THQ has entered into an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Games Workshop for the Warhammer 40,000 franchise through to 2013.

The agreement serves to both extend and expand upon THQ’s previous agreement with Games Workshop for the Warhammer 40,000 license, which encompassed interactive rights to console and handheld systems, as well as PC.

Additional rights under the newly announced agreement include wireless devices and all online rights, including massively multiplayer games. It also includes the same rights to Games Workshop’s Gorkamorka and Necromunda properties.

THQ also announced that its Texas based studio, Vigil Games, is in development on the first MMO based on the Warhammer 40,000 franchise.

THQ’s critically acclaimed Warhammer: 40,000: Dawn of War franchise now boasts more than two million units in sales worldwide with the release of hybrid expansion Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Dark Crusade last Spring.

“Our success in creating Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War as a category leading real-time strategy experience for PC gamers is just the beginning,” said Kelly Flock, executive vice president of worldwide publishing, THQ. “The Warhammer 40,000 universe provides a richness of worlds, characters and stories and level of depth that translates perfectly to interactive experiences across multiple genres and systems. We see a lot of opportunity to build new and different games based on Games Workshop’s fantastic property in the coming years, beginning with our newly announced MMO.”