As we’re already weeks into Orktober and have hardly had any previews for our green Xenos friends, we’ve come to a harsh realization.
GW hyped up the game way too far in advance and made us think that Orktober would be a month full of WAAAGHH! energy. The sad reality is that if GW continues to follow their current release patterns, the absolute earliest we will see Orks on store shelves now is the 27th of the month.
GW’s Release Structure
If you’ve been paying attention to the way GW puts new releases into the community, they’ve been following a certain pattern.
- During week one, they’ll put out a “Next Week” post showcasing what will be up for preorder next week.
- The following Saturday, preorders will be available at stores and GW’s site, which won’t be shipped until the next week. (they usually do in-depth previews during all this)
- During week two, the final product is in the hobbyists’ hands and the world is a better place.
By that timetable, the EARLIEST we can even see new Ork models on the tabletop is on October 27th, at the tail end of Orktober
Speed Freeks Will be First, Then the Codex
GW has said that Speed Freeks will be coming ahead of the Ork Codex wave(s).
- We could see a “Next Week” post this Sunday, Oct 14 saying that Speed Freeks will be up for preorder next weekend. (October 20th)
- Next Week (October 14-20), we could begin to see posts all next week previewing the model’s stats (etc.) for the Speed Freeks game, and their rules in 40k.
- Then, by October 27th, the models could finally hit shelves.
As for the Codex, Our guess is that we will be seeing that around November 3rd. It may sound weird to say that Ork models and a Codex will be out by early November but hear us out. Again, we are going off of GW’s current pattern with releases. We should be seeing Orks come in this wave:
- October 21st, “Next Week post” for Ork codex/wave 1 preorders
- October 27th, Preorders become available and we will begin to see an in-depth look with detailed previews of the Ork codex that week.
- November 3rd, Wave 1 Orks available for anyone to pick up in stores or online.
Did GW hit the Hype Train too Early?
It seems like GW hit the hype train a little too early. With Orks only being relevant in the latter half of October after “dedicating” an entire month to them, it’s turning out to be a disappointing letdown.
When October 1st rolled around, people were expecting to wake up to a massive wave of new Ork models getting previewed and WAAAGHH! energy overflowing. Instead, they saw a Slaanesh Fiend and Kill Team Commanders. That was a real kick in the pants to Ork players.
Did GW only pull the trigger on previewing Speed Freeks and the Fiend of Slaanesh so early is because leaked photos started to make rounds on the internet? Intentional or not, maybe GW shouldn’t be so reactive to what circles the web.
Orktober video dropped on August 16th, 2018 after images of their box set were spotted on the internet.
It seems like we are moving into a phase where the fan base is getting hurt after being promised previews on one thing and getting the total opposite. Would it not be better to let hobbyists speculate in a guerilla marketing fashion amongst themselves, instead of a big let down from expectations versus what GW is actually delivering?
How about all the 40k FAQ hype in September that seemed to quickly turn to salt when the FAQ finally dropped at the last possible second in September.
What we are asking is do you think this knee-jerk mentality Games workshop has developed to “deal” with leaks helping or hindering hobbyists’ expectations and GW’s overall sales?
At the end of the day, we do know that Orks are confirmed for October. We just have to keep waiting and watching…
What are your thoughts on GWs previews? Do you think the dates of when we will see things are correct? Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group.
About the Author: Wesley Floyd
Wesley Floyd
Job Title: Staff Writer
Joined: 2018
Socials: @RealmbrushPainting
About Wesley Floyd: Wes has been in the Warhammer hobby since 2015 and joined the Spikey Bits writing team in 2018. He is known for his satirist takes on trending topics and imaginative yet amazingly affordable hobby solutions to painting Warhammer miniatures.
Imperial fanboy, tabletop fanatic, and the self-proclaimed King of Sprues. He knows for a fact that Mephiston red is the best-tasting paint and is the commission painting equivalent of a Wendy’s 4 for $4. If you like what he writes and want to contact him or have your tabletop minatures painted (to a mostly okayish standard), message him on Instagram.
