Is Stargate Worlds Doomed? MGM Says Maybe

MGM may pull the Stagate license from publisher Firesky if it doesn't cough up more funds.

According to MMORPG.com, publisher Firesky is in risk of losing the Stargate Worlds license if the company doesn't raise enough capitol to keep the lights on, pay off back wages, and launch the Stargate-themed MMORPG. Apparently, the publisher has until August 1 to raise the money else MGM will pull the license. To top things off, the whole ordeal relies on a group of doctors who are considering an $8 million investment.

Firesky's Director of New Business Development Shane Hensley said that the company has never considered scrapping the game, nor is there any danger of MGM stepping in and pulling the license. "MGM certainly isn't thrilled with our current situation, but neither do we have any specific indication they're pulling the license on any particular date," he said.

Funds for Stargate Worlds ran dry long ago, but rather than discontinue development, the company decided to hang on and continue working. Many key personnel moved on to other projects, while others chose to continue with the game and remain behind on pay. MMORPG.com said that currently there is only one member on the client team and one member on the server team still on the Stargate project.

“Overall, funding is obviously a huge challenge for us, but our management is working on it daily,” Hensley said.

Stargate Worlds is currently in development at Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment, and is expected to launch in Q4 2009. The MMORPG uses Epic's Unreal Engine 3, and originally began development back in 2006. Firesky stepped in during 2008 as the game's publisher.