Games Workshop is producing a second trio of games designed to appeal to a broader audience that will be offered only through national chain stores, part of the company’s marketing approach to attract new players to its core game settings.  This wave of games will include StormVault, Dreadfane, and Combat Arena.

Toby Davies, GW Head of Sales (Global Distribution & Partners) told ICv2 that the intent of these titles is to introduce new audiences that are unfamiliar with the GW line to their properties in the hope of attracting them into the larger hobby. “We’re happy, because it’s creating more hobbyists… If we can help create more people for local brick and mortar stores, then that’s a fantastic, healthy place to be.”

StormVault is a fully-cooperative game set in the Age of Sigmar universe.  The players take on the role of heroes who travel through locations in the realms as the combat the forces of Chaos.  The game is designed for an ages 8 and up audience, and it features a set of push-fit miniatures that can be removed from their sprues with tools and assembled without glue.

Dreadfane is a simplified version of the Warhammer Underworlds series games, Shadespire and Nightvault (see “The Shyish Necroquake Bewitches ‘Warhammer Underworlds’”).  The more complex mechanics have been removed from this version, while the core deck building system has been retained.  Dreadfane includes two complete teams, which are fully compatible with the rest of the Warhammer Underworlds line.

The game will include miniatures, cards, tokens, dice, and a game board.  It targets a slightly older audience, rated 12 and up.

Representing the Warhammer 40,000 universe is Combat Arena, a skirmish-scale combat game that acts as a prequel of sorts for the Blackstone Fortress game GW released last year (see “Preview:  ‘Warhammer Quest:  Blackstone Fortress’”).  It is designed for a variety of gameplay styles, including one-on-one, team play, and play against an “AI” controlled robot character.

Click on the gallery below to see images of the components from all three games.

MSRP and release dates for all three games have not yet been announced.  Games Workshop is negotiating with a number of chains to distribute the games, but no specific partnerships have been announced.  Last year, the company offered three games exclusively through Barnes & Noble (see “Games Workshop Offers Three Intro Games”).  One of those games, Space Marine Adventures:  Labyrinth of the Necrons, will be offered to a broader market alongside the three new titles, but there are currently no plans to offer any of the six introductory games into the hobby market.