Warhammer+ is such a missed opportunity for Games Workshop that it was immediately panned seconds after its reveal in the latest GW preview.
With so many streaming services out there, do we really need another one? It feels like a bit of a stretch to try and compete with all the big dogs out there and force people to pay for content that was already basically free on YouTube just months ago.
While there will possibly be a more structured release schedule and more content, hobbyists seem to feel like it’s just another paywall. There is one big upside though as those super talented artists like Sodaz, Astartes, etc are getting paid now! So we can’t really complain there.
The other main issue is they aren’t really attracting anyone new. With a paid service, who other than current fans will pay? The short answer may end up being probably not, unfortunately. The general consensus from the community seems to be that if GW had gone with a streaming service like Hulu, (or NetFlix, etc ) they could have potentially attracted tons of people to the hobby similar to how the Queen’s Gambit did for the Chess community last fall.
Instead, it just feels like they are trying to milk the current community…
Warhammer+ is Such a Missed Opportunity for GW
Let’s take a look at something like Disney+, they have decades of content to put up and build the platform on. Where GW basically just raided YouTube for content creators and has decided that’s enough. To some, it just seems hard to want to pay for something when there are already so many paywalls in the game.
It almost feels like they are trying to be Nike on day one, and while they announced a decent amount of shows, they really don’t have anything when compared to something like Disney+, which is one of the few services that stands on its entirely own content.
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Public opinion hasn’t been the most positive, but not all bad. The main issue is going to be paying for something that most people feel should either be free or on a service they already pay for. This brings up another big issue, which in a way the biggest one.
It probably won’t really grow the community, and with how cool the animations are, it could bring a ton of new people in. But if someone has no idea what Warhammer is, why would they pay for something that seems to be a streaming service for like ten shows?
The Reasons for Its Own Platform
There’s also a chance Games Workshop is insulating the content on purpose. They may want to keep full control of the content and be able to micro-manage everything about the series. Where if they put it on one of the other services, they may have less control.
Less control over what they could put in episodes, less control over releases, and just having to listen to someone in general who has their own agendas.
The other possible option, is they are worried about cancel culture hitting the Grimdark. By keeping the content insulated, in theory, at least it could keep it safe from outside influences and the possibility of bad reviews. But this is all really just the cost of doing business in 2021 if you ask us.
Final Thoughts
Overall it feels like a missed opportunity mixed with a paywall that probably won’t grow the hobby much. If they had this on Hulu or Netflix, it could entice a ton of people into the hobby, which in turn, would make GW more money.
Let’s just hope this is better than the 40k app release and works well when it finally comes out. With plenty of content, no bugs, and a well-running service there probably won’t be as many complaints from the community after that.
Maybe that’s why they were hiring all those new app developers recently…
What are your thoughts on the new Warhammer+ service? Will you be getting it?
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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.
