Wait, there was a Warhammer MMORPG by Mythic Entertainment… But there was supposed to be another one.
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning thrilled many gamers, especially those who valued large PvP battles, but the big success did not materialize. This ultimately led to the MMO’s closure in May 2014.
Would the failed first attempt by Climax Studios have met the same fate? We will never know, as this version of Warhammer Online never saw the light of day. However, there are now glimpses into the Warhammer MMORPG that never saw the light of the virtual world in videos.
An MMO from an MMO- inexperienced studio
The Climax Studios had no experience in developing an MMO, as they were more from the console sector. Nevertheless, they had ambitious goals.
They wanted to create an open world completely without loading screens. Additionally, all NPCs and creatures in the game were to be distinct from one another. There would have been no two identical models in the game. Furthermore, there was supposed to be a sort of Dungeon Master who would take care of the flow of the game and interesting events. The overall atmosphere would have been very dark.
From Warhammer Online to Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning
This version was showcased at E3 2004. Why did the game not release? The relationship between Warhammer licensor Games Workshop and the development studio Climax worsened over time, and eventually, Games Workshop revoked the license from the studio in June 2004. About a month after the game was presented during E3.
Thus, Warhammer Online was effectively dead. One of the reasons was that Climax expected development costs of around 30 million British pounds, which was too high for Games Workshop. The license was then granted to Mythic Entertainment, which developed the well-known Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Interestingly, designer Paul Burnett was involved in both games, as he moved to Mythic. Climax still tried to release their game on their own but could not find any investors for it.
And so the first chapter of the Warhammer MMORPGs ended quite ingloriously. Too bad, as the game looked quite interesting.
