GW crashed its own website to fight scalpers sniping Siege of Terra: Era of Ruin, here’s what happened and how it affects your preorder.
If you were refreshing the Games Workshop site like a recaffeinated servitor trying to grab Siege of Terra: Era of Ruin and suddenly got booted to a sign-up page, nope—it wasn’t a glitch. GW intentionally shut its own store down.
Why? Scalpers. Again. Here are the details.
GW Stop Scalpers (Again)
GW pulled the plug themselves to stop scalpers and bots from snapping up every last copy of the latest Black Library release.
The response wasn’t subtle. They hit the big red button, closed the whole shop, and left a “leave your name and we’ll call you” sheet in its place. Let’s talk about why that happened, what’s changed since The End and the Death, and what to expect going forward.
What Happened With Siege of Terra: Era of Ruin?
In short, scalpers showed up with bots, and GW slammed the doors shut.
The moment the Siege of Terra: Era of Ruin limited edition went live, automated orders started sneaking past security like Alpha Legion agents at a costume party. Rather than let the book sell out in under 60 seconds (like they’ve done before), GW took the nuclear option and shut the webstore down. No shopping cart. No checkout. Just a simple sign-up form for anyone interested.
Not exactly graceful. But effective? Maybe.
Has GW Done This Before?
Yep. The last time they had this kind of mess was with The End and the Death – Volume III. Scalpers tried to pull a fast one and clear the shelves before real fans had a shot. GW responded by:
- Cancelling duplicate orders
- Enforcing a one-per-customer rule
- Re-releasing the book globally with fair warning
- Shifting cancelled copies to fans who missed out
That was a win for the community. So this time, instead of waiting for the damage, GW is trying to block it before it starts.
What’s the Deal With the New Sign-Up System?
Right now, if you want a copy of Era of Ruin, you sign up. That’s it. GW hasn’t said how many will be printed or when they’ll go live, but if your name is on the list, you’ll (hopefully) get a chance.
No panicked 10 a.m. clicks. No scalper firesale five minutes later. Just a list and a bit of patience… At least that’s what we hope. Or it might be a rush to see who can answer the sign-up email the fastest.
It’s not the cleanest system—there wasn’t much warning, and the store nuking felt like a panic move. But it is better than letting the bots win. And fans have been asking GW to take this more seriously for years.
Why Are Limited Edition Warhammer Books So Hard to Get?
Great question. Short print runs make them feel special (and easier to manage logistically). But demand often outweighs supply, especially for anything tied to Siege of Terra, Sanguinius, and the Emperor.
Can scalpers still get around purchase limits?
Yes—bots and multiple accounts are the standard play. That’s why GW is going harder on detecting and deleting these orders.
Will there be more copies of Siege of Terra: Era of Ruin?
No word yet, but based on what they did with The End and the Death, another order wave wouldn’t be surprising—especially if the first round goes sideways.
How do You avoid paying scalper prices?
- Sign up on GW’s site
- Don’t feed the eBay gremlins
- Stay alert for second-chance preorders
- Follow Warhammer Community updates closely
Is This the Future of GW Preorders?
It could be. GW’s shifting toward a system where fans sign up ahead of time, and then get notified or even guaranteed a copy before bots can strike. It’s not perfect (and crashing your site isn’t exactly a flex), but it shows GW is taking the problem seriously.
Compare that to how Emperor’s Children army boxes vanished in minutes and flooded resale sites without much of a response. This new method, clunky as it is, feels more protective of the actual fanbase.
Final Thoughts From Us
The webstore may have gone offline, but the message is clear: Games Workshop is done playing nice with scalpers. Is the system smooth? Nope. Does it beat F5 mashing and eBay regret? Absolutely.
If you want Siege of Terra: Era of Ruin, get on the list and stay frosty. GW might not be perfect at this yet—but they’re learning. And scalpers? They’re starting to learn that the easy wins are over.
See What Happened With The End and The Death Pre-Orders
