Warhammer Online
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning was a 3D fantasy MMORPG set in Games Workshop’s Warhammer world, built with a heavy emphasis on faction warfare. Instead of focusing on small scale duels, the game pushed players into organized, large battles where Order and Destruction clashed across scenarios and open zones.
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Publisher: Electronic Arts Type: Fantasy MMORPG Release Date: September 18, 2008 Closure Date: December 18, 2013 Pros: +Fluid combat and visuals for its era. +Big zones with strong Warhammer atmosphere. +Plenty of group based PvP formats. Cons: -Class roles can blur together across careers. -A guild helps a lot if you want the full experience. -Large scale PvP can downplay personal outplay. |
Warhammer Online Overview
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (often shortened to WAR) was Mythic Entertainment’s follow-up to Dark Age of Camelot, and it carried over that studio’s passion for realm driven conflict. The core loop revolved around RvR style PvP, meaning you generally fought as part of a wider army rather than as a lone hero, with battles happening both in persistent outdoor areas and in instanced modes.
Compared with DAoC’s multiple realms, WAR simplified the political map into two sides, Order and Destruction. Even with fewer factions, the game still offered meaningful variety through its race and career combinations. Each side features three races, and each race branches into a tank, a healer or support option, a ranged damage option, and a melee damage option, which adds up to 24 careers overall. Many of these careers share familiar MMORPG responsibilities, but their animations, resource mechanics, and Warhammer flavor aim to keep them distinct.
WAR launched with a traditional subscription model, and while early interest was strong, the player population shrank rapidly after release as many players did not stick with the monthly fee. After several years online, the service ended when the underlying Warhammer licensing agreement reached renewal and was not continued.
Order Races & Careers
Dwarfs – Ironbreaker, Slayer, Engineer, Rune Priest
Empire – Knight of the Blazing Sun, Witch Hunter, Bright Wizard, Warrior Priest
High Elves – Swordmaster, White Lion, Shadow Warrior, Archmage
Destruction Races & Careers
Greenskins – Black Orc, Choppa, Squig Herder, Shaman
Chaos – Chosen, Marauder, Magus, Zealot
Dark Elves – Black Guard, Witch Elf, Sorcerer, Disciple of Khaine
Warhammer Online Key Features
- Realm vs Realm Combat – A broad set of organized PvP activities, from quick matches to larger campaign style pushes that encourage coordinated groups.
- The World of Warhammer – A tour through recognizable Warhammer Fantasy themes, factions, and environments that lean hard into the setting’s grit and spectacle.
- Social Collaboration –Systems that reward playing near others, helping groups form naturally while you progress and explore.
- Multiple Cities to Explore –Several capital hubs with different layouts and purposes, giving each faction space to gather, trade, and prepare for war.
Warhammer Online Screenshots
Warhammer Online Featured Video
Warhammer Online Links
Warhammer Online Wikipedia Entry
Warhammer Online Wikia [Database/Guides]
Return of Reckoning [Private Server]
Warhammer Online Music & Soundtrack
Warhammer Online Additional Information
Developer: Mythic Entertainment
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Engine: Gamebryo
Game Designers: Mark Jacobs, Paul Barnett, Jeff Hickman
Composer: Brad Derrick
Release Date: September 18, 2008
Closure Date: December 18, 2013
Apple OSX Client Release: July 30, 2009
Development History / Background:
WAR’s road to release started long before Mythic’s involvement. An earlier attempt was in production at Climax Online, but that version was eventually canceled by late 2004 after funding issues stalled progress. With the license effectively available again, Mythic Entertainment initiated discussions with Games Workshop and secured the rights to build a Warhammer MMORPG on May 18, 2005.
At the time, Mythic was also planning another internal project, Imperator Online, but that concept was dropped once the Warhammer deal was in place. From there, the studio shifted its resources to Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, positioning it as a faction conflict MMO built around large battles and public objectives.
The commercial launch began with impressive momentum, exceeding 1.2 million copies sold by September 30, 2008 (less than two weeks after release). The subscription population did not hold at the same level, however, and the game became known for a very rapid decline in active subscribers and repeated waves of server consolidation. Within about three months, the subscriber count had dropped to 300,000. On March 11, 2009, servers were reduced from 56 to 13, with later rounds bringing the total down further to 9, then 6, and eventually 3 by December 14, 2011. Service ended on December 18, 2013 after Electronic Arts and Games Workshop did not renew the Warhammer license.
Warhammer Online Private Servers
Although the original service is gone, Warhammer Online remains playable through a well known community run server called Return of Reckoning. Its emulator work has been associated with contributors such as a developer known as Dyox and the War-Emu team, with Return of Reckoning building upon that foundation.
In practice, this private server is the main way people experience WAR today, and it is generally active enough to support RvR and scenario queues at busier hours. Peak concurrency can reach hundreds of players, which is important for a game whose best moments depend on having many participants in the same fight.