While I was deeply disappointed to not get more information from the Old World preview at Warhammer Fest. The details they did share were enough to satiate me for the moment. At the time, I thought we wouldn’t get a release date until the NOVA Open at the earliest and that the release was likely to come next year. However, recent events have led me to question that notion and believe there is still hope for a 2023 release.
One of the biggest confirmations of an earlier release is the Cease and Desist letter the Warhammer Armies Project (WAP, yes get your laughs out now) creator just received. WAP was created in 2014 after the end of the Old World and was ignored, if not tacitly approved, by GW for the past decade. WAP not only remade existing army books but added new ones for the forces of Araby, the Amazons, Nippon, etc.
The recent letter demanding the creator remove GW IP likely means GW is starting to weed out competitors to the Old World. My gut tells me that this is something that happens a few months before release, not more than a year out.
We have also been hearing more rumors of a release at the end of October/November. This would also explain why there is such a slow roll out of new 40k codexes. Compared to 8th edition, the flow of new codexes for 10th is a trickle. This may indicate GW is focused on another area during this time. It might be that their resources are being consumed by the new 30k Epic game, but it could also be explained by the addition of an Old World launch too. I expect the Cities of Sigmar book will also have launched by this point with the Flesh Eater courts launching quickly afterwards. this should mean the end of most of the carry-over sculpts from the Old World making for less cannibalization.
I am intrigued as to what the preview on Saturday will show. I still don’t think we will get a launch date, but I believe we will get a more substantial preview then last time. My gut tells me the launch box (not starter box, there is a difference) for the Old World will be shown at NVOA but I hope we will know a lot more by then.
And remember, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart!
The current GW fiscal years started in June of 2022. Given that I’d have to imagine they’d want another big release this fiscal year. The question would be what quarter would they want it in – maybe not now with 40k 10th just getting out there, maybe not holiday season as sale would be good anyway so maybe early 2024? I’d bet before June of 2024.
this upcoming fiscal year***
GW are shitty for doing this. WAP kept the lights on for Fank n Flank gw. F GW and and horse they rode in on.