http://www.beastsofwar.com/warhammer-40k/warhammer-40k-video-game-licence/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

The only thing I know about this company is they made the software for that Deadliest Warrior show to simulate battles. I don't know what that means for the game, has anyone played any of their stuff? Relic has consistently made awesome 40K games and I'm kinda bummed that we wont be getting any more from them. I guess maybe these guys could come up with something great but...I dunno man. Better then Relic?

Someone reassure me please. I just need to know everything will be ok. For the Emperor :(

This is a dark day for us all...No more blood for the blood god, no more skulls for the skull throne.

@thesoutherndandy:I wish i could tell you everything will be alright and we will continue to get great Warhammer 40k games, but this is disconcerting news to hear indeed. An untested studio taking control of an IP people have high expectations for rarely turns out well.

@donkeycow: *runs off sobbing*

I thought this was gonna be a Harry Potter joke or something.

this is the end

beautiful friend

"primarily develops strategy games"

ok, that spells turn based to me, so i'll give them a chance.

i just hope they go all in on a killer art department.

Who the hell are these people? I've never heard of these developers. How did they manage to outbid Sega for the license? Unless...wait...did Sega not want the license?

EDIT: Oh...they make shitty History Channel games. Awesome.

Hoooooly shit, what the he'll will relic make now? All they got is like coh, I love coh but I don't want one every year.

10 Points for Slitherine.

From what I've heard they haven't got exclusive access to the 40k license.

It's more worrying that Games workshop are handing the license around so easily, they seemed to be far more careful when they were dealing with THQ.

SEGA got the rights too I believe. Creative Assembly (Total War franchise & some such) is making a 40k game. SEGA also recently acquired Relic. In other words - Warhammer 40k could not be in more competent hands. Guess that Slitherine deal is just a one-off license or something like that.

Really hope that Relic gets to iterate on Warhammer 40k: Space Marine - its simple but immensely satisfying gameplay is pure flippin' gold! A combined arms *Battlefield-style* game by Relic? Maybe in 3rd person for the melee aspect of the Warhammer 40k universe? Sign me up man!

There's no such thing as an 'exclusive' license on w40k games these days. Let the Spice flow and enjoy. What will be, will be.

See, I didn't know this. This is reassuring. I don't really care about the 40K universe but I've really enjoyed the games.

Did Creative Assembly get the Alien -and- the w40k license? Man. Now I'm excited for two potentially great games.

Duders cool down. It's important to note however that Relic does not hold the SOLE 40k license. It seems GW is finally becoming less protective of it's coveted 40k licence and has decided to grant it to 3 separate developers.

Relic still (likely) holds a licence for whatever 40k project they still have in development over there. Given their long relationship with GW and the fan reception to those games I can't imagine GW doesn't renew their liscence should they decide to make another 40K game in the future.

Full Control also holds a 40k licence for new Space Hulk game they're currently developing.

In addition Slitherine also has been granted a licence and while their name doesn't carry as much weight as some like Relic, if you look at their catalogue, they at least seem very dedicated to traditional real-time and turned based wargames. Something which I'm sure GW took into consideration. I remember even before Relic made the first DOW, people in the 40k tabletop community were absolutely clamoring for a digital, mostly rule accurate turned-based strategy game with all the craziness that goes a long with that. While DOW was great and a lot of people in the community were swayed by it, I think there's still been an itch to make a real-ass 40k videogame for the hardcore fans. I am hoping that whatever game Slitherine announces will be this.

GW is diversifying which is smart.

@seppli: Space Marine was pretty great, I do hope they uncancel Space marine 2.

Shame latency in multiplayer made melee really terrible.

Alright, hearing that they don't have the sole license makes me feel so much better. Disaster averted. I am interested to see what these guys will make, maybe going a little larger scale then what Relic is doing. DoW2 is great but I sorta miss base building.

I believe CA actually has the Warhammer Fantasy license not the 40k one.

This sounds likely. If this Sitherine company had won an exclusive licence then they would be shouting about it as it would, righly be huge news. All they have said is they are making a 40k game. Singular.

Now it could be that Sega/Relic don't want to play if they can't secure an exclusive licence but if they are willing, it clearly shows GW are open to licencing offers on a game by game basis.

I agree but I would say they are still being protective. They are licencing on a game by game basis. Presumably even Relic will have to pitch future games for approval.

They need to shop that licence about though. Making miniatures and selling rule sets is a declining market. They have tried to get in to animated movies (with poor results) but their publishing arm is selling an awful lot of books. Compare this with the licensed (declared non cannon now) 40k books released in the early 90's.

As much as I love 40k, I think it would be really cool to see Infinity get a video game.

Being accurate to the current table top rules would be an absolute turn off for me, since the last few editions of the 40k ruleset have been a mess in one way or the other. I have very little interest in 40k beyond the fiction and what Dan Abnett writes.

Actually they've lost a portion of their audience to other less expensive table top games.

@funkydupe said:

In reading that, I just imagined a Relic-developed Aliens RTS and both my heart jumped out of my chest and my penis became fully erect at the same time.

That was a weird feeling...that I need to feel again. Re-reading your sentence now...repeatedly...

I cannot speak for any of the places outside of our area, but all three game stores in the area I live in have stopped playing 40k pretty much 100%. People got tired of their bad rules, shitty customer service and overpriced, inferior pieces of resin. The store I work at is almost exclusively Warmachine and Infinity now, with Firestorm Armada beginning to take off.

I thought Hufflepuff had a chance. Too bad.

Same here. There's barely anyone that plays 40K. Everything is Warmachine. Even then, though, TCG is where it's at if you are wanting to make money. Anyone will pick up on a TCG for the hell of it. Inexpensive to get started, and even if it dies, you can say it didn't cost much to enjoy it for its short time.

That reminds me: anyone wanna buy some WoW TCG stuff? Like...a lot of it? I....have a friend?....that has a lot of them. O_____O

Let's just hope they make something good with it. I want to see more races involved instead of the usual space marines vs x race that was secretly being controlled by chaos legions. Give the other races a chance to shine!

Come on dude the Marines are the Warhammer 40K franchise.

@thedudeofgaming: Yup, Half the codex's are literally Marines. The Xeno's aren't all that interesting anyway, Orks have very simple motivation, 'Nids just want to consome everything and Eldar are space elves.

I enjoy the Imperial Guard stories.