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THQ: Warhammer 40K MMO will profit with 'anywhere near' a million subs

Mike Schramm — Wed, 05 May 2010 19:31:00 EST

Speaking during a financial earnings call, THQ CEO Brian Farrell said that the publisher is making a big investment with the upcoming Warhammer 40k MMO, but that if the game nets "anywhere near" a million subscribers, it will pay off. Farrell suggested that the company must spend "at the high-end of what it costs to build a core game" just to get the online title launched. But the return could be high, too: "Presuming that the MMO is successful," he said, "we could have a three-, five-, seven-year-long term revenue and profit driver with that very, very exciting brand."

Even if development costs continue to climb as expansion packs and additional post-release content is created, Farrell believes that spending more money on the project is a good sign. Farrell said that "if we're investing a lot over the next five to seven years of the MMO" by adding content, "that means it's doing very, very well."

Success doesn't mean you need to reach World of Warcraft numbers, either, according to Farrell. "We don't need the kind of subscriber levels that people throw around, like a million subscribers, to make a lot of money on this title. If we get anywhere near this level, we'll be making a lot of money."

The EA and Mythic-developed Warhammer Online peaked out at around 300,000 subscribers by last count, so THQ has a steep hill to climb. But Farrell is convinced the company can do it. "I love the game," he told listeners on the call. "Please come by the booth at E3. I think you'll like what you see."

THQ: Warhammer 40K MMO will profit with 'anywhere near' a million subs originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 May 2010 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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THQ moving Vigil studios to new office

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 01:00:00 EST

Along with working on two major current-gen games in Darksiders: Wrath of War and a Warhammer: 40K MMO, THQ-owned Vigil Games is packing up its stuff and moving to a brand new 33,000-square foot studio in another part of Austin, TX. Unsurprisingly, in confirming the move to Kotaku, THQ reiterates its desire to attract new employees as development ramps up on the aforementioned titles.

Though the move was likely decided well before UFC 2009 Undisputed hit store shelves -- and quickly went flying right off those same shelves -- the 1.01 million unit sales of the game couldn't hurt the moving situation. Plusher couches at the new offices, perhaps? If it happens, remember: you heard it here first!

Gallery: Darksiders

THQ moving Vigil studios to new office originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vigil Games details Warhammer 40K MMO

Jason Dobson — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: PC, MMO

While what we know about the game is barely knee-high to a gretchin, PC Gamer magazine recently had the opportunity to speak with a pair of folks behind Vigil Games' upcoming Warhammer 40,000 MMO, specifically general manager David Adams and studio creative director Joe Madureira. Both shed a few details on what we can expect while we wait patiently to kill rats aboard space hulks for the emperor.

Says Adams, the game will be "much more intense" and combat-focused than the traditional fantasy MMOs upon which we've cut our teeth, giving us all the more reason to want to trade up our broadsword for a storm bolter. However, the dev notes that the MMO "will be an RPG," adding that "Relic has the RTS angle covered with the awesome Dawn of War series - we are making an RPG." Other interesting tidbits from the article include note that the game will include all of the tabletop game's "important" races, customizable characters, a variety of solo, party-based, and PvP missions, and the possibility of in-game vehicles as well. We can't wait to see how the tabletop war game makes the leap to MMO, but as it stands, in the grim darkness of the far future ... there is only waiting.

[Via Massively]

Vigil Games details Warhammer 40K MMO originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 May 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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THQ: WoW has peaked, Warhammer 40k MMO years away

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Mac, PC, Business

THQ executive Jack Sorenson tells Eurogamer he believes World of Warcraft has "peaked." He's not daft though, recognizing that there may always be millions of people playing it and that WoW is a great business. On that note, Sorenson is playing the good cheerleader for THQ's upcoming Warhammer 40,000 MMO and says it's still years away.

THQ CEO Brian Farrell told investors in 2006 that the company wasn't going to take on Warcraft until it was in a "downward slope." Sorenson backs that up by echoing the same thoughts of many MMO producers over the last couple of years that titles need to launch "great" now. It appears THQ is in no rush to get the Warhammer 40K MMO out the door without more than a prayer to the Emperor that it'll survive.

THQ: WoW has peaked, Warhammer 40k MMO years away originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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