Like Project Ghost, the new Warhammer MMORPG from Jackalyptic Games has also become a victim of NetEase’s cost-cutting measures. The number of hopeful MMO projects for the future is continuously shrinking.
What is the status of the Warhammer MMORPG? In February 2025, we reported that the Chinese publisher NetEase intends to cut primarily international investments as part of a cost-cutting initiative. Even then, there were hints that the major PvE MMORPG based on Warhammer might be a victim of these cuts and that the developers would be looking for new investors.
Just a few hours ago, Jack Emmert, the studio head of Jackalyptic Games, confirmed that the partnership with NetEase has ended.
I want to inform you that our partnership after nearly three and a half years of collaboration with NetEase Games as a first-party studio is coming to an end. We thank NetEase Games for the support during the entire development process with their resources and commitment.
Jack Emmert on linkedin.com
Furthermore, the industry veteran stated that they now want to help the talented members of the team find positions in other studios. This strongly sounds like the end of the studio and the end of the Warhammer MMORPG – even though Emmert does not specifically mention the game in his message.
The new MMO based on Warhammer was supposed to be developed in Unreal Engine 5, focus on PvE, and be released for PC and consoles: A new MMO based on Warhammer sounds almost too good to be true – Here’s what we know.
The officially canceled Warhammer Online will likely remain the only online role-playing game for the popular Warhammer franchise for the foreseeable future.
The future of an entire genre is staggering
What is happening in the genre right now? The Warhammer MMORPG is not the only notable victim of NetEase’s cost-cutting measures. Just a few days ago, Greg “Ghostcrawler” Street also announced the end of his studio and the Project Ghost being developed there.
After the end of New World and the strategic realignment of Amazon Games, the new MMO based on The Lord of the Rings also looks very bleak. A statement from a former employee suggests that this project could also be buried.
How is the community reacting to the latest news? Many genre fans look bitterly and frustrated at the end of the Warhammer MMORPG and the previous bad news.
- Hotwingz66 puts it succinctly on Reddit: “Damn, I really wanted to see this MMO.”
- Grimnirsdelts desperately states on Reddit: “The genre is cursed.”
- RiotRiggsMatches cynically reflects on the future of the genre on Reddit: “The LoL MMO will never see the light of day. Ashes of Creation is a scam, not a game, Aion 2 might work, but it’s Korean mobile trash, and Where the Winds Meet is not an MMO. Thank God we have some well-established MMOs we can play.”
- Legitimate_Most6651 explains on Reddit what he thinks the main problem is: “They did this to themselves by working with NetEase, that was a huge mistake.”
What Legitimate_Most6651 leaves out: It has been incredibly difficult for years to find investors for an ambitious MMORPG in the West. Greg Street tried this for Ghost and eventually gave up in frustration. It’s even nicer when it sometimes works out: The future of a new PvE MMORPG on Steam is secured, getting multi-million funding
