From retailers to hobbyists, everyone is banking on the new Betrayal of Calth to be a super hot release. BUT will it be a repeat of Age of Sigmar, or did GW learn from it’s mistakes?
I’m sure we can all remember the Ice Age of Sigmar, that three months in summer that saw AoS go from super nova, to a white dwarf after GenCON, and then implode into a black hole that seemed to suck all positive hobby light into it until just this October.
Will Horus Heresy be different?
So far it seems like it may be. Games Workshop held special training last week for what may have been a majority of it’s sales staff on the impending product launch.
Will the retailers buy into it?
Obviously by now folks are clamoring to pre-order the new box set, and retailers are probably feeling the demand already.
Will GW make special offers to select retailers for 100 starter box packages like they did with Age of Sigmar? A lot of their top trade accounts got left holding the bag when AoS tanked mid August, and I can imagine that will weight heavy on their decision to order heavy on the new Heresy release. This biggest apprehension I am hearing from consumers and retailers alike is that no one really knows if individual box sets are to follow the starter, of if there will there even be rules for the new game.
Because it seems to be hex based sort of gamer from the pictures we’ve seen so far?
Well here’s the early word from that special Horus Heresy training last week:
via B&C’s The Psycho 10-31-2015
“It’s not limited, and also, they’ve produced (and this is a straight quote from my local redshirt) an “Imperial #&@!ton”, that is to say 40% more than the first run of Age of Sigmar (and they’re not done yet!) Also, they have the production capacity to manufacture that same amount within 3 weeks. So don’t worry, it’s not limited.”
So if this is true, it seems like we may not have to stress much to get our hands on the new Heresy plastics come November 14th. The big question may be, what will happen after that?
Then we have this little tease from Hastings from late last week…
via 75hastings69 10-28-2015
The Plan for Horus Heresy
“As I said back in February 🙂 standalone HH game. Later develops into a main 30k range to replace hobbit on store shelves.
Q: Ok, so this will become an actual miniatures game and not be restricted solely to being a board game?A: That’s what I was told yes. Not sure on timeframe, but all so far is going exactly as I was told and posted.
…my source (who gave me the info in January) had already seen boxes with the 30k logo on printed some boxes had 30k & 40k logos on, as I reported in February. I will not go into specifics as to what these kits were, but they are obviously worked on already if the boxes are done 🙂
…The plan is for 30k to replace LotR on the store shelves, that plan and the releases AFTER HH standalone box is already WELL into the production time cycle.”
So it looks like all signs are pointing to what many consider the right direction for this product launch, but after the way summer went there still seems to be a lot of people on the proverbial fence.
Will Games Workshop space out this launch, and any subsequent box sets appropriately to keep interest piqued? If the rumors are true about increased production levels is it even conceivable that they could accidentally flood the market between product waves?
What do you think the future holds for GW’s hottest property?
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About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
