GW's New Releases: A Positive Perspective

[Just_Me]

Everyone has been taken aback by the rapid-fire release (and re-release) schedule GW has been using with 7th edition, it's a big departure and sometimes feels a little rushed. As one who has always tried to own ALL of the current Codexes (for fluff and completeness as well as rules) I won't deny that the speed of these releases has given me pause. To add to my list of concerns, I would prefer to see some new models and I'm not particularly comfortable with the new layout.

However, if I take a step back and take a look at what's going on a big part of me is actually pretty hopeful. For starters it seems like, for the first time in decades we will have all of the Codexes updated to the current edition. That's huge and really pretty exciting. Having all the armies speaking the same "language" and starting (more or less) on par can only encourage more diversity.

I also can't help but be excited by the possibilities opened when they get everyone's book "caught up." They have recently shown themselves willing to add some new armies (albeit nothing radical as yet) in the form of the Militarum Tempestus, Knights, and (finally) an independent Inquisition, not to mention all of the supplements to specific armies. While we may lament the price tags that debate is frankly old hat that we have all heard and said time and again and, objectively, the sheer variety is exciting! This may be the dawn of a new age of freedom for them to create small but exciting introductions to the game, and/or return to cool little additions like Deathwatch Kill-Teams, Kroot Mercenaries, and Lost and the Damned. They even have the potential to introduce small "pocket-factions" in the same vein as the Militarum Tempestus, even adding whole new Xenos species or factions of the Imperium. We might see the things like the Hrud, Khrave, Eldar Exodites, Adeptus Arbites, etc.

Perhaps this is an overly optimistic view, but as someone who loves the hobby and loves the universe GW has created I would prefer to be hopeful.