If you jumped on the fungus hype train last week, well, GW had a thing or two to say recently about the rumored new 40k Xenos Race…
You may remember some impressive-sounding rumors last week about potentially a new Xenos race getting rules and models in Warhammer 40k.
Of course, speculating and guessing at what’s coming next are two things that make the hobby fun. So the idea of them creating a new race after so long was super exciting and just plain interesting. If you have no idea what we’re talking about, check out the rumor from last week.
Recently, in a chat with Wade Pryce on the Warhammer Community Podcast the Head of the Warhammer Studio, Stu Black elaborated on the art in the rulebook and new races coming to 40k. They also went over how they wanted to structure the rulebook and the idea of giving more depth to the hobby. With a focus on giving people inspiration.
If you had high hopes for a new Xenos race coming to 40k, Stu basically killed those dreams, at least for now.
Let’s break down what he said:
GW Says No New Xenos Models & Rules For 40k
This is the piece of artwork that really got people’s gears turning. Stu said they just wanted to expand the scope of the 40k Galaxy, not actually introduce any of the armies as new playable races. He talks about how the Galaxy is so large and that there are alien races who maybe only control three start systems. They play a role in the lore of 40k but aren’t really large enough for a playable faction in the game. They wanted to expand on the idea that the playable races are the only things in the entire lore.
Also, it’s written largely from the Imperium’s viewpoint, so it may just be something a Guardsman saw and told a higher up about. Then it went into some log, so can you really trust the word of a Guardsman? They wanted to give you a context for what the 40k Universe is like to make the games and hobbying more fun. Again, as a way to inspire people to keep going.
Just to note though, they said no new races yet. So it’s not out of the question for the future!
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Going over the Rulebook
They wanted to present the book as a resource and not just a factbook. Because the galaxy is so big, they tried to give it the depth it deserved. The main focal point of the book was to move the storyline forward while giving some history. The Horus Heresy happened a long time ago and it’s important but doesn’t really change your current games. So getting 30 years of lore, while moving the story forward, in a hundred pages is not easy! The narrative is trying to be more focused on what’s happening now, not millennia ago.
Basically, they wanted to push all the extra stuff happening in 40k. The minis are just the tip of the iceberg of what’s happening. Insight into the further reaches of the Galaxy and the possibility of endless creatures.
Giving the Imperium More Depth
They wanted to give the Imperium a broader feel as well. While there is endless fighting, it’s not everything. They didn’t change any of the actual lore, but they want people to know what it was like to be the 5th Guardsman on the left. There was a period of time where they felt they weren’t presenting the overall Galaxy enough. Their goal was to give you a feel of what being an actual Imperial citizen is like.
This may explain why they used these pieces of artwork as “placeholders” for the first codex books of 2021
The artwork is just an example of what it is like in the 40k universe so don’t trust the artwork! It is all just something they wanted to build the overall 40k universe with.
What do you think about their insights? Do you like the idea of adding more depth to the game?
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About the Author: Travis Pasch
Travis Pasch
Job Title: Head Writer & Editor
Socials: @paschbass
About Travis Pasch: Travis has been a Warhammer 40k hobbyist since the 1990s, playing the game since Third Edition. Through extensive traveling, he’s seen a lot of the miniatures hobby from across the world, giving him a unique perspective on the latest gaming topics and trends.
Travis’s brother even owns a commission painting studio, where he’s picked up a lot of good advice and techniques for painting Warhammer and tabletop miniatures over the years, as well. Travis joined the Spikey Bits team in 2019 and has been the lead writer since 2020.
Currently, he’s working on converting all his 40k Adeptus Mechanicus models and becoming a true tech enjoyer, complete with both sad and happy robot noises!
