40K Friday (Saturday Edition): 8th Edition Announced!

An email came through this morning:

The new Warhammer 40,000 is coming soon

This is the game you have been asking for. The Warhammer 40,000 game you know and love, but better. Get ready for the best edition of Warhammer 40,000 ever.

With a link! (it's that "new edition coming soon" part near the bottom)

The most interesting part is the New Edition FAQ!

The site seems to be having trouble loading so here's the text:


Is my army still valid?
Yes, it certainly is! You’ll still be able to use your army in the new edition of Warhammer 40,000. All current armies will be supported with new rules.

Can I still use all my models?
Yes. Every Warhammer 40,000 miniature we sell today will be usable in the new edition of Warhammer 40,000. What’s more, they’ll be supported with new rules, which will be available from the get go in handy, low-cost books.

Even Forge World models?
Yes, even all of your Warhammer 40,000 Forge World models.

Wait, did you guys blow up the universe?
Nope. This is very much still the Warhammer 40,000 setting you know and love. Now, that’s not to say we won’t see the story advance - there’s some pretty epic stuff ahead! You can certainly expect to see the story arcs that began in the recent Gathering Storm campaign books continue to unfold with plenty of exciting developments to look forward to…

How can I get the rules?
We’re going to make it easier than ever to get your hands on the rules and start playing. The core rules for the game will be free, and you’ll have several options on how you get your hands on the full rulebook. Watch this space for more.

Have you dumbed down 40K?
Not at all. We’ve made it easier for new people to enter and get to grips with the basics. At the same time, we’ve made sure you can add as much depth and complexity as you like - there’s some fantastic new gameplay elements coming. What we’ve done is reexamine every aspect of the game, and made plenty of improvements, many based on the gaming community’s feedback and suggestions. If you play today, this game is recognisably still Warhammer 40,000.

What happens to my codexes?
The rules in our current range of Warhammer 40,000 codexes aren’t compatible with the new edition of Warhammer 40,000. These books will be going off sale very soon. If you do want to pick any up, now’s the time - as all of the great hobby content and background information will be as valid as ever.

What's in the new starter box?
A new starter box? That’d be exciting! I guess we’d fill it with some awesome new miniatures…
(come on, we can’t spoil all the surprises for you!)

Are you getting rid of points?
Not at all. There will be a full points system, for use in matched play - one of three ways to play covered in the rulebook.

What do you mean “3 ways to play”?
We realise that people like to play Warhammer 40,000 in different ways. 3 broad systems are covered in the new edition: 1) Open play is the most flexible, and easiest to get started with, allowing you to use any miniatures you like. 2) Narrative play is where you can refight the iconic battles of the 41st Millennium, or create your own campaigns and sagas. 3) Matched play is designed for more balanced and competitive games, ideal for gaming clubs, leagues and
tournaments. However you want to enjoy playing Warhammer 40,000, there will be rules for that.

Why should I not just stick with current Warhammer 40,000?
This is the version of Warhammer 40,000 you've been asking for. We've listened to your feedback, and we really believe that this is the best Warhammer 40,000 has ever been.

Will the rules be updated annually (ala, the General's Handbook)?
What a great idea! We've had such a fantastic response to our community-led approach with the Warhammer Age of Sigmar rules updates that we're committed to doing the same for Warhammer 40,000. You’ll be able to submit your questions and queries on the Warhammer
40,000 Facebook page and we'll make sure we continue to evolve the game as feedback rolls in.

I haven’t played 40K in a while...
Welcome back! The new Warhammer 40,000 is easier to learn and quicker to play, but still has all the tactical, strategic and narrative depth you could want from a game set in the incredibly
rich setting of the 41st Millennium. It’s going to be easier than ever to get started, and more fun than ever to master.

Why should I trust you?
Come on! This is New Games Workshop™

Seriously though, everything we're talking about now is just an extension of all the community engagement work we've been doing over this last year and a half. We've learned a lot from you guys and gals, and we've tried really hard to make sure everything you've asked for is included. And if we've missed something? Drop us a line on the Warhammer 40,000 Facebook page and let us know. We'll make sure your requests are given proper consideration.

Where can I find out more?
We’ll be running daily articles on the run up to release on warhammer-community.com. Every aspect of the new edition will be covered, from rules, to new miniatures and advancements in
the setting.

I love it. I want it. When can I have it!
Really soon. You’ll be playing the new Warhammer 40,000 this year.

We’ll let you know when we have more news on an exact release date. Stay posted. For the latest news, follow us on the Warhammer 40,000 Facebook page , or subscribe to our newsletter .

What do I do now?
Now's the time to start getting your army ready.

With the addition of 3 ways to play, there are now more ways to build your collection than ever before. Open play frees you from all constraints, so now's the time to just pick a model you've always wanted and paint it up. For you narrative players, why not start theming your collection around your favourite battle? Just like many of you, we want our armies to be fighting fit for matched play in the new edition. That's why you'll be able to read daily articles on the Warhammer Community site that will tell you all about the new rules, great units to include and tactics for every army.

OK, funniest entry; Why should I trust you - that's funny and hopefully a good sign they really are changing their approach.

Best news: Rules will be available free. I assume that may be only the most basic of rules and that there will be several levels of printed rules available too for not-free. I also assume that means we get free pdf codex entries for each unit like we did for Age of Sigmar back when it launched. If so I am on-board big time.

Worst news: Your codexes are obsolete! Even the ones we released less than a year ago! Yay!

Actually this is not as bad as it could be as a truly new edition would pretty much require that the existing codexes go away. I'm not thrilled about it, and I'll probably go ahead and finish picking up the two or three books I was planning to get just in case the new thing ain't that great, but I'll be bargain-hunting even more than I was planning to do.

So there we go, big news for a big game!