Is Warhammer Online in Trouble?

[Scott Tortorice]

There is a disturbing rumor that EA-Mythic's anticipated title Warhammer Online may not see the light of day anytime soon. From Gamespot:

Warhammer Online Delayed

In a conference call following Electronic Arts' second-quarter earnings report, executives revealed that one of its major games has been delayed yet again. Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, the tabletop-inspired massively multiplayer online role-playing game, is now expected in the first half of EA's 2009 fiscal year, which begins on April 1, 2008. The game was previously slated for a March 2008 release, and now could come as late as September of that year.

&

Today's delay is just the latest hairpin turn in Warhammer Online's long and convoluted road to release. First announced in 2000 by developer Climax with support from Microsoft, the game was canceled in mid-2004. The following summer Dark Age of Camelot developer Mythic Entertainment scooped up the project, which is based on Games Workshop's tabletop strategy game Warhammer. Almost exactly one year later, Mythic was purchased by EA, renamed EA Mythic, and touted as the publisher's entry into the MMORPG space. However, the game's delay, as well as EA's purchase of BioWare (which is developing its own highly anticipated MMORPG), cast some doubt on the future of Warhammer Online--and EA Mythic itself.

Say it's not so!

However, in a Gamespot interview, Mark Jacobs, EA's General Manager, insists that this is just a delay to ensure the game is a top-notch product that can compete with the other major MMORPGs:

MJ: Nobody likes news of a delay. We're not happy with it. Nobody is. But when the delay is used so that we can build a better game, a more glorious game, a game that will give players what they want, then I think we have to look at this as a very good thing. Especially in light of other games that have launched because they didn't have the time, or the backing from their corporate parents, and the games--really, everything--suffered as a result of that. We have the support of EA, we have the support of our CEO, and thanks to all that, and thanks to the hard work of all the guys at Mythic, we're going to deliver something great.

Considering all the hype and development time that went into this game to date, not to mention that GW's Warhammer franchise is a hot commodity that any game company would kill to get their hand's on, I doubt EA would would scrap the whole project...unless WO is proving unworkable.

I guess only time will tell. I, for one, am becoming gravely concerned.

[jayedub7423]

I read that too, and honestly, who knows. It does look bad right now. The game really seemed to be going along fine, but now they have even stopped beta testing for it as well.

[Scott Tortorice]

Yeah, Mark Jacobs said that they always planned to terminate the beta early once they learned everything they needed to learn about the game.

Perhaps. Perhaps not.

All I know is that the game is now going to be over a year late and that is never a good sign. But on the optimistic side, Lord of the Rings Online had a tortured development history too and it ultimately was released to great praise.

My cause for hope is that I doubt EA will abandon the Warhammer franchise rights. Those are worth a lot of money and I doubt EA is just going to give 'em up short of going bankrupt. Also, EA has reported that it has hired more people for Mythic, which is another good sign.

In short, I don't know what to think.

[Encircle]

Yeah, Mark Jacobs said that they always planned to terminate the beta early once they learned everything they needed to learn about the game.

Perhaps. Perhaps not.

All I know is that the game is now going to be over a year late and that is never a good sign. But on the optimistic side, Lord of the Rings Online had a tortured development history too and it ultimately was released to great praise.

My cause for hope is that I doubt EA will abandon the Warhammer franchise rights. Those are worth a lot of money and I doubt EA is just going to give 'em up short of going bankrupt. Also, EA has reported that it has hired more people for Mythic, which is another good sign.

In short, I don't know what to think.

I have been told the wait will be worth it... from my source the comparison to others , say like WoW and how it will look 'dated' in graphics etc compared to Warhammer online. When released that is...