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In the current gaming space, studio closures and game cancellations are unfortunately a regular occurrence. Seasoned professionals and established brands aren’t getting the chance to see the light of day, all at the behest of companies that are looking to make a profit in the increasingly tight economy. Nacon is a glaring example of that in action, a publisher with plenty of great games to its name that is closing down — and potentially taking all of the developers under its umbrella with it.
Luckily for Warhammer fans, one of the games in that franchise has just escaped that fate. Nacon has sold the rights to their Warhammer Blood Bowl spin-off series to Slitherine, the publisher behind Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector and Warhammer 40,000: Gladius – Relics of War. Not only does this move keep hopes for the next Blood Bowl alive, but it also reinforces just how good Warhammer fans have it in the modern gaming space.
Blood Bowl Just Survived A Close Call With Cancellation
Blood Bowl is a long-standing fan favorite spin-off of the Warhammer franchise, turning the typical fantasy-themed tabletop strategy game into a riff on football. The game has gotten a few video games over the years, with the most recent — Blood Bowl 3 — earning mixed reviews and an overall Metacritic score of 60/100. A new game is reportedly in the works from developer Cyanide Studio, which produced the previous games in the sub-series. However, Cyanide Studio was one of the many developers owned by Nacon that found itself in limbo after the company filed for insolvency earlier this year.
Luckily, Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector publisher Slitherine has taken the opportunity to acquire the rights to the Blood Bowl IP. They’ve obtained the license, publishing rights, and back catalog of Blood Bowl games from Nacon and have also announced that they will work with Cyanide Studio to continue developing the next entry in the series. This is big news for fans of Blood Bowl. Blood Bowl 3 may have suffered from some underlying glitches and drawbacks, but the core gameplay remained as engaging and entertaining as ever. With Sliterine now taking the reins of the property, the next game in the series could be given a bit more breathing room and support to make sure the finished product is as exciting as it could possibly be.
Warhammer Fans Are Eating Well In Modern Gaming
A new Blood Bowl is only one of the many Warhammer games currently in development, highlighting just how much attention the classic franchise is getting in the modern gaming space. Warhammer Survivors is a reimagining of the Roguelike Vampire Survivors, highlighting how the property can work in a scaled-back retro style. Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Deathmaster is set to give players the chance to embody a Skaven for the first time in a 2.5D stealth-action game. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV will be a classic RTS, while Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 will make sure FPS fans who loved 2023’s Boltgun get a new batch of action.
That’s all on top of upcoming sequels to the Space Marine series as well as a Warhammer iteration of the long-running strategy series Total War. Each of these games embodies a different style of gameplay and visual touch, all while feeling deeply connected to the Warhammer identity and universe. This is on top of renewed interest in the brand thanks to potential adaptations in outside media, such as the Henry Cavill passion project that is set to bring the franchise to Prime Video.
Blood Bowl surviving and getting another game offers a chance to highlight that broad brand versatility, giving sports fans a taste of fantasy action and fantasy fans a reason to figure out a sports game. Warhammer has a greater impact on the modern gaming space than it has ever had, with Sliterhine’s decision to save Blood Bowl speaking to their confidence in the larger brand. Just as a fan of Blood Bowl, it’s exciting to see the series get another chance at life from a publisher that really understands the appeal of the franchise and the versatility that has helped make it so enduring in both traditional tabletop gaming and in digital spaces.
Which upcoming Warhammer game are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments and on social media!
