Warcraft, they decided being chainsawed to death by angry fans was not worth any income such a decision might have brought in.
“We’re designing a cinematic, action-oriented MMO, balanced in terms of player-on-player and player-versus-environment battles. There’s a lot of ranged combat, but also a healthy dose of melee. You’re not gonna have a bunch of static spawns, you’re not gonna have a bunch of random patrols.”
So Warhammer will rely a bit more on mouse movement, but your success will still be held somewhat to your gear. One piece Maza talked about, and I know this will entertain 40k fans, that the game is serious. This means no funny vanity hats for your tech priest.
You can read the whole interview at the above link. More on Warhammer 40k Online as it appears.
MMO Fallout 