The biggest Warhammer and 40k rumors of them all is that not all rumors are created equal, so here are some things to watch out for.
So, what are we talking about? Basically, the fact that all rumors are just that, rumors! The rumor mill for Games Workshop, especially Warhammer 40k can get out of hand sometimes, and people often take things they hear to heart (at least what they want to be true).
Obviously, we all love rumors as it gives a glimpse into what’s coming for the Warhammer hobby, but sometimes it baits people hard into things.
Now you might be saying to yourself, “Spikey Bits posts rumors all the time” while that is true, there’s a big difference between sourced rumors and the nearly endless stream of wishlisting on the internet. Obviously, we also publish things that sometimes end up being wrong, so looking at where the rumors come from is a big part of all of this fun.
The Biggest Warhammer 40k Rumor of Them All
Rumors are so accelerated in today’s world with things like Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook. They spread and get extrapolated at such a rate that it’s a little hard to keep up with. We hate to see people get super hyped for something that will never come out, and it can actually be quite harmful to the community when people constantly post fake rumors that they don’t source.
As we said, not all rumors are created equal, so here are some things to watch out for.
- “Well, Actually.” Watch for rumors that make other rumor-mongers post shortly after, as those rumors normally seem to be closer to the truth. If someone posts something and no one else ever chimes in, those rumors are probably worth taking with all the salt.
- The Shotgun Effect. Many people are looking to build a following by posting any random thing they see on the internet (or, in the case of one particular website, emailed directly to them). Some people out there do not research the source of rumors and just repost everything they find. This can really damage the hobby as it gets people hyped (or angry) without any research.
- Context: Many clues can be taken from the actual words used in rumors posts themselves. Sometimes even the tone of a singular writer is duplicated across multiple profiles online.
A Problem With the Source of Most Leaks
There are two major problems with leaks in general that we have seen over the years.
First, not everyone is a Loremaster or actually well-versed in the realm of Warhammer in general. So, what’s the big problem with that? Well, this creates huge gaps in what they are seeing and what they are reporting.
Let’s say someone saw the codex for a new army but doesn’t really understand the faction. Here is a simple example: Space Marines painted red are not always Blood Angels.
Sometimes the information leakers tell other people will be terribly diluted and probably inaccurate. I.E., “New Blood Angels are coming,” when in fact, all someone saw was Space Marines painted red.
Often that type of info has tidbits of truth, but overall will turn out more confusing and wrong. Thus mystifying hobbyists and getting people thinking in the totally wrong direction.
Next comes the problem with language. Sometimes we’ll see leaks from other countries, and people try to just directly translate into English (or whatever language they speak natively). This has a similar problem to the people who don’t really know what they are looking at. The translations are often wrong and spread misinformation once again.
Accuracy is only as good as the person’s familiarity with the content and native language. Not everyone is a loremaster/rules expert and can accurately describe what they have seen/read.
Just Don’t Get Your Hopes too High
The main thing is, don’t get too hyped on anything that is not confirmed by Games Workshop, or perhaps has an established pattern of release by them!
Until then, take everything you see with some salt, and once it’s confirmed by GW, then you know you can start getting hyped.
This goes both ways too. Perhaps don’t get too mad over a rumor if you hear something you love will be updated in a way you don’t like until it’s actually confirmed!
What are your thoughts about types of rumors and how they affect the Warhammer hobby?
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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.
