Warhammer 40,000 7th Edition Coming Soon?
April 29, 2014 by brennon
Games Workshop have taken the ability to order the Warhammer 40,000 6th Edition Book down from their webstore and of course this is sparking interest in the next iteration of the game coming over the next month or so...
The rumours are that we're getting a new set which features the Blood Angels Space Marine chapter and the hordes of the Orks. The set is a bit slimmer than in the past according to the internet but I think it's a wait and see with this one.
Bell of Lost Souls have the run down on what could potentially be the order for releases as well...
April 26 - Wood Elves Week 1 Products Released
May 3rd - Wood Elves Week 2 Products Released
May 10th - Mystery Week ???
May 17th - 40K 7th Pre-orders
May 24th - 40K 7th Edition Released
...so if that's the case we really don't have long to wait until the new edition or indeed a tweaked version of 6th arrives on your tabletop. With this news it's also possible that we won't be seeing Warhammer Fantasy Battles this year but next now.
Do you think we're looking at a new edition soon?
Headline’s back to front, should read 7th, and yes, the Rulebook appears to have disappeared not only from the webstore, but apparently from the handful of GW’s that open on a Monday to check.
Oops thanks for spotting that – and aye appears to have dropped off the radar.
yet both version are still available on iTunes makes me think 6.5 rather than 7th as they can be updated
They called 4ed 3.5 when it was released.
they did not.
3.5 and 4th ed were completely different. 3.5 didn’t have a new core rule book, just a series of updated army books (we saw yet another chaos and imp guard codex, twice in the same edition) and a fleet of FAQs.
4th didn’t come out until 2004 and lasted the typical four years until 2008 when 5th was released.
The problem GW have is perception. It’s only two years since the last £45 book, or £80 for the collectors one, and in that time they have sold very expensive codices – £80 for the limited space marine ones that could be out of date within 12 months- and this all gives the impression of a money grab. It may or may not be what is going on, but they do not help themselves to get the benefit of the doubt. I’m in wait and see mode, if they fix the problems with 6th , which for me is mainly… Read more »
I’m leaning towards the money grab. Nothing in their recent behaviour indicates anything different.
Still, it’s 40K. Regardless of what happens it will sell shedloads and dominate the gaming scene to the detriment of other, superior, games as it has for the last decade.
I miss Specialist Games. At least they had individuality rather than re-hashing the same old thing with bigger, more expensive models.
To save themselves time everyone could just copy and paste their own comments from the pre 6th Edition release thread.
Just a joke. Don’t shoot me down 🙂
GW are a sinking ship and this money grab is a good way of slowing the sinking down – or maybe even overturning it, depending on the quality. I welcome 7th edition *if* it’s a superior product. For all 6th’s faults it was still a perfectly playable game that facilitated crazy adventures. Anything that consciously improves the game is worth having. If this new book has stronghold et al included then that’s brilliant as well. Sorry about everyone who did pay for these items but imo I’d rather have a better game. That being said, it may well be 6.5… Read more »
I am not sure it will slow the sinking.
There may even be a chance that it will accelerate it, if we all of a sudden have to buy new rules every 2 years…
I used to play 40k but stopped because I was just way too busy with work and DJing for cash monies to invest time in it. I decided to look for more quick ‘pick up and play’ options instead. When I considered getting back into the game it was now all flyers and you can take fences and units from other armies and whatnot. I’d like it to go back to being a bit more streamlined and simple before I decide to jump back in. That’s just me though. Not even painted a mini for over 18 months! I could… Read more »
Sigh.
And I’ve not even learned the 6th edition rules yet…
Newcomer to the hobby.
To be fair here, aside from 2nd to 3rd, each new version hasn’t changed things drastically, so you won’t have to start from scratch again or anything.
Its interesting that been reading about people saying “only 2 years from last edition”. Please correct me if I am wrong but according to Infinity wiki site there 2nd Edition came out in late 2012 and 3rd is coming late 2014. I know it sounds like a money sink but if they look at certain things like overwatch (give assault army’s a chance) and bring in Escalation and Stronghold into the book then its not that heavy on the money side (Sorry for people who have bought the extra books) As for slow sinking of GW I do not see… Read more »
Infinity 2nd edition dates from 2010 or so, the Paradiso expansion was 2012.
There is also the point that Infinity rules are entirely free. No one ever has to pay for rulebooks to play the game.
My copy of the revised 2nd ed Infinity rulebook lists 2008 for its publication date.
My revised 2nd Edition rulebook says 2008 also, and my Human sphere says 2009.
And mine!
My Mistake then. Should not trust Wiki
Whether he was right or wrong about release dates is minor. @sheridan make a good point that many games make new rulebooks even in a somewhat short time. Its OK as long as it improves the game.
Its my hope that in this case it will improve. Even though I have yet to play with the 6th edition rules I know others do and wish them a better experience because of this.
If they want quick $$$, I’d expect to see a special box (ala Space Hulk and Dread Fleet) and Necro would make the most sense — hasn’t it been about 20 years? With the advances they’ve made in plastics, they could have some nice customisable gangs. I know Chambers once said they should make a re-release set with Goliaths vs. Escher — rock ‘n’ roll, baby!
Did they get a lot of revenue from 3rd ed Space Hulk and Dreadfleet? I don’t recall their releases giving them company a spike.
Don’t know, but I got the impression Space Hulk did much better than Dreadfleet, as SH had a previously established brand that had a built-in demand. I think SH now goes for $200 or more on the secondary market, while DF is going for less than the original retail. So if a Necro re-release is more like SH than DF, I think GW could make a tidy sum.
That is certainly the case. Both were limited runs and supply was exceeded by demand in the case of Space Hulk but the opposite happened in the case of DF. That’s why the secondary market has gone the way it has for each game. That said, it doesn’t affect GW’s bottom line. They don’t get any more or less money for a game depending on how the secondary market has gone. As far as I’m aware they sold out of both SH and DF so their income on each will have been about the same.
True, GW would not benefit from the seconday market directly. It would, however, indicate (in the case of Space Hulk) that there was unmet demand and GW essentially “left money on the table.” Many of those people now paying double or more retail value likely would have paid that money to GW instead.
Without a doubt though making an self-contained box game permanently available alongside their wargames opens up a whole other can of worms. It’d be interesting and telling if GW went back to that.
It would depend on their long term goals, but they can’t ignore the success companies like Mantic have had with skirmish style play out of one box games.(I appreciate those have expanded beyond the box they come in but you get the idea)
GW operate on a different scale to Mantic. A game which is a big success for Mantic would be a failure for GW. Not to say that GW should or shouldn’t do certain types of games, just that they almost certainly won’t factor in what works for Mantic when they decide.
I have heard rumours that they will be re releasing Epic this summer but I am not holding my breath for it, they might be just waiting for more stock to come in or just reprinting the rulebook for 40K in a different size or something
I am in two minds on it. 6th was the first time i had bought the ‘big rulebook’ next time I will probably wait until the starter box as they are usually great value and give the smaller version. I hadn’t picked up Escalation etc as of yet so if the new book includes them then its fair enough. Just to put in a ‘food for thought’ at the moment GW get slammed for issues with 6th rules and the volume of books needed, if this new book brings all that together with a couple of fixes then that is… Read more »
I don’t know how true it is and salt is always required but the Rumors of the new starter box are saying it won’t have a complete smaller rulebook. Its very basic rules for people that are just starting in the hobby. Supposedly it won’t have the rules for stuff like vehicles you’ll have to buy the BRB to get the complete rules. http://natfka.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/7th-edition-and-starter-set-release.html This IMO kinda makes sense, they will be able to maybe bring the starter in at a lower price point as to not overwhelm new players in rules and cost. It will also force more veterans… Read more »
From what ive heard its a 6.5 slime down rule update book in the box and they are looking to do it every year so new starter set and update rules not a revamp so the new codexs will still fit with the rules.
I believe the new 40k rules release is more due to the current financial problems GW plc is facing , rather than a ‘need’ to update 40k 6th ed.(A poor half year result had wiped 30% of the share prices.) As a new 40k rules release always generates a decent volume of sales. However, GW plc could continue to address the 6th ed rules issues with free FAQs . But why do do the ‘right’ thing and fix your mistakes for free, when you can sell customers new solutions to the problems you created? I hope GW plc manage to… Read more »
Have you read the half yearly financial report? Not sure how you get failing company from that?
The rest of your post I agree with though
Meh.
I’m a bit miffed that a new edition is coming out only a couple of years after I’d bough the rulebook and boxed set. But, I’m hoping they’ll change things for the better. Having an epic battle scene on the box art would be one simple change they could make, as the grey/black cover of Dark Vengeance said nothing about the game and was dull boring. Stat cards would be great. Alternate activation would be awesome – something new to change how the game is played and make it less about waiting for players to finish moving/shooting their whole army… Read more »
just spare a thought to all the single mums out there who have shed a load of money and have to again to keep their kids up to date with GW. Im disgraced with this and it is appalling that GW have done this. They just play with their supporters and hobbyists I say dont even buy then the mess that GW have created will come to bite them in there big body organ. Fooling us with the fact that what is in production is 3 years behind what they release is 3 years old already. Did they plan for… Read more »
Honestly, can you imagine the outcry from the many, many people who have already invested in armies if they changed the scale to 15mm?
Having said that, I would be interested in a 15mm version of epic as I’ve no interest in painting any infantry smaller than that.
The idealistic and over optimistic part of me hopes this could mean something really good; all the wrongs put right or maybe an exciting new development such as a fantastic new race or an innovating new direction that turns the gaming industry on its head. I guess I’m hoping for that old GW magic that was lost somewhere after the shares floatation and not some cynical corporate ploy to mug the faithful.
Unfortunately, another part of me thinks different. As Han Solo would say ‘I got a bad feeling about this’.
The Price tag is never good but when has anything GW released been welcomed because of the price. Just something you have to accept to GW is the price. I use to play 1st and 2nd Edition and I remember blister packs where 2.99 upwards. I use to get £1 per week for pocket money. Which did not get me many models My daughter get £20 per month and even that does not get too many models per month. I am staying with an open mind and see what they do with it. Would like to see fix Allies and… Read more »
OMG, what a scam.
GW does not stop pester their client. not yet finished reading the rulebook 6th and 7th and goes, and it is becoming more expensive, everything, everything is more expensive, miniatures, codex, books, rules, scenery, etc.. think to do the most expensive things or constantly change the rules, serve to prevent the fall is totally wrong, it causes fewer people continue playing, is almost unsustainable, as compared to other similar games is absurd, the price difference, and these games do not change the rules constantly, these are things that are carrying GW, astray.
@assamite39. I said GW plc,were having financial trouble. When your turn over is down over 10% on last year ,in a growing market. It means things are going wrong some where. In 2007 Tom Kirby C.E.O/Chairman admitted that GW corporate management had ‘..grown fat and lazy on the back of easy success..’ Up until that point they had just looked at cutting costs, (generally a good thing.) And increasing RRP to make up for falling sales volumes, (a short term measure to keep turn over stable , while new options are explored.) So after declaring that these actions were the… Read more »
Honest question and in no means a dig at anyone, but do we actually know that wargaming is a growing market? What I mean is that the growth and success of small companies like Mantic and Warlord is happening at exactly the same time as Gw’s sales are declining. So is the market actually growing with more people entering the hobby, or is it just shifting with people leaving 40k and WHFB to play new games?
I think it’s best to simply wait to see what they have cooking eh?
@erastus.
All the information from independent retailers appears to be showing an increase in over all sales across this market.
Although a lot of (ex)GW customers may be buying into other systems, it is hard to say if the increase in business for other companies is made up entirely of GW lost sales volume.
However, what is worse, loosing sales volumes in a growing market, or driving customers into buying your competitors products?Or any combination of the two!
All are equally poor situations for any company to be in!
Leaving out the Economics aspect (in which I am not an expert, so I won’t even try to voice an opinion) GW must take this opportunity to really correct many issues the game has been loaded with since 5th edition. 40K is after all publicized as a ‘Strategy’ game, which by now is hilariously misnamed, since nobody takes it seriously anymore in that aspect. Almost every strategic and tactical decision a player makes, is so ludicrously overshadowed by dice-luck or simply biased rules, that even the concept of a competitive environment for this game is an oxymoron. Which is a… Read more »
Nailed it. Although saying their miniatures are ‘superb’ is a blanket statement.