THQ snags Warhammer 40k license
Expect Eldar and Space Marines to invade PC and next-gen consoles
While there is a Warhammer fantasy battle online game under development at the moment in deepest darkest Nottingham, it's been some time since we've seen a Warhammer 40k based computer game here at EuroGamer. In fact, the last one to cross our desks was the fairly entertaining Panzer General 2 engined Rites of War back in 1999. But all that could be about to change, with the announcement that THQ have picked up the rights to publish games based on the popular table-top sci-fi gaming system on PC and next generation consoles and hand-held systems.
Known for their spectacular milking of the WWF license in recent years, THQ should provide a flurry of new Warhammer 40k games in coming years, with the first one chalked in for a Christmas 2002 release. Meanwhile THQ will be working with the brains behind Warhammer to investigate the possibilities of wireless, mobile phone and PDA games based on the franchise. Jon Gillard of the Games Workshop declared "we are convinced that THQ, with their proven track-record of quality licensed products, progressive enthusiasm and intelligent marketing and distribution, is absolutely the best partner to help us develop this market". The market is certainly out there - somewhere in the region of a quarter of a billion dollars of Warhammer 40k games, models, novels, comics and computer games have been sold over the last five years around the world.