| Project Copernicus | |
|---|---|
 Working title logo | |
| Developer(s) | 38 Studios |
| Director(s) | Steve Danuser |
| Designer(s) | Travis McGeathy |
| Artist(s) |
|
| Writer(s) | R. A. Salvatore |
| Composer(s) |
|
| Engine | Unreal Engine 3 |
| Release | Canceled |
| Genre(s) | Massively multiplayer online role-playing game |
| Mode(s) | Multiplayer |
Project Copernicus was a canceled massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) that was in development at 38 Studios. The project was created by studio founder Curt Schilling, with writer R. A. Salvatore and artist Todd McFarlane being deeply involved in its development. Other notable staff included creative director Steve Danuser, art director Thom Ang, and co-composer Aubrey Hodges.
The game was set in Amalur, a fantasy universe shared with Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning (2012), a game in development at Big Huge Games from 2009. The storyline would have seen the world's races, having achieved immortality through a device dubbed the Well of Souls, banding together to defeat a great evil. Developer comments compared the gameplay to World of Warcraft, and participation would have been based on a free-to-play model.
Project Copernicus was first mentioned in 2006 when 38 Studios was founded, initially planned for a 2011 release. The game was teased with artwork and a short trailer released in May 2012, but production ceased that same year following the studio's bankruptcy. Reactions to its cancellation were varied from employees, associated parties, and journalists covering the incident. Its overly high ambitions and place within the changing MMO market were noted. In 2018, the assets of Project Copernicus were acquired by THQ Nordic along with the Amalur intellectual property.