So is a 7th edition right around the corner for Warhammer 40k? This is part of a behind the scenes conversation that reveals some of what may lie ahead when our rule books get updated.
There has been quite a bit of behind the scenes conversations about various subjects. While I will get to more of them here on the site, I am pulling them apart some in order to focus on specific subjects so that these do not get lost.
If you missed the previous Conversation article, please check out the following link on List Tailoring.
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/12/conversations-list-tailoring-its-in.html
I want to say thank you to the source here for sharing these thoughts and taking the time to talk about these subjects during the holidays. Realize that these are email conversations and that they might feel a bit broken up, as there are many things being discussed beyond what you see here.
I have even included relevant sections by me, and they are in italics.
While these should be considered rumors due to the source, they also include opinions, so take them as such.
via a must remain anonymous source on Faeit 212
I'd like to add that if 7th edition does land, we won't be seeing a 7th edition codex overhaul and money grab. We'd continue to see Supplements and Mini-dexes, Dataslates and other additional rules. Certain codexes as they begin to express the signs of age would receive free errata and digital updates for those who bought e-versions. Only after a long enough period had passed (the likes of which would be reminiscent of previous edition updates) would codexes begin to be changed and would be done so based on priority of need, not just original order of publication.The "if" caught my attention. It sounds like no format for release has been decided upon. Whether or not it will be an update to the rulebook, or a new full release.
As for why I said "if"
The goal is to make a book so good that it's worth buying. The goal is not to make people who bought stronghold assault and escalation frustrated by unifying the rules into one big rulebook that is effectively mandatory and thus making their previous purchases a waste of money. Granted, this happens with codexes and big rulebooks regularly, but normally not so soon. Think 4-5 years in between editions.
There is current talk about vouchers for those who purchased the digital versions of SA and E to make the next book cheaper, but it's not something that can in the same way be done for physical hardbacks as really the cost of production is present and giving a discount on the book due to previous purchases isn't entirely viable without making the book a loss to print or not profitable to the point where it's not worth printing (despite it being good for the hobby, it is a business after all).
This is promoting a strong push towards digital formats where these revisions and updates can be made and only printing limited edition hardbacks which are collectors items more so than required rulebooks.
This different intent between the books means that people shouldn't be frustrated when their LE book gets updated and not reprinted, as the LEs will focus on the art/backstory/fluffy bits and are intended for a collector, more so than a gamer making the rules just a footnote and not the focus.
The gaming editions, which will be digital still have the same content but obviously cost much less to produce/distribute (though you'd be surprised at the cut that Apple takes on an iBook) and can therefore be later updated and erratta'd right in the book and updated.