Closer Look at Games Workshop’s 40k Price Increases for 2020
In Games Workshop’s infinite wisdom earlier this week announced “Price Adjustments” , while are distracted by “Big Warhammer 40k Announcement” , lets take a moment to see what is going on behind Games Workshop current tone deaf price hikes. Below I have a handy table that shows exactly what is getting a price hike and my “educated” guess on by how much.
| Unit/Kit | Faction | Current Price | Guess Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stormraven Gunship | Space Marines | $ 90.00 | $ 100.00 |
| Land Raider Redeemer/Land Raider Crusader | Space Marines | $ 80.00 | $ 100.00 |
| Corvus Blackstar | Deathwatch | $ 75.00 | $ 80.00 |
| Hemlock Wraithfighter/Crimson Hunter | Craftworlds | $ 75.00 | $ 80.00 |
| Trygon/Mawloc | Tyranids | $ 75.00 | $ 80.00 |
| Triumvirate of Ynnead | Ynnari | $ 75.00 | $ 80.00 |
| Valkyrie | Imperal Guard | $ 75.00 | $ 80.00 |
| Furioso/Death Company/Librarian Dreadnought | Blood Angels | $ 55.00 | $ 60.00 |
| Doom Scythe/Night Scythe | Necrons | $ 55.00 | $ 60.00 |
| Rubric Marines | Thousand Sons | $ 55.00 | $ 60.00 |
| Venerable Dreadnought | Space Marines | $ 55.00 | $ 60.00 |
| Leman Russ Battle Tank | Imperal Guard | $ 55.00 | $ 65.00 |
| Leman Russ Demolisher | Imperal Guard | $ 55.00 | $ 65.00 |
| Thunderwolf Cavalry | Space Wolves | $ 54.50 | $ 60.00 |
| Venerable Dreadnought/Bjorn the Fell-Handed/Murderfang | Space Wolves | $ 54.00 | $ 60.00 |
| Ironclad Dreadnought | Space Marines | $ 50.00 | $ 60.00 |
| Terminator Close Combat/Terminator Squad | Space Marines | $ 50.00 | $ 60.00 |
| Sternguard Veteran Squad | Space Marines | $ 50.00 | $ 55.00 |
| Ravenwing Command Squad/Black Knights | Dark Angels | $ 50.00 | $ 55.00 |
| Devastator Squad | Space Marines | $ 50.00 | $ 55.00 |
| Grey Knights Terminator/Paladins Squad | Grey Knights | $ 50.00 | $ 60.00 |
| Wolf Guard Terminators | Space Wolves | $ 50.00 | $ 60.00 |
| Wave Serpent | Craftworlds | $ 50.00 | $ 60.00 |
| Sicarian Ruststalkers/Infiltrators | Ad-Mech | $ 46.00 | $ 50.00 |
| Sisters of Silence/Vigilator/Witchseeker/Prosecutor Squad | Sisters of Silence | $ 45.00 | $ 50.00 |
| Tactical Squad | Space Marines | $ 45.00 | $ 60.00 |
| Assault Squad | Space Marines | $ 45.00 | $ 50.00 |
| Tomb Blades | Necrons | $ 41.25 | $ 45.00 |
| Dark Reapers | Craftworlds | $ 41.25 | $ 45.00 |
| Ork Warbiker Mob | Orks | $ 41.25 | $ 45.00 |
| Daemon Prince | Daemons | $ 41.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Chaos Spawn | Daemons | $ 41.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Triarch Praetorians/Necron Lychguard | Necrons | $ 40.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Annihilation Barge/Catacomb Command Barge | Necrons | $ 40.00 | $ 50.00 |
| Chaos Rhino | Chaos Space Marines | $ 40.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Exalted Flamer of Tzeentch/Burning Chariot of Tzeentch | Daemons | $ 40.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Trukk | Orks | $ 40.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Skitarii Vanguard/Rangers | Ad-Mech | $ 40.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Vanguard Veteran Squad | Space Marines | $ 40.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Chimera | Imperial Guard | $ 40.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Raider | Dark Eldar | $ 40.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Sanguinary Guard | Blood Angels | $ 40.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Khorne Berzerkers | Chaos Space Marines | $ 40.00 | $ 50.00 |
| Skyweavers | Harlequins | $ 40.00 | $ 45.00 |
| TY7 Devilfish | Tau Empire | $ 40.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Bike Squad | Space Marines | $ 40.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Drop Pod | Space Marines | $ 40.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Tzaangor Skyfires/Tzaangor Enlightened | Thousand Sons | $ 40.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Beast of Nurgle | Daemons | $ 40.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Harlequin Troupe | Harlequins | $ 40.00 | $ 50.00 |
| Tzaangors | Thousand Sons | $ 40.00 | $ 50.00 |
| Chaos Bikers | Chaos Space Marines | $ 40.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Neophyte Hybrids | Genestealer Cults | $ 40.00 | $ 50.00 |
| Space Wolves Pack | Space Wolves | $ 40.00 | $ 50.00 |
| Guardian Squad | Craftworlds | $ 36.25 | $ 40.00 |
| Black Guardians | Craftworlds | $ 36.25 | $ 40.00 |
| Necron Warriors with Canoptek Scarabs | Necrons | $ 36.25 | $ 40.00 |
| Tech-Priest Dominus | Ad-Mech | $ 36.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Venom | Dark Eldar | $ 35.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Grand Master Voldus | Grey Knights | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Daemonettes of Slaanesh | Daemons | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Haarken Worldclaimer | Chaos Space Marines | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Genestealers/Purestrain | Tyranids | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Canoptek Spyder | Necrons | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Horrors of Tzeentch | Daemons | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Sentinel/Scout Sentinel | Imperal Guard | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Cadian Command Squad | Imperal Guard | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Skulltaker | Daemons | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Captain-General Trajann Valoris | Custodes | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| TX4 Piranha | Tau Empire | $ 35.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Kabalite Warriors | Dark Eldar | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Pathfinder Team | Tau Empire | $ 35.00 | $ 50.00 |
| Fenrisian Wolves | Space Wolves | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Deathwatch Kill Team | Deathwatch | $ 35.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Space Marine Command Squad | Space Marines | $ 35.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Death Company | Blood Angels | $ 35.00 | $ 50.00 |
| Tyranid Hormagaunt | Tyranids | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Cadian Shock Troops | Imperal Guard | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Necron Immortals/Deathmarks | Necrons | $ 35.00 | $ 50.00 |
| World Eaters Khârn the Betrayer | Chaos Space Marines | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Ork Boyz/Shootas | Orks | $ 35.00 | $ 50.00 |
| Daemons Of Khorne Bloodletters | Daemons | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Raptors/Warptalons | Chaos Space Marines | $ 35.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Wyches | Dark Eldar | $ 35.00 | $ 50.00 |
| Gargoyle Brood | Tyranids | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Jackal Alphus | Genestealer Cults | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Chaos Space Marines Noise Marine | Chaos Space Marines | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| War Walker | Craftworlds | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Possessed | Chaos Space Marines | $ 35.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Land Speeder Storm | Space Marines | $ 35.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Karanak The Hound of Vengeance | Daemons | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Land Speeder | Space Marines | $ 35.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Militarum Tempestus Scions | Imperal Guard | $ 35.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Primaris Captain in Phobos Armour | Space Marines | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Plaguebearers of Nurgle | Daemons | $ 35.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Warlock/Farseer Skyrunner | Craftworlds | $ 33.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Vindicare Assassin | Imperial Agents | $ 32.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Eversor Assassin | Imperial Agents | $ 32.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Culexus Assassin | Imperial Agents | $ 32.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Spoilpox Scrivener | Daemons | $ 30.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Sanguinary Priest | Blood Angels | $ 30.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Sloppity Bilepiper | Daemons | $ 30.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Deathwatch Watch Master | Deathwatch | $ 30.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Space Marines Scouts with Sniper Rifles | Space Marines | $ 30.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Eldrad Ulthran | Craftworlds | $ 30.00 | $ 40.00 |
| XV25 Stealth Battlesuits | Tau Empire | $ 30.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Ork Nobz | Orks | $ 30.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Iron Priest | Space Wolves | $ 30.00 | $ 35.00 |
| Librarian | Space Marines | $ 30.00 | $ 35.00 |
| Ork Burna/Lootas | Orks | $ 30.00 | $ 45.00 |
| The Masque | Daemons | $ 30.00 | $ 35.00 |
| Scourges | Dark Eldar | $ 30.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Tech-Priest Enginseer | Ad-Mech | $ 30.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Flamers of Tzeentch | Daemons | $ 30.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Ork Stormboyz | Orks | $ 30.00 | $ 45.00 |
| Nurglings | Daemons | $ 30.00 | $ 35.00 |
| Attack Bike | Space Marines | $ 30.00 | $ 35.00 |
| Ulrik the Slayer | Space Wolves | $ 30.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Space Marines Scouts | Space Marines | $ 30.00 | $ 40.00 |
| Necron Overlord | Necrons | $ 28.00 | $ 35.00 |
| Shadowseer | Harlequins | $ 26.00 | $ 35.00 |
| Ork Painboy | Orks | $ 26.00 | $ 35.00 |
| Death Jester | Harlequins | $ 26.00 | $ 35.00 |
| Cadre Fireblade | Tau Empire | $ 25.00 | $ 35.00 |
| Archon | Dark Eldar | $ 25.00 | $ 35.00 |
| Farseer | Craftworlds | $ 25.00 | $ 35.00 |
| Officio Prefectus Commissar | Imperal Guard | $ 25.00 | $ 35.00 |
| Ork Gretchin | Orks | $ 18.00 | $ 30.00 |
| Ultramarines Upgrade Pack | Space Marines | $ 13.50 | $ 25.00 |
| Dark Angels Upgrade Pack | Dark Angels | $ 13.50 | $ 25.00 |
| Space Wolves Upgrade Pack | Space Wolves | $ 13.50 | $ 25.00 |
| Blood Angels Upgrade Pack | Blood Angels | $ 13.50 | $ 25.00 |
| Space Wolves Primaris Upgrades | Space Wolves | $ 13.50 | $ 25.00 |
| Dark Angels Primaris Upgrades | Dark Angels | $ 13.50 | $ 25.00 |
| Blood Angels Primaris Upgrades | Blood Angels | $ 13.50 | $ 25.00 |
| Deathwatch Upgrade Frame | Deathwatch | $ 13.50 | $ 25.00 |
| Unit/Kit | Faction | Current Price | Guess Increase |
I want to first start off by saying that I doubt Games Workshop decided on these price increases because of the pandemic, and this had been in the works since at the beginning of the fiscal year. Of the 135 or so Warhammer 40k price increases, they all fall broadly into bringing kit classes in line with recent releases and those prices.
That is one reason why I am very bullish on Games Workshop hiking the prices on characters to match the new normal of a $40 for single character model. As well, the Space Marine upgrade packs to bring them in line with the newer upgrade packs. Games Workshop knows they can up the price on these types of kits because, the low gross margins they get with single model kits. Games Workshop also knows if you need that special character or HQ unit you will most likely pay the one time artificial high purchase price.
The next class of units with price hikes are getting kits in line with a certain release: Chaos Space Marines. The Chaos Space Marine release of last year, saw some shocking price inflation with the basic (10) Chaos Space Marine kit going for $60.00 along with (5) Havocs $55.00, and (5) Chaos Space Marine Terminators $60.00. These pretty outrageous prices are in line with the Space Marine Primaris line and those recent kits. So it makes sense we see a bunch of (Grey Knights) Terminators, baseline (Rubric Marines) troops, and old speciality (Sternguard) units come up in price to match the newer kits.
What though is interesting with many of these price hikes is Games Workshop is, underhandedly adding value to the start collecting box sets, with the only one year old Thousand Sons Start Collecting! box having some real great value. Space Marines, Dark Eldar, Genestealers Cults, all Daemons, Orks, Tyranids, Necrons, pretty much all the Start Collecting! sets become more appealing with the related price increases. The cynic, makes you wonder if this means the Start Collecting! boxes will get changed with the release of 9th edition to something completely different. The businessman though in me thinks this is pretty shrewd by Games Workshop; make it easier for GW store managers to sell starter kits to little Johnny’s mom when she sees the savings.
The next tier of price hikes really just looks like Games Workshop factoring in inflation and wanting to increase margins on older kits. That is why we see great value kits like Ork Boyz, Lootas, Gretchin, Immortals, and Lychguard get hit with the price bat. Again, Games Workshop is also trying to bring them in line with new kits and the corresponding battlefield role.
I want special attention for Land Raider specifically the Crusader and Redeemer, which is again getting hit with a price hike, this kit is around 20 years old to put things in perspective. The extra sprue over the basic Land Raider a logical reason behind having a cost difference, but mostly Games Workshop knows, regardless of how much it can suck in the game, it is a consistent seller for new and old hobbyists. The opposite can be true and that since it is SO old they want to make more money out of diminishing sales. It just really stinks either way, because it is one of those clear examples that Games Workshop is ruthless when it comes to managing it’s price points and margins.
Finally, if you haven’t already please take a watch of the latest BoK YouTube video looking at the first Warhammer 40k novelist!
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