Warhammer 40K: Dark Millennium Online No Longer an MMO, Layoffs Hit Developer

The long in-development project Warhammer 40,000 Dark Millennium Online is no longer going to be an MMO. Instead, the game will be  focused on single-player action with multiplayer elements. Additionally, several significant layoffs have occurred as a part of this project alteration.

In news issued today by Brian Farrel, President and CEO of THQ, drastic changes to the game were revealed:

“As previously announced, we have been actively looking for a business partner for the game as an MMO. However, based on changing market dynamics and the additional investment required to complete the game as an MMO, we believe the right direction for us is to shift the title from an MMO to a premium experience with single and multiplayer gameplay, robust digital content and community features.”

While many considered the game to be outright cancelled earlier this year due to financial issues with THQ, gamers were assured that the MMO was certainly still in development, but the progress on the project was not clarified.

While the switch from MMO to…well, not MMO is certainly a disappointing outcome of the game’s lengthy development, the fact that 118 individuals from the teams at Vigil Games and Relic Entertainment are now jobless is much worse.

THQ hasn’t given up on the project, as they still believe in the “powerful property” that is Warhammer.

“Because we believe strongly in the high-quality and vast creative work that is in production, this is the right decision for both our portfolio and for gamers devoted to this powerful property.”

[via Kotaku]