Ahh, Necromunda Roleplaying, we hardly knew ye.
While Cubicle 7 was resting after a big news week last week, thanks to the release of Imperium Maledictum’s Macharian Adversary Guide (in PDF) and announcement of Wrecker’s Point for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, it turns out that Games Workshop hit a bit of a stumble that didn’t go unnoticed.
Certainly we were all taken by surprise when they’d announced the Necromunda Roleplay as part of the Big Autumn Preview Show three weeks ago. After all, it’s been Cubicle 7’s license for nearly a decade now, and an in-house RPG wasn’t likely on anyone’s bingo card for 2026.
But this week, some eagle-eyed folks noticed something curious: Necromunda Roleplaying had been quietly scuppered.
No official announcements of delay, no updates… just a bit of sleight of hand making (almost) all traces of it vanish like they’d never existed.
Travis Pasch of Spikey Bits did a terrific job compiling the evidence this week, noting where it had been scrubbed from and- notably- one place they’d missed. In Pasch’s view, there are several possible reasons for the quite removal. It could be that the product itself has seen changes, or that it’s been handed a significant delay. Less likely (but still possible) reasons could be that it’s been canceled altogether, or that a red flag was thrown at the last moment by legal with regards to Cubicle 7’s licensing agreement.
If Cubicle 7 knows anything, they’re certainly not saying:
Andy at Medicore Hobbies had what I thought was an excellent take on the matter. Acknowledging the possibility of a contractual dispute between Games Workshop and Cubicle 7 over the degree to which the latter has exclusivity over the development of role-playing game products for Warhammer, he also correctly observes that if it is a contractual dispute, Cubicle 7 must tread carefully.
“Obviously Cubicle 7 doesn’t want to annoy Games Workshop because their contract has to end and get renewed all the time, I’m sure, in case they make bad books and Games Workshop decides we’re going to go with somebody else. So, there has to be loads of out clauses.
“But I imagine they don’t want to dig their heels in and say [to Games Workshop] ‘no, you can’t [release the Necromunda RPG] because then the next time their contract is up for review, they might not give it back to Cubicle 7, which would be devastating for that company.”
If the Necromunda RPG has made it all the way to a Preview Show, that likely indicated an imminent release. After all, they showed off the whole box and it looked ship-ready, from the printed rulebook and character sheet to the host of included miniatures. This was a product at the end of its design and development cycle, with a handoff to marketing. One imagines the sunk cost here to be fairly significant, and not something Games Workshop would be cavalier in discarding.
But stranger things have happened. We’ll continue to monitor the situation and see how it develops.
An RPG Giveaway!
Here’s a quick story about Cubicle 7’s customer service. Awhile back I preordered the Imperium Maledictum’s Collector’s Edition of the Inquisition Guides. When it came time for physical fulfillment, mine arrived with some very modest shipping damage in the lower corner. Ordinarily I’d shrug and move on, but because I’d bought these intending to incorporate them in my Black Library Museum, I was compelled to reach out and let them know there’d been some damage.
To their tremendous credit, they immediately shipped me a replacement, zero hassle. Didn’t even ask me to return the damaged one, so I’ve held onto it.
And now I’m giving it away!
To enter, you need only to be a Subscriber to the Wordforge (it’s free!), and leave a comment answering the following 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?
Something light and fun, folks, don’t feel like you have to write some flash fiction for Cold Open Stories here.
Next week I’ll pick an entry at random to be our lucky winner! Contest is open to readers wherever they happen to be in the world, in appreciation for your continued support. (And if you enjoy contests and the Black Library, a reminder that I’m also running a book giveaway here.)
Best of luck to all!
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:
#1 ( - ) Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: Fifth Edition Core Rulebook
#2 ( - ) Imperium Maledictum: Macharian Adversary Guide
#80 (-22). Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: Sylvania: The Cursed County
#163 (-20). Wrath & Glory: Core Rulebook
Total Books in Top 200: 4 ( -)
While Sylvania and the Wrath & Glory Core Rulebook continue their steady but predictable decline in the charts, Cubicle 7 once again has a lock at the top. I’m not entirely surprised about the Fifth Edition Core Rulebook- I’d expected we’d see a slight dip by now- but I’m loving the strong enthusiasm for the Macharian Adversary Guide.
It’s good to be the king, eh?
ICYMI
Careless Conjuration’s running series The GM’s Guide to the Enemy Within dropped its latest this week, covering the coda in Chapter 8. “The end is approaching – the end of Death on the Reik! But instead of ending on a bang, DotR ends with a confusing, and perhaps unnecessary, coda, aiming to set up the next volume Power Behind the Throne. Should you bother with chapter 8 at all?”
Meanwhile, Zekiel at Ill Met by Morrslieb had a terrific thoughtpiece drop this week which re-examines the purpose and value of the Chaos pantheon of deities from a decidedly WFRP-centered perspective. Well worth a read!
Dungeons & Dyslexia had a video review go out this week of the new Imperium Maledictum Macharian Adversary Guide, calling it a “must buy!”
In a review shared on Facebook (and translated from the original Hungarian), Balázs Auer on the other hand had a more moderate look. “Not revolutionary, but it knows exactly what its job is and reliably delivers.”
Finally, u/Ok_Topic5636 shared an updated, free Age of Sigmar Soulbound character creator! The new updates and link to the tool can be found here.
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
Shipping Q4
Warhammer 40,000: Wrath & Glory, Adventures in Gilead
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!
I'd probably run afoul of the Ordo Hereticus, since knowing myself i would fail to recognize something obviously chaos corrupted and get corrupted in turn or go way overboard in the pursuit of a personal goal and fall to a chaos god that way (i only hope in that case that i dont end up with Nurgle :D).
Ordo Xenos personally I’d think I’d run afoul with. Sure, Tyrannid’s and Orks are kill on sight with contact, but the Aeldari, Votann, or Tau would likely be able to go through diplomacy with. I think seeing these races and meeting them would have doubt the Imperial Creed and indoctrinated hate for the xenos when these races for instance are likely far more peaceful than the Imperium itself, and often far surpassing in societal structure, wargear, and culture than the hostile and mean spirited imperium.