Why are so many new games set in the Warhammer 40k universe

[KainenMorden]

Why is this universe so prevalent? Does WH have that many fans that will just buy games because they're set in the universe?

Also seems like Games workshop let's a bunch of obscure developers use the IP but I've read they wouldn't let Warcraft be a Warhammer game as it was originally intended to be.

 

[JarlFrank]

Games Workshop wants to make money and is extremely liberal with lending out their IP to developers.

 

[NecroLord]

Games Workshop is always in "Gimme dem dolla bills" mode.

 

[Lord of Riva]

Yeah they just opened the flood gates, everyone can seemingly use their IP.

I'm pretty sure it's because they want the sales from the Table top game and figurines not the Video games. Having the setting out there makes it just more likely, quality is a second thought because of that.

 

[KainenMorden]

Do these games sell well? Are any of the newer warhammer tactics/strategy games worth playing?

I imagine total war warhammer has sold/does sell well at least relative to the strategy genre.

 

[Abu Antar]

 

[Zlaja]

If 50 games are released based on the Warhammer 40k setting surely one of them will be really good. Right? Right?

 

[BrotherFrank]

Does WH have that many fans that will just buy games because they're set in the universe?

Also seems like Games workshop let's a bunch of obscure developers use the IP but I've read they wouldn't let Warcraft be a Warhammer game as it was originally intended to be.

Yes. And yes.
Warhammer fans are always thirsty for new warhammer vidya and tend to be more accepting of jank if it's faithful to the setting.
GW has a shotgun approach to how it distributes its IP and even if it results in mediocre titles you do get the enough standouts and the occasional surprise hit that makes the endeavour worth it whilst being risk free for GW themselves .

You named total warhammer, but in recent years there was also mechanicus (an xcom like), vermintide (coop fps) and imo gladius (civ 40k) as standout warhammer games. And i haven't even tried the necromunda bounty hunter game (fps) which i hear is janky af but also quite ok and fun.
Upcoming big titles include rogue trader (rpg), space marine 2 (action) and darktide (coop fps) so the outlook is decent for warhammer fans atm.

 

[JarlFrank]

Do these games sell well?

Warhammer has a big fanbase. And even if a game sells barely anything, even just 5 bucks of profit is 5 bucks... which GW gets essentially for free.
It's not like they have to finance any of the games being developed. Developers and publishers fund the games themselves, GW just provides the license.

They're literally printing free money and realized that the more devs they give the license to, the more free money they get.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

warhammer fans will buy anything as long as it's warhammer branded
they're the equivalent of nintendo fans for tabletop

 

[markec]

If only they were so liberal with lending their IP years ago when there was more quality talent in industry.

 

[Noct]

The fanbase has been continuously growing, and I think they're finally waking up to how big of an untapped market video games are. Results have been mixed, but Mechanicus was great and I'm cautiously optimistic for Boltgun, Darktide, Space Marine 2, and Rogue Trader.

 

[ADL]

If only they were so liberal with lending their IP years ago when there was more quality talent in industry.

Didn't Warhammer Online die because the license expired? It failed at launch but every MMO does so I don't think that's the reason. I'd like to imagine that EA or another publisher would have been able to make it work with GW today. What a goddamn shame that is. The private server is unplayable due to the lag where I'm from.

 

[markec]

If only they were so liberal with lending their IP years ago when there was more quality talent in industry.

Didn't Warhammer Online die because the license expired? It failed at launch but every MMO does so I don't think that's the reason. I'd like to imagine that EA or another publisher would have been able to make it work with GW today. What a goddamn shame that is. The private server is unplayable due to the lag where I'm from.

My memory is fuzzy but if I recall correctly the game was doing well at launch with some million copies sold and that it had a solid number of subscribers for a long time. The lack of new content and some dubious balancing patches crippled the game.

 

[A horse of course]

Also seems like Games workshop let's a bunch of obscure developers use the IP but I've read they wouldn't let Warcraft be a Warhammer game as it was originally intended to be.

I've never read anything to support this claim. The only first-party source who's ever spoken publically about the Warcraft-Warhammer connection said that the studio head was indeed negotiating with GW for Warcraft to be a WFB game, and you can see how this influenced its design, maps, art etc. However it was the rest of Blizzard who objected to the licence, as they wanted to use their own original IP so they had more freedom (to make money).

 

[KainenMorden]

Also seems like Games workshop let's a bunch of obscure developers use the IP but I've read they wouldn't let Warcraft be a Warhammer game as it was originally intended to be.

I've never read anything to support this claim. The only first-party source who's ever spoken publically about the Warcraft-Warhammer connection said that the studio head was indeed negotiating with GW for Warcraft to be a WFB game, and you can see how this influenced its design, maps, art etc. However it was the rest of Blizzard who objected to the licence, as they wanted to use their own original IP so they had more freedom (to make money).

https://www.escapistmagazine.com/world-of-warcraft-could-have-been-world-of-warhammer/

not where I originally read it but it seems GW would not give up the license cheap and this turned off Blizzard. Either way it seems like they learned their lesson from that.

 

[ADL]

Thank god. Imagine nuBlizzard writing quests and lore for World of Warhammer in the current year.

 

[Cyberarmy]

Money, lack of creativity and imagination of new sci fi settings.

 

[Dedicated_Dark]

Such a shit universe. Nothing of importance ever fckn happens because it's thing is perpetual war that means nothing can ever change. You can still write good stories within this constraint but seems like all Warhammer fans want is to shoot orcs, kill orcs and mutilate orcs, and that's the end of that.

 

[KainenMorden]

Well, im not that familiar with the universe at all but I see it's appeal as a backdrop for vidya

 

[KateMicucci]

Such a shit universe. Nothing of importance ever fckn happens because it's thing is perpetual war that means nothing can ever change. You can still write good stories within this constraint but seems like all Warhammer fans want is to shoot orcs, kill orcs and mutilate orcs, and that's the end of that.

They started moving the narrative forward lately. I don't like it. A universe where nothing ever changes is fine.

 

[KainenMorden]

My other thought is, many of these games are niche genres from obscure developers, from the developer's point of view it's probably the best bet to get maximum exposure and profits.

I'd never play a game just for the setting and I'm open to all settings but prefer some type of fantasy whether it's done and world or something like Arcanum. I do respect the wh 40k universe and it's fanbase and I think it's awesome their popularity is growing. It's also cool that strategy/tactics gamers get to have some modern fantasy games with cool graphics but it does seem like their strategy and tactics games are just reskins of their old titles that were clones of fantasy general, xcom, etc.

I'm curious to see how rogue trader turns out.

 

[Norfleet]

Such a shit universe. Nothing of importance ever fckn happens because it's thing is perpetual war that means nothing can ever change. You can still write good stories within this constraint but seems like all Warhammer fans want is to shoot orcs, kill orcs and mutilate orcs, and that's the end of that.

Well, why does the universe need to be changed? That's the beauty of it, because war, war never changes.

 

[KainenMorden]

Such a shit universe. Nothing of importance ever fckn happens because it's thing is perpetual war that means nothing can ever change. You can still write good stories within this constraint but seems like all Warhammer fans want is to shoot orcs, kill orcs and mutilate orcs, and that's the end of that.

Well, why does the universe need to be changed? That's the beauty of it, because war, war never changes.

It would be interesting to see a game set in something like the Blood War.

 

[AndyS]

I'd be up for more fantasy games at this point. I've enjoyed some of the 40K games like Dawn of War and Space Marine, but I'm growing weary of the setting.