Sure 9th edition 40k looks great, but don’t forget GW just raised prices again. So for 135 items that means two hikes in less than a year.
Through price increase after price increase, we as hobbyists have proven that we don’t mind paying a premium for their product- and they aren’t stopping the prices from increasing either.
First it was Forge World, and then GW- here’s all the price changes out of Nottingham since 2018. Buckle up, there is a lot to cover…
Increasing prices seems to have once again become second nature to Games Workshop. In 2020, we’ve never seen kits cost more than they do now (except for maybe back in the age of Warhammer Fantasy Battles). In the wake of another price “adjustment” here are the other times we’ve seen price increases:
GW Price Changes Started With Forge World Back in 2018
Whew man this one set the internet on fire. Back in 2018, we saw Forge World jack their prices up overnight for all kinds of different minis. Here’s an example of the Leviathan we did.
If you bought a Leviathan Dreadnought from Forge World on August 21st, 2018, it would have cost you $93. However, let’s look at what it would cost you if you bought a Leviathan after this announcement.
If you bought a Leviathan Dreadnought today, it would actually cost you $112. It jumped from $93 to $112 overnight for the EXACT same model in 2019 even!
Start Collecting Boxes Went Up About 7% In 2019
In early 2019, we saw that Start Collectings bought after February 4th would see a roughly 7% price increase on average. Of course, the overall value of the Start Collectings stayed the same as most of the individual kits went up in price shortly after as well.
Individual Kits Shot Up 10%-20% In 2019
The fun didn’t stop there. Right after they announced a slight adjustment on Start Collectings, we saw GW scrub through their list of kits and calibrate the prices from about 10% up to 20%.
Was $115 Now $140 Increase: 18%
Was $115 Now $150 Increase: 24%
The Only Real “Adjustment” Came to Paints
The only “adjustment” that we could really argue was a true adjustment over a blatant price increase was when they turned some 12mL Citadel paints into 24mL pots for a slight price increase. But the fair aspect about that of course is that you were getting more product for less.
Price Increases Strike In June 2020
From the first of June, around 400 Warhammer products will change in price (there are well over 3,000 Warhammer items available right now). Most of the items that are changing haven’t moved in price for years.
The RRP on the majority of Warhammer will stay the same.
Even so, we wanted to give you a heads-up so you have a chance to pick up anything you were looking to add to your collection ahead of the changes.
So obviously they are going UP in price, otherwise, why would we need list to buy them BEFORE a change that would make them cheaper?
GW has gathered a list of everything that’ll be changing in price that you can still order before it gets adjusted. These items range from AoS kits to Land Raiders, Tyranids, terrain, Leman Russes, Dreadnoughts, and more.
Prices Keep Increasing Despite Growing Profits
Starting as early as 2018 when all of these price increases began, they crushed the market selling £124 million in merchandise and made £41 million in profit.
Now let’s look at GW’s 2018-2019 financial year.
The table is calculated at £1 million for each value.
Take a minute and compare the two columns to each other. The bold column is the most recent. Just look at the growth in every section. Matter of fact from 2017 their sales are up from 155 million GBP. That’s a two-year growth of 100 million folks!
Fast forward to where we are now and the latest word we’ve gotten from GW is that despite the global crisis we face, they’re projected to profit £70 million this year! Who knows what this number could’ve looked like if the crisis didn’t throw any hiccups in the operation.
To lay it all out in one sentence, over the last three years we’ve seen GW’s yearly profit jump from £38 million, to £74 million, then £80 million, and finally, to £70 million projected by this June 1.
GW Has Raised The Prices on 135 items TWICE in Less Than a Year
Of course, no one wants to hear that things are getting more expensive, but how much more are the prices rising? We’ve compared data of June’s new price hike that was sent to retailers to the last price hike in 2019 for you to compare.
You might remember reading that GW said most of the price increases were on items that haven’t been adjusted in years.
From the first of June, around 400 Warhammer products will change in price (there are well over 3,000 Warhammer items available right now). Most of the items that are changing haven’t moved in price for years.
While they did not misspeak, as you’re about to see, there are some items that have been adjusted TWICE since last year. In fact, 135 out of the 370 adjusted items just had their prices increased in July 2019- less than a year ago.
We’ve got two charts of confirmed prince adjustments that were sent to retailers yesterday: take a minute to check them out:
However please be aware that we did not have access to some retail prices from 2019 to completely compare the two sets of adjustments, so our conclusion for our overall averages could be a little off.
- Price increases for products in 2020.
- Price increases from 2019-2020 (This shows you how fast GW is raising prices).
Everything that’s been adjusted twice has gone up about 23% on average. The average adjusted price for this years price adjustments is about 9.87%. Remember, this is just according to the stuff we’ve been able to track.
Now here’s a more in-depth look at some popular items.
Price Increases Steadily Approaching 50% Since Last Year
To read the chart, you’ll want to look at the bold number in the bottom right first. That was the initial price before GW’s price hike in 2019. You can see that it’s gone from $82.5 to $90 in 2019 and from $90 to $106 in 2020. In the past year, it’s gone up almost 30% for the exact same kit.
Looking at the regular old Watch Master, he’s gone up $9 in the past year after getting two price “adjustments” now. That’s a 36% increase for no change in content.
For the Ogors Mawtribes, their Gluttons were $35 back before the first price hike in 2019. Now that they’ve been adjusted twice, they’ve gone up $13 for the same exact kit now sitting at $48.
These have been some of the bigger adjustments we’ve seen made to GW’s list but be sure to look at both lists as there is a lot of items covered. We’re closing in on 50% increases for some items now.
TL;DR Complete List of GW Price Hikes For 2020
135 of the 370 adjusted items have gone up twice in less than a year.
Everything that’s been adjusted twice has gone up about 23% on average. The average adjusted price for this years price adjustments is about 9.87%.
You can view the lists yourself below:
- Price increases for products in 2020.
- Price increases from 2019-2020 (This shows you how fast GW is raising prices).
Also, remember that Games Workshop’s list of 449 items getting price adjustments may include an additional 79 webstore exclusives that we have no insight on.
What do you think about all the GW’ price changes since just 2018? Are they beginning to out-price people from the hobby?
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 the Las Vegas Open, each of which attracts thousands of 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 2011 Adepticon 40k Team Tournament. He was even featured for his painting in issue #304 of Games Workshop’s White Dwarf Magazine.
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.
