"The Year of 40K" - An Utter Dissapointment?

[DrLove42]

OR "Has GW forgotten 40K"

I don't know the exact numbers, but is suspect 40K is a bigger system than Fantasy (it is round here at least, sure it changes place to place). This year is the anniversary. Both WD and through them GW declared this as being a year of 40K. A year of awesome stuffs

Its now April. We know Aprils release. (I know thats only 33% through the year so far)

In my head the year so far;

Jan - Vampire Counts (WFB)
Feb - LotR stuff
Mar - 2nd wave for 2 3-4 year old 40K codexes
Apr - Empire (WFB)

Thanks to the back page of WD now showing what we get next month again, we know next month is more Fantasy SoM datasheets. Leaving the first 40K slot of the year in June at the earliest.

Books that were rumoured seemed to be pushed back. At this point we think Chaos are due soon, but again thanks to GW rumour control we just don't know. Tau were pencilled in on the rumour front for the March slot. Now talk is of them next year. Eldar? Next year. Dark Angels? The spine of WD and a new painting set seem to be all that points at them.

Last year wasn't much more balenced, with 4 WFB books (3 armies and one expansion) and 2 40K (i think - Just GK and Necs last year?)

In addition to this we saw a single collectors edition marine for 40K

We've just had the FW open day. I wasn't there so its hard to judge, but based on comments and photos seems that Warhammer Forge dominated there as well, likely mostly due to the release of their new Monster book

I've discussdt this with a few people. The response I get is "Oh but we get a new edition soon, then everything will be better". And my response to that is "Do We?". At this point people are pegging their hopes of this year being 40K high on a book that GW haven't even hinted at or announced. That is just hearsay and whispers right now. If you were a normal player, not connected to the forums you'd have no idea that it "might" be coming out. And you wouldn't have that hope there, and the year would seem even more bleak.

So how can people put their faith in the year recovering in a book thats not even announced?

So my original post stands. Has GW so far failed in its self-billed year of 40K?

[Denzark]

I think only into March is a bit early to write it off.

The endless speculation about what Q could have what against what gaming system, is at least as tedious as the silence from GW, so I won't indulge in it - but they still have time. Cos they do have form for slightly unexpected things.

[SotonShades]

Oh WFB didn't dominate at the FW open day. 2 or 3 cabinets and maybe 8' of tables, compared to 3 or 4 times that amount for 40k. A decent set of WFB info and rumours/plans, but that is more because Warhammer Forge are ramping up their output, where as Forge World are closing in on their limit (until they expand their design stable and manufacturing facilities again). I know the Zone Mortallis board almost always had 6-8 people arouns it. Don't think I ever saw more than 3 around the fantasy table.

I think in general, we have so far missed out a bit on 40k. Then again, the same was true when Fanstasy got their latest editiong. The 6 months or so leading up were very 40k heavy. Don't forget that the financial year starts in a couple of days (April 4th) so GW will most likely want to set out to make as much money from Fantasy to finish that off before giving us a big hit of 40k for the 2012-13 financial report.

[Kiarr]

Just because the back page of WD mentions Empire doesnt mean thats all there is going to be in the WD especially considering how hush hush people are keeping about stuff, I would imagine that we will get something 40k next month - question is what...

[Strangleweb]

Well - the release of 6th Edition is a pretty big thing - I for one see that as a fitting 25th Anniversary present!

[Wildeybeast]

Just because the back page of WD mentions Empire doesnt mean thats all there is going to be in the WD especially considering how hush hush people are keeping about stuff, I would imagine that we will get something 40k next month - question is what...

Took the words right out of my mouth. I would find it highly unusaul if all GW saw fit to release were some datasheets in WD, there will be a big model release as well.

As to the OP, I agree that the 40k anniversary celebrations were low key, especially compared to the fantasy ones a few years back. However, assuming that the big summer release is the new ed, there will be several months focused on that which will redress the balance. I hardly think it is reasonable to expect the whole year devoted to 40k especially when we know there will be a big Hobbit foucs at the end of the year. GW has to provide support for all its game systems, not just 40K and with the summer months likely to be dominated by 40k it is reasonable to get a coul of army books out before hand. I would wait until the end of the 'year of 40K' rather than the start of April before getting annoyed about it. Or did you honestly expect the entire year to be 40k focused?

[Psychosplodge]

Well next years WD will be all hobbit, so enjoy it while it lasts...

[woodenronin]

Our big release was paint! I asked an employee at the GW store in St. Louis and he told me he knows nothing of a new release and the paint change is the big thing for now.

[woodenronin]

He also told me that the Hobbit release is going to be big.

[Wildeybeast]

We know the Hobbit going to be big, LoTR made themega bucks while the films were out so they will obviously invest big in the Hobbit too. As for the paint thing, I don't know what your employee was talking about. It is a big hobby release, yes, but the Empire release will make GW more money in April than the paints, so they are not exactly a 'big' release by GW scale. There will be a proper big release in the summer, there always is, and the smart money is on it being next gen 40k