Let’s take a look at what new 40k codex books are left for 9th edition and if GW may still be on track for their 3-year 10th Edition reboot.
Even though the releases for 40k have been a little slow, GW still has a chance to keep the reboot schedule for a new edition at some point in 2023. It’s time to start thinking about what could be coming next and if they could squeeze the last few books in before they try to go to 10th.
Hopefully, this means more people can get their updated codex books a little before the 10th edition of Warhammer 40k.
What Codex Books Are Next For Warhammer 40k:
While some big clues pointed to the fact that a new World Eaters codex might just fall into 10th edition, we know that is not the case anymore!
So again, new Codex release-wise, Leagues of Votann will be jumping Imperial Guard, and finally, World Eaters.
Here’s a look at what is confirmed and rumored still to come for 2022 and into 2023:
- Leagues of Votann (Army Box Only as of Sept 2022)
- Imperial Guard (CONFRIMED)
- World Eaters (CONFIRMED)
- Various Space Marine Chapters (6 like before in 8th Edition?)
- Space Marines 2.0 (like 8th Edition?)
- Inquisition/Assassins (if not White Dwarf fodder again)
This isn’t in exact order but could be close. However, with so many books potentially left and 2023 as the tentative date for 10th edition Warhammer 40k, it’s great to see World Eaters didn’t get pushed back.
Now let’s see how the start of 9th compares with the start of 8th Edition:
8th Edition 40k: Year One
Looking back to the start of 8th Edition in 2017, perhaps we can see some pattern in how the 9th Edition codex release lineup will go?
TL;DR The first Xenos codexes released for 8th Edition were:
- Craftworlds October 2017
- Tyranids November 2017
And the first non-Marine Imperial books were:
- Adeptus Mechanicus September 2017
- Astra Militarum October 2017
Unfortunately for both Craftworlds and Tyranids, they weren’t very early this time around, but at least they have finally grabbed books (or almost for the Nids).
- Space Marines July 2017
- Chaos Space Marines August 2017
- Grey Knights August 2017
- Adeptus Mechanicus September 2017
- Death Guard September 2017
- Astra Militarum October 2017
This is the first six, so it’s very similar to what we have currently for the 9th edition. Roughly looking at it here there are 4 Imperium codexes and 2 Chaos vs 9th edition’s 4 Imperium, 1 Chaos, and 1 Xenos. Relatively similar patterns trading in one Chaos release for a Xenos release.
It just looks like the Astra Militarium book was basically replaced by the Sisters book.
- Craftworlds October 2017
- Tyranids November 2017
- Blood Angels December 2017
- Dark Angels December 2017
- Adeptus Custodes January 2018
- Chaos Daemons January 2018
- Thousand Sons February 2018
- Tau Empire March 2018
- Necrons March 2018
- Drukhari April 2018
Looking at the list after 10 more releases raising the count to 16 total the ratio of Imperium-to-Chaos-to-Xenos changes a bit. The totals after 16 releases are 7 Imperium, 4 Chaos, and 5 Xenos books respectively. Drukhari jumped the line this time around, but some others got pushed way deeper.
- Harlequins May 2018
- Deathwatch May 2018
- Imperial Knights June 2018
- Space Wolves August 2018
- Orks November 2018
- Genestealer Cults February 2019
Going up to 22 codexes the totals move up to 10 Imperium, 4 Chaos, and 8 Xenos, skewing the balance even moreover to Imperium and Xenos. Granted Xenos has entirely different races comprised in them, while Imperium and Chaos are generally speaking different flavors of the same core faction with a few exceptions like Knights and/or Daemons.
After about 2 years of the 8th edition, they circled back what we think we can safely say are their big sellers- Marines.
- Chaos Space Marines (2nd Edition) March 2019
- Chaos Knights July 2019
- Space Marines (2nd Edition) August 2019
- Ultramarines (Space Marines) August 2019
- White Scars (Space Marines) August 2019
- Iron Hands (Space Marines) September 2019
- Ravenguard (Space Marines) September 2019
- Imperial Fists (Space Marines) October 2019
- Salamanders (Space Marines) October 2019
- Adepta Sororitas November 2019
Finally tallying 32 total Codex/supplement releases we have the full 8th edition lineup in view. The final totals are 17 Imperium, 5 Chaos, and 8 Xenos making a smooth 30 books for the full lineup. However, 6 of the last Imperium additions were just supplements for Space Marines.
Hard to believe that was literally three years ago (more or less) right? Heck, the 9th Edition Space Marines codex was announced less than a full year had passed since the second 8th Edition one had been released.
8th Edition Narrative Expansions
- Imperium Nihilus: Vigilus Defiant (Ultramarines) December 2018
- Imperium Nihilus: Vigilus Ablaze (Black Legion) April 2019
- Psychic Awakening: Phoenix Rising (Craftworlds, Drukhari & Index: Ynnari) October 2019
- Psychic Awakening: Faith & Fury (Chaos Space Marines & Space Marines) November 2019
- Psychic Awakening: Blood of Baal (Blood Angels & Tyranids) December 2019
- Psychic Awakening: Ritual of the Damned (Dark Angels, Grey Knights & Thousand Sons) January 2020
- Psychic Awakening: The Greater Good (Tau, Astra Militarum & Genestealer Cults) February 2020
- Psychic Awakening: Saga of the Beast (Space Wolves & Orks) March 2020
- Psychic Awakening: Engine War (Adeptus Mechanicus, Imperial Knights, Chaos Knights & Chaos Daemons) June 2020
- Psychic Awakening: War of the Spider (Adeptus Custodes, Sisters of Silence, Assassins, Death Guard & Agents of Bile) June 2020
- Psychic Awakening: Pariah (Adepta Sororitas, Necrons & Index: Inquisition) July 2020
The narrative expansions took place over the course of nearly 2 years and offered minor updates and changes to 29 factions and sub-factions, Some of which like Agents of Bile were brand new! These books also served the purpose of accelerating the 40k story forward as it was relatively still during the course of the edition up until this point sans the Vigilus storyline.
Now, they are releasing the Nachmund, Charadon and Octarius books alongside the releases. So this is a new way to go about it, instead of waiting until most of the books are out, they are just giving small rules updates along with the new books.
9th Edition Release Schedule so Far
- Necrons October 2020
- Space Marines October 2020
- Deathwatch November 2020
- Space Wolves November 2020
- Blood Angels December 2020
- Dark Angels January 2021
- Death Guard January 2021
- Drukhari March 2021
- Adeptus Mechanicus May 2021
- Adeptus Sororitas June 2021
- Grey Knights August 2021
- Thousand Sons August 2021
- Orks September 2021
- Black Templars November 2021
- Adeptus Custodes January 2022
- Genestealer Cult January 2022
- Tau February 2022
- Aeldari March 2022
- Tyranids April 2022
- Chaos Knights May 2022 (army box)
- Imperial Knights May 2022
- Chaos Daemons August 2022
- Leagues of Votann September 2022 (army box)
Xenos are now pretty much all released considering the Aeldari book took up basically three books from the previous year.
- Charadon: Book of Rust January 2021
- Charadon: Book of Fire July 2021
- War Zone Octarius Book 1: Rising Tide October 2021
- War Zone Octarius Book 2: Critical Mass November 2021
The supplements have had some new Armies of Renown and specific Subfaction rules, but not a crazy amount of rules for any one army. They generally were released soon after the main codex with more rules.
Does This Mean a Rules Rotation is Coming in 2023
GW has been trying to keep a 3-year cycle for new editions as of late. And, with how many books are already out, there is a chance near the end of 2023, we could easily see a revamp on the way.
They still have plenty of time left to stay on track, and if they do, we’ll have to see how they revamp it along with the quarterly balance updates.
Plus, we have also heard rumors that the 10th Edition Warhammer 40k Starter box set may be Tyranids and Space Marines…
View Gallery: 38 Images
Here’s the most up-to-date list of new Games Workshop bits from preview models that we should watch out for. Click on the gallery above to see dozens of Rumor Engines with new models still left to be revealed!
All the Newest GW Model & Rules Previews For 2022
What codex book releases do you think will be coming next before 10th Edition Warhammer 40k?
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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.
