THQ revamping Dark Millennium to focus on immersive single-player and online multiplayer; 118 employees at Relic and Vigil studios being laid off as a result.

THQ's long-awaited Warhammer 40,000 massively multiplayer online game is no longer going to be massively multiplayer, as the publisher today announced a genre shift to turn Dark Millennium into a single-player game with some online multiplayer features.

Dark Millennium's development has taken an unexpected turn.

"As previously announced, we have been actively looking for a business partner for the game as an MMO," THQ CEO Brian Farrell said in a statement. "However, based on changing market dynamics and the additional investment required to complete the game as an MMO, we believe the right direction for us is to shift the title from an MMO to a premium experience with single and multiplayer gameplay, robust digital content and community features."

The change in focus will cost scores of THQ employees their jobs. The publisher said it is cutting 79 workers from the Austin, Texas-based Vigil Games and another 39 from Vancouver, British Columbia-based Relic Entertainment.

THQ said a release window for the project would be announced at a later date. For more on the game Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium was originally intended to be, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

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