38 Studios' Project Copernicus to release in June 2013, says RI governor

It is not every day that a U.S. governor is the one to announce the launch window for an MMO, so savor the weirdness while you can: Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee announced at a press conference that 38 Studios will be releasing code-name Project Copernicus next summer. "What I understand is Copernicus is June of '13," Chafee said. He also stated that he thought the financial deal was a "risky enterprise" from the start.

38 Studios Founder and Chairman Curt Schilling said on Facebook that rumors of his using the state funds to repay his personal investment in the company was "not true." In a separate post, Schilling attempted to set an optimistic tone: "We will find a way, and the strength, to endure."

We have been following the financial turmoil that 38 Studios is in following its default on paying back Rhode Island for its $75 million loan. The studio and state are looking for options, but in the meanwhile, 38 Studios has been struggling to make payments by holding back employee paychecks and seeking additional capital from private investors.