Total War: Warhammer 40k has crushed one million Steam wishlists already, proving the hype is very real. Let’s talk scale, expectations, and why fans are all in.
Total War: Warhammer 40k still doesn’t have a release date, but that hasn’t stopped the hype train from hitting full speed. The game just crossed one million wishlists on Steam, and that’s not a small feat.
Creative Assembly confirmed it publicly, thanking fans and teasing more news soon. That kind of interest puts it firmly in the “massive potential hit” category, especially for a 40k title.
What One Million Total War Warhammer 40k Wishlists Could Really Mean
Steam wishlist data is one of the few public indicators of launch potential. Based on industry averages, somewhere between 20% and 27% of those wishlisters might buy the game in the first week. Some titles hit way higher, some lower, but even a conservative slice translates to hundreds of thousands of players dropping into grimdark campaigns at launch.
Highly rated games end up with conversion rates over 50%, meaning that, at these numbers right now, this could have over 500,000 players in a few weeks after launch.
And once that happens, the ripple effect could reach well beyond the digital battlefield.
These Wishlists Could Pull a Ton of New People Into Tabletop 40k
History backs it up: big 40k video games have always pulled new players into the hobby. Dawn of War turned PC gamers into miniature collectors. The Total War: Warhammer trilogy kept the Warhammer brand in front of millions for nearly a decade. Space Marine 2 is doing it again right now.
Now, with Total War: Warhammer 40k sitting on a million wishlists, the math gets exciting. If even a small slice of that audience decides to check out the tabletop version, we’re talking tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of new players. Imagine local stores with full demo tables, fresh armies being built, and painting stations jammed with new hobbyists trying out their first Combat Patrol box.
Games Workshop has seen this pattern before: when the IP gets mainstream exposure through a great game, tabletop interest spikes. If Creative Assembly nails the faction feel and delivers the large-scale spectacle fans expect, it could easily become one of the biggest recruitment moments the miniatures hobby has ever seen.
Total War and 40k are Made For Each Other
Exterminatus In Total War: Warhammer 40k
The pairing just makes sense. Total War already thrives on massive armies, sweeping campaigns, and endless replayability. Plug in the Imperium, Chaos, Aeldari, Orks, and Necrons, and you’ve got a formula that practically prints excitement. Every player can find their corner of the galaxy, and every campaign can feed directly back into tabletop curiosity.
Final Thoughts on Total War 40k’s 1Millon Wishlists
If Total War: Warhammer 40k comes out swinging, that one million wishlists is not just a scoreboard number. It’s a warning shot for every local store and gaming group: a wave of curious newcomers could be right behind it.
Keep an eye on the trailers and faction reveals, then be ready to point people toward an easy first step on the tabletop side. A Combat Patrol, a simple paint plan, and a friendly first game go a long way. Most new players don’t need a rules lecture. They need a good first night and a reason to come back.
Now we just wait to see if Creative Assembly sticks the landing. If they do, expect the question to shift from “Is Total War: Warhammer 40k good?” to “Okay, what army should I start?”
Wishlist your copy of Total War 40k here on Steam
