Warhammer Game Licenses in 2023
Games Workshop had a busy 2023 which saw new movement from game licenses and partners. More than five major events rocked the fantasy universe and fans were more than happy. With just one major disappointment fans hardly noticed.
The excitement began with Warhammer 40k: Boltgun, a retro-shooter that stormed its way into the gaming community. Powered by an excellent contemporary engine, Boltgun feels like a Warhammer 40k game forgotten by history with its retro aesthetics.
A notable surprise was Patch 13 for Warhammer 40k Darktide. Despite coming from the same studio as Vermintide, the launch version suffered from bugs, simplistic character progression, and no real endgame for high-level players. Notably, Patch 13 brought a world of changes to Darktide and changed the impact it had at the release of the game. It offered a more comprehensive character leveling system and cross-play with Xbox S|X, the game is now everything it should have been when it launched.
With the bugs gone and the system running smoothly, the game went on to make the BAFTA top 60 LongList. Fans were excited again but more so, to see that the studio paid attention to their recommendations and feedback.
Another surprise came from the Warhammer Fantasy Universe. In the Warhammer fantasy games section, Realms of Ruin was the first major attempt to bring Age of Sigmar to a wider gaming audience. However, it was not well received and the game only sold a few copies, with traditional RTS game fans turning away.
The Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader game, released at the start of December, is the first complete CRPG set in the Warhammer 40k universe. It may have some rough edges, but it’s still an impressive game with excellent 40k storytelling.
As mentioned there was one disappointment that sprung uplast year. The anticipated Space Marines 2 was postponed to 2024.
