The term “Friday news dump” refers to the practice of releasing unpleasant, unfavorable, or potentially controversial news items to the public towards the end of the day on Fridays. Also popularized as “Take Out the Trash Day” on The West Wing, the thought is that journalists wrapping up their week- and everyday folks already focusing on the weekend- have little appetite for a breaking news story.
Now I’m not so cynical as to suggest Cubicle 7 Games was actually employing this tactic last week, but I did take a moment’s amusement that there was indeed an end-of-week mea culpa posted on their blog, entitled Production Update: Your maps are on the way, and more production updates are too.
So let’s dive in!
Gleaming the Cube
First off, let’s start with a tip of the cap to them for even posting something like this in the first place. This kind of vulnerability can’t be easy- especially while questions continue to linger around the missed deliverables on the Horus Heresy RPG- but there is no substitute for communication and transparency when attempting to restore the faith of frustrated or disillusioned customers.
To me, Cubicle 7 has long been “the little engine that could” with a cheeky dash of “fake it ‘til you make it.” They seem to run a very lean operation, with the lion’s share of talent being concentrated in product design and development. Marketing and fulfillment seem much lower on the list.
While being gamers first and businesspeople second isn’t necessarily a bad place to be, from TSR1 to Palladium, Chaosium to West End Games the annals of gaming history are filled with cautionary tales around the pitfalls of this approach.
Well, that bill has come due.
Recently, we’ve been dealing with delays on certain orders, and we haven’t responded to customer support requests as quickly as we’d like. We’ve had some changes in the team, and some issues with our production and shipping processes we needed to fix. Getting those things sorted, to ensure this kind of delay can’t happen again, has been our first priority - but in the meantime our customer support team has been a little overwhelmed.
This is undeniably true. Customer service inquiries- even simple informational ones- have experienced considerable delays. In recent months I’ve had two exchanges myself.
On 18 May I emailed Cubicle 7 after receiving duplicate physical items in my Warhammer: The Old World RPG shipment. “I suspect mailing them back from the US would be absurdly costly,” I said, “but I'll let you all make that call.” As an alternate solution, I offered to give them away.
Two days later, I received a response. “Thank you for reaching out,” it read in part, “we really appreciate you letting us know about the duplicate order. Please know it was a mistake, and we would greatly appreciate your co-operation in finding a solution to this.”
So far so good, but after reiterating my willingness to give them away it seemed to fall off their radar. I followed up three weeks later, advising that if I didn’t hear back within 48 hours I would proceed with the giveaway. I didn’t get a response, so I gave them away on 09 June.
Funnily enough, a week later I heard back. “The team has decided not to retrieve them, so all good!”
Then last month I had a question about my preorder for the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 5th Edition. The initial outreach was on the 4th, I followed up on the 9th, and had my question answered… on the 20th.
To be clear, none of this impacts my enjoyment and appreciation of the company’s products, nor my willingness to continue to give them my custom. As “the little engine that could,” I recognize they’re understaffed on the service end due to focusing their resources on new product development, and it wouldn’t surprise me one bit to learn that Dominic McDowall himself is logging in to help work some of the backlog over afternoon tea.
But it’s clearly an opportunity for improvement.
Because of the team changes and necessary fixes mentioned above, there’s also been a drop-off recently in how often we update you on our progress developing, producing, and shipping out our games. We haven’t done a good enough job of keeping everyone informed on where each of our projects are at, what we’re working on and, in some cases, when we have to push back a final release date.
This is terrific. As someone who writes weekly product updates for three different product lines (Warhammer’s Black Library, Cubicle 7’s Warhammer RPG’s, and Factory Fortress’s Trench Crusade), I must by necessity keep my fingers firmly on the pulse of their corporate communications.
Of the three, Cubicle 7 has the most work to do here. As we recently saw with the Sylvania: The Cursed County, communications feed product expectations, and product expectations directly impact consumer reception. When what appeared to be one book was instead actualized as three, the reception of that first book suffered as a result.
But for all that, Sylvania’s communications were still significantly better than the Horus Heresy RPG.
For all intents and purposes, the game remains MIA. What little information or acknowledgment we’ve received about the game has come not from official communications, but rather from McDowall mentioning it (or being asked about it) at various game conventions (such as Gen Con or Pyrkon).
So, please be aware that we’re rectifying the communication gap now. You’ll see a fuller production update here on the C7 blog in the next couple of weeks, covering a variety of our current projects - including those that have taken somewhat longer to complete than we originally hoped. In that blog, we’ll also outline the regular production updates and communication you can expect from us from now on.
A month ago, I engaged in a fun little thought exercise called, “If I Were Dom for a Day.” Amongst the improvements I focused on was in the realm of company communications, recommending that the leads for each of the six Warhammer RPG lines (WFRP, The Old World, Soulbound, Wrath & Glory, Imperium Maledictum, and Horus Heresy) provide rolling, public-facing updates a minimum of once every six weeks. This would allow a steady drumbeat of content that could be dripped out through weekly Cubicle 7 blog updates.
Each game would have an update at least once every six weeks, or about nine updates throughout the year. With quality content, the regularity would start to build a steady base of anticipation (such as the kind Games Workshop enjoys with its Preview shows or Warhammer Community reveals) that will keep players more engaged with both the games as well as the company itself.
That seems an easy layup, but we’ll have to see what Cubicle 7 comes up with in the next few weeks.
And if you need a hand, Dom, hit me up! I’d welcome the gig.
The post from Cubicle 7 sparked some interesting discussion over on Reddit, with this post from u/Magallian standing out in particular as being an excellent take:
I could write a book the size of the WFRP 4E Core Rulebook detailing all the issues I’ve had with Cubicle 7’s pre-orders, deliveries, and damaged books since the start of the COVID pandemic in 2020.
Don’t get me wrong: I have nothing but respect for their support team and staff. They’ve always done their best to resolve the problems I’ve encountered, and I genuinely appreciate that. However, I’ve reached the point where I simply refuse to pre-order anything from them anymore. Based on my experience, there’s a good chance that only half of my pre-orders will actually arrive at my doorstep, or that I’ll receive twice as many copies as I ordered.*
To make matters worse, it often takes over a week just to receive a response or even an acknowledgment when I submit yet another support ticket.
And yes, there have been occasions when I’ve received duplicate shipments of my pre-orders. I’ve always returned the extra copies, of course, but this has happened no fewer than four times now.
And while I’m at it, Cubicle 7’s website is anything but customer-friendly. Over the past few years, they’ve seemingly been so busy launching Kickstarters and announcing new RPG lines that their existing infrastructure has been left behind.
I really wish they’d redirect some of that energy and those resources toward improving their internal organization, ordering systems, logistics, and overall customer experience. Because as much as I love their products, the experience of actually buying and receiving them has become an exercise in frustration.
At some point, expanding your product lines needs to take a back seat to making sure your existing customers can reliably receive what they’ve already paid for.
u/Magallian certainly echoes my concern that the company is lopsidedly game-heavy and business-light (again, talking about their infrastructure here, not their acumen. They didn’t land these licenses by accident). Remember, Cubicle 7 is no fly-by-night operation but rather one that cracked the upper 20% of the Financial Times/Statista FT list of 1000 fastest-growing companies in Europe.
This is as good a time as any to start bringing that infrastructure up to the same level as the product. This week’s post from Cubicle 7 is a great first step in the right direction.
Adventures in Gilead Ships
I received my notification this week that the physical copy of Wrath & Glory’s Adventures in Gilead shipped this week.
From rampaging Orks to Chaos warbands, Adventures in Gilead is packed with gripping adventures and detailed character frameworks, including:
Pilgrims of the Wastes — Face down savage Ork Kommandos, duplicitous Aeldari and their insidious machinations, and a sect of the Adeptus Ministorum so fanatical their beliefs border on heresy, all while attempting to navigate the vicious ash-storms and rampaging megafauna of Nethreus!
Wretches of the Writ — A grim collection of traitorous Chaos-aligned characters, locations and artefacts. Learn of the Dark Apostle Maloquence and his vile presence within the Gilead System and his plans to seize it in the name of the Dark Gods.
Shards of Ul-Khari — Negotiate the cutthroat politics of the Corsair courts, rival warbands, Drukhari hunters, Asuryani envoys, and nefarious Imperial Rogue Traders in this Aeldari-focused adventure.
Gutshiva’s Commandos — This explosive adventure framework lets you take control of a group of Ork Kommandos as they sabotage defences, sow chaos and confusion, and prepare to unleash destruction upon an Imperial hive city in preparation for the arrival of a full-blown Waaagh!.
If you’ve been waiting to get your hands on the book in paper, well, it looks like the wait is over!
Getting By with a Little Help from His Friends
It’s not often you’ll find a feature I can put in all three of the Weeklies here on the Wordforge, but the news this week about an upcoming campaign to help artist Karl Kopinski certainly hits the trifecta. That shows the incredible reach and influence he’s had over the length of his career.
Beyond being a studio illustrator for Games Workshop from 1998-2005, Kopinski’s art was a mainstay in the Black Library’s foundational Inferno! magazine, helping bring the worlds of Warhammer to visual life each month. His work also has graced role-playing game books from Rogue Trader’s Lure of the Expanse to Deathwatch’s Mark of the Xenos, and he’s illustrated more than two hundred Magic: the Gathering cards over the years.
Sadly, Kopinski’s health in recent years has been deteriorating. He’s been battling myeloma for several years before strokes and a heart attack left him unable to work for a time, and the road to recovery has been long and difficult.
Now, Factory Fortress is spearheading a campaign to help. “Karl is my friend as well as my housemate during my GW days,” noted Tuomas Pironen, “so I am so glad we can help him and his family.”
Joining them is MyMiniFactory and a large roster of contributing STL creators for a campaign that is preparing to launch. Amongst the other goodies you can receive in return for your support is a brand-new and exclusive Trench Crusade model, making this one of the best kinds of offers: one where you can do well by doing good.
Our Giveaway Winner!
Last week we kicked off the latest2 giveaway on the RPG side of the site, a gorgeous Collector’s Edition of the Imperium Maledictum Inquisition Guides. To enter, subscribers just needed to leave a comment answering this question:
If you were a character in Warhammer 40,000, which of the three branches of the Inquisition (Xenos, Malleus, Hereticus) would you be most likely to fall afoul of- and why?
We received some terrific responses! Ordo Xenos was by miles the most common option:
“Ordo Xenos would be after me since I’d be hard pressed not to use xenos tech and weapons. if I had a sexy Druchari in my retinue all bets would be off. Or even a moderately attractive Ork. I’m easy.” -Ullysses
“I’d be on the Ordo Xenos’s radar sooner or later, most likely. Ever since reading C.Z. Dunn’s Pandorax, I’d go to the end of the Imperium to protect my beloved Jokaero so it could keep modifying my Baneblade. And if I found myself working for a Rogue Trader, I certainly wouldn’t say no to the company of a Kroot mercenary.” -Colton Lapworth
Ordo Malleus got a nod from one lover of epicurean delights:
“Ordo Malleus would get me because I'd make some pact or open a warp portal to get peri peri salt or something in the grimdark future. it definitely won’t come in the standard rations!” -jack anderson
While Hereticus was also represented…
“If the Commissariat didn’t get to me first, the Hereticus would.
“Hey that concealment thing sure seems to work, ya know” *BLAM* Heresy!
“Have we tried non-wave-attacks?” *BLAM* Heresy!
“Seems like fire support is way more efficient than wading into melee” *BLAM* Heresy! *BLAM BACK TEMPLAR SAW THIS* Heresy!
“Maybe we shouldn’t keep calling people ‘Warmaster’ there’s a precedent that is...not ideal” *BLAM* Heresy!
“...the ‘Imperial Truth?!?’ Hey! You won’t believe what this says!” *BLAMBLAMBLAM* Heresy!
“...uh, no. Sanguinius did not ‘almost have’ Horus” *BLACKRAAAAGEnoBLAMrequired*” -DreadwingDeadwing
Finally, Mark Nold gave me a good laugh:
“I see what you're doing. The only thing the Ordo Hereticus could question me for is too much love of the Emperor.”
Sadly, there’s only one prize to give out, so harnessing the powers of Tzeentch Random.org, we arrive at… Fraser Valley Tabletop Games! Congrats, Fraser Valley, make sure to check your Messages so we’ll know where to send it.
More Kibbles! More Bits!
One of the perks of ordering physical books from Cubicle 7 directly online is that you immediately get sent a PDF file of the book for free. Indeed, when you preorder unreleased books that’s the only way you’ll have to access that content for awhile, given the lag time between preorder windows and physical delivery.
Thanks to C7’s social media rep I learned about the Bits and Mortar program this week and wanted to make sure to spread the word. In this program, participating retailers can offer their customers the same deal. Buy, say, the Imperium Maledictum Core Rulebook at your Friendly Local Game Store (FLGS), and not only do you walk out with the book tucked under your arm but you also get a code for the PDF.
You can use their retailer locator to see if your FLGS is in the network. If it’s not, it might be a good conversation to have with them!
RPG Bestsellers
Bookwriters get their New York Times bestseller lists, so why shouldn’t we enjoy the same thing? While we don’t have any aggregated sales lists, we can use DriveThruRPG’s top-seller list as a reasonable barometer- and here’s this week’s snapshot!
Warhammer RPG Titles in the Top 200:
#2 (-1) Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: Fifth Edition Core Rulebook
#4 (-2) Imperium Maledictum: Macharian Adversary Guide
#81 (-1). Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: Sylvania: The Cursed County
#173 (-10). Wrath & Glory: Core Rulebook
#192 ( - ). Imperium Maledictum: Core Rulebook
Total Books in Top 200: 5 (+1)
Well, it was an incredible run, but all good things must come to an end. This week saw Cubicle 7’s stranglehold on the top of the table slip- though it didn’t slip much! WFRP and Imperium Maledictum’s most recent releases are still holding in the top five, Sylvania barely moved, and IM’s Core Rulebook saw a nice bump bring it back within the Top 200!
ICYMI
Jacek Miloszewski announced that Hammergen, his free Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay character generator, had been updated and was now 5th Edition compatible. Not only that, but there was a number of other quality-of-life improvements as well!
Careless Conjuration’s running series The GM’s Guide to the Enemy Within dropped its latest this week, covering some odds and ends as we pause after Death on the Reik.
Over at It Always Rains in Nuln, they reviewed Monuments of the Reikland. This WFRP 4th Edition supplement showcases five unique and unusual statues that can add some unexpected spice to any campaign.
Coming Attractions
Here’s a list of the known upcoming physical releases based on the available preorder information we have. Note that Cubicle 7’s own delivery estimates appear to be just that- estimates- which is why many products have an upcoming delivery listed for Q1 while we’re already past that.
This section will be updated weekly in this column, with new or updated info presented in boldface.
Undated (and now Uncertain)
Necromunda Roleplay Core Set
Shipping Q3
Limited Edition Warhammer Fantasy Map Bundle 1 (July 2026)
Limited Edition Warhammer Fantasy Map Bundle 2 (July 2026)
Shipping Q4
Temple of Spite (Q4)
Shipping Spring 2027
Fifth Edition: Core Rulebook (standard hardcover)
Fifth Edition: Core Rulebook (collector’s edition)
Fifth Edition: Character Sheets
Fifth Edition: Reikland Dice Set
Fifth Edition: Monsters & Adversaries Deck
Fifth Edition: Conditions & Injuries Deck
Fifth Edition: Reikland Map
Shipping 2027
Sylvania: The Cursed County
Wrecker’s Point
Shipping Q4
Starter Set (Q4)
Gamemaster’s Screen (Q4)
Shipping 2027
Talagaad Adventures
Shipping Q1
Champions of Chaos: Dark Gifts Card Pack (Q1)
Champions of Chaos: Spells Lore Card Pack (Q1)
Champions of Chaos: Artefacts & Wargear Card Pack (Q1)
Champions of Chaos: Core Rulebook (Standard and Collector’s Edition) (Q1)
Champions of Chaos: Bloodwind Spoil Map (Q1)
Shipping Q3
Limited Edition Age of Sigmar Map Bundle (July 2026)
Shipping Q1 2027
Champions of Chaos: Carngrad Adventures
Undated
(Nothing at this time)
Undated
Macharian Adversary Guide
Shipping Q3
Macharian Sector Map (July 2026)
Shipping Q4
Adeptus Mechanicus Collector’s Edition
Adeptus Mechanicus Player’s Guide
Adeptus Mechanicus Gamemaster’s Guide
Adeptus Mechanicus Character Sheet Pad (Q4)
Undated
(Nothing at this time)
Thanks for reading this week, and happy gaming!
Notably, TSR didn’t fail because of the “gamers first, businesspeople second” approach directly, but rather fatally weakened the company which allowed Lorraine Williams to seize control of the board in 1985.