Space Hulk Resurrects! (But Will It Save?)
September 9, 2014 by brennon
So now we know, Space Hulk has returned... and it looks pretty much the same as last time!
So while we all run out and pre-order what is one of the most magnificent products Games workshop has released in the last five years, I know one or two of you in the community, will be wondering about the motivation behind this release.
There is no doubt Space Hulk is a hugely popular title, and its 'original 3rd ed re release' five years ago had a huge impact on GW and 40K. In many ways it re-energized both, and paved the way for the less successful Dreadfleet, but also a huge growth in 40K.
From a pure money making perspective, this re-release is a no brainer, but I reckon if you asked any industry watcher if they expected what is essentially exactly the same product to be released again, I would hazard a guess you would have got a resounding 'no way GW don't do that'.
Certainly I would have expected the design team to be let loose on the rules to bring the game up to date and perhaps add options for more players etc
On the topic of plastic terrain, I would have said it's unlikely, but wouldn't have completely ruled it out as we are talking about the one company who have the ability and power to create something truly outstanding. At the very least I would have expected a redo of the tiles to be more in keeping with the fab new direction the design team would have taken us in regarding the rules etc.
But we didn't see any of that (except a couple of extra missions and a new tile for the most part)...
So what gives?
As releases go this should be massively profitable (No Tooling - No Design etc), and maybe that's what the company needs right now, which is fair enough. The product itself is still fantastic, and hopefully will bring players back into 40K in their droves along with a heap of new players if we're lucky (and perhaps that's the goal here rather than a pure money making exercise).
Right now this could be a Win for the Company, and a Win for people who love to play games... unfortunately for me at least... I'm still left feeling a little bit underwhelmed!
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What do you think?
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My one wish for Space Hulk is the same as it’s always been, give the Genestealer player a comparable experience to the Space Marine player. I don’t mind a reissue of the 2009 release given how expensive it is to get a copy second-hand. If it gives a short-term injection of funds to shore up the company then fine. Rather that than giving every WFB army the ability to raise dead just so you can sell more big plastic kits (which is how I understood the recent GW mailshot). At least a Space Hulk re-release doesn’t mess about with how… Read more »
don’t make it limited edition, build on it, it was my gateway into 40K and it’s a crackin game so they should expand it
Hopefully its not limited release, as I cant afford it this month! 🙁
It will sell easily for a reason, it’s a quality game and product. Games Workshop are titans in the gaming world, they don’t need to do Kickstarters to get their products out there like other companies, they know exactly what they are doing. Shrewdly a re-release of Space Hulk with a few new extras will be cheap for them to manufacture and it’s what people want after the last edition sold out and created a ruthless 2nd hand market for the game among fellow gamers and collectors. They are literally printing money with this. Regardless of price hikes they will… Read more »
Apparently not though
I should think after last financial results the motivations are quite clear.
This will be nice for people who missed it first time around. Obviously not intended for people who (like myself) already have the previous 3 editions. It’s a shame in that sense that this doesn’t offer new rules, missions, miniatures etc. although all of those things would cost money, and again this comes back to the issue of ‘motivations’ and that really with this GW is going to get a lot of money for relatively very little expenditure.
The problem is that a lot of copies will be sold to eBay retailers and the likes and that it will sold out in a couple of hours (like their latest box set for 40k). Your only choice will be to buy an overpriced copy online. I wasn’t able to get a copy last time and my hobby money is sparse at the moment so, I won’t be able to get a copy this time either… If only they were to give this product a proper support… An extension a year wouldn’t be enormous to produce and would keep the… Read more »
They could have been really innovative and released an all new ‘Deathwing ‘ as both a standalone and a supplement to the original ‘Space Hulk’ and kept everyone happy. I remember the queues out the door when I bought the last edition the minis were great. Although I can’t blame em if they need a quick cash injection to balance the books.
This us just a ploy to boost flagging sales, but I don’t think it will be the boost it was the last it was released. The reason being that everyone who wanted it bought last time at a cheaper price. Yes, there will be some who missed the boat last time and will pick up a copy, but I can’t see it selling in the same quantity as it did when they last released it. Also GW said it’s limited and we won’t be releasing it again, except when sales are plunging and we’re in shit creek with out a… Read more »
I think they no exactly what they have to do to turn things around, but they see the changes as a big ol’ sheaf of nettles, and they remain to cowardly to grasp it. Still can’t see that changing for another year, at least. I suspect change will only come when Tom Kirby is drummed out of the board room entirely. Even then it’s a board stacked high with his appointees so even if he took the fall, we still might not see a change in direction. Another limited re-release of a specialist game is going to provide nothing but… Read more »
Not happy. Seems GW have forgotten what “Limited Edition” means. Years ago I drove 50 miles to get a Ltd Ed DA Sargent that they subsequently added to the main line. Fast forward to 2009 and I took an extended lunch break (unpaid) and drove 30 miles to pick up a Limited Edition “Black Box” – 2014 they screw me over again.
At the very least they should make the extras available separately for those of use with the 2009 box, but they won’t.
FU GW, FU.
Space Hulk cannot be a limited release. Quite simply GW needs to start making games again. The guys over at Mantic are making so much money out of variations of old GW games, it really should be a wake up call. If Dungeon Saga isn’t a kick in the nuts then I don’t know what is. Its time to put the ‘Games’ back into ‘Games Workshop’.
I for one will ordering this classic and most splendid looking game!!!
“Space Hulk cannot be a limited release.” – I agree with you, but that wasn’t what they sold it as in 2009. I wish they’d have kept it in production (and expanded it) back then, but they didn’t, and they called it a Ltd Ed, and that is what I bought it as.
Mantic’s annual revenue is very small in comparison to GW’s. A great selling game for Mantic would be a bust for a GW and a waste of their time and resources. I’ve been on board with Mantic pretty much since day one and I’m thrilled to see how much they’ve grown in the last two years so I’m not down on them in any way, just realistic about their place in the market 🙂
From little acorns grow mighty oaks
Darn tootin’. Here’s hoping Warpath takes them on another step.
I suppose if they ever intend to release expansions then it would make good sense to increase the amount of the core box out there. If they want to make money that is.
Maybe this will replace the Tolkein games as the other game to buy. Hope it’s not limted again!
As a game, it doesn’t need much work in my opinion. As a product it is, as Warren says, Magnificent; as a game it is elegant; simple but effective rules. I’m genuinely happy for those people who didn’t manage to get a copy first time round who will now have a chance to own it. BUT From a personal point of view, I think it’s a disappointing move by GW that smacks of desperation. They need a quick cash boost, which is fine because they’re a business I can accept that, but is it just me or do they seem… Read more »
I’ve just noticed that they have released digital expansions for the Ultramarines, Dark Angels and Space Wolves http://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Books-Digital?N=102300+4294966267&Nu=product.repositoryId&qty=12&sorting=phl.
But at the moment they’re only on iTunes for a tenner each. So if you already have the game, you’re better off just going for those. I don’t have an iPad, so I’d have to wait for an eBook version instead. Or just make up my own missions and rules, or use the old missions I’d cut out of white dwarf years ago which I think I still have! Either way I’ll save me some money.
I understand this will sell but I really would like either a redesign or new stand alone game release. Hell bring back warhammer quest as a quick dungeon crawler with the same level of content I would eat it up.
They should redo DARK FUTURE, especially if the new Mad Max movie smashes it at the box office. I LOVED the game, loved painting and giving my cars unique identities and little conversion touches. Superb game that needs to come back!