Rumors abound that 9th Edition 40k is on the way right after Psychic Awakening. Here’s why that could be good and bad for the hobby.
Just to clarify, this isn’t any kind of whish-listing article that’s being made just to kick up dirt. Multiple sources in the recent past have come out and mentioned some pretty surprising claims that there was a 9th edition of Warhammer 40k on the horizon.
Here’s the latest on the (possibly) new edition as well as what it could mean for us.
9th Edition Rumors From the Past
Chapter Master Valrak on B&C dropped some added info on what we can expect to see about the rumored “new 40k edition”.
next summer (2020 time frame) 9th edition, marines and Necrons.
Psychic Awakening To 40k 9th Edition?
Spotted on BoLS, the source of an Industry Insider mentioned:
- Psychic Awakening is setting the framework/testing what’s ahead for 9th edition.
- The Psychic Phase is getting reworked. (Which might be why we haven’t seen much psychic support in Psychic Awakening).
- Keywords will be reworked.
- More aspects of AoS will be ported over into the game. (We still don’t know about flat wound rolls).
- More codex supplements will continue to come out before 9th Edition drops.
- Look for 9th Edition 40k to hit sometime in 2020.
- Endless Psychic Powers are coming. Similar to Endless Spells in AoS. (This would make sense to see with the new “awakening” of Psykers across real-space).
- The Endless Psychic Powers will be coming in a small box set similar to Malign Sorcery in AoS when Endless Spells were first introduced.
- Flyers might be getting a total rework on how they operate.
With so many rumors and details given on keyword and psychic phase changes as well as new models on the way, it seems like there’s definitely something lying in wait.
While we can’t say for sure right now, it’s time to weigh the pros and cons to a new edition hitting 40k.
Would 9th Edition Be All That Bad?
Right away, the loudest voice in the community might be a resounding “YES IT WOULD BE THAT BAD” because of the fear of more rules bloating or the potential of things taking a turn back towards 7th edition. Perhaps the old saying “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” definitely is true here.
However, if 9th edition did drop after Psychic Awakening concluded and our codexes/supplements would still be usable (which was talked about in the rumors above), it might not be that bad of a thing.
All 9th edition might really do is tighten up rules and condense them so there’s less bloat. Because lets face it, one thing GW is good at is making a system bloated, and then rebooting it and doing it all over again…
One could even argue that they are really the only company that has had any success doing it honestly. Think of all the rules reboots and 2.0’s out there in the tabletop world versus how many were actually successful.
A New Edition Could Be a Rules Compressor
It’s worth mentioning that GW straight up lied to the community about 8th edition being a series where you wouldn’t need all these supplements to game. Sorry GW, a spade is a spade, you lied and rubbed our noses in it for the last three years of 40k.
Image From GW Facebook June 16, 2017 (for the rollout of 8th Edition)
We’re back where things were at the tail end of 7th when rules were bloated and people had to carry all sorts of content to their games. But, just in the same way 8th edition condensed everything (at least for a little bit), it did help with the rules bloat.
However, with another pass at codexes, Psychic Awakening, White Dwarf-exclusive rules, and Vigilus, the pattern is clear to see.
Fast forward to where we are now, it’s about time for GW to click the ol’ “Zip File” button on 40k and bring all the relevant rules into one place once again. What better time to do that than a new edition?
As for now, multiple sources have been pointing to the summer of 2020 to see the new 9th edition. All we can do right now is patiently wait and see if they were right after all.
Alright GW, its time to make the hobby great again, STOP with the incessant rules creep, and for the love of the Emperor give us an updateable digital solution to your content nightmare.
In the meantime, what are your thoughts about a new edition coming to 40k? What would be a key feature on the game you would change?
Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group, and make sure you enter the latest monthly giveaway for FREE today!
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.
