The Warhammer franchise is a true behemoth of the gaming world, and seems to show no sign of slowing. Started in 1983 by British-based miniature wargame company Games Workshop, the original Warhammer Fantasy Battle has since expanded into dozens of different types of media. It even spawned a sci-fi spin-off, Warhammer 40,000, which has arguably gone on to become more famous than the original IP.
Supported by a constant supply of tabletop games, videogames, books, and other media, the Warhammer franchise has seen a recent surge in popularity. Building on this surge, Games Workshop has announced a new subscription service for Warhammer fans. The service, called Warhammer+, offers a lot more than most similar subscriptions, reflecting Warhammer's broad interest.
RELATED: 10 Pro Tips For Necromunda: Hired Gun
The core features of the Warhammer+ subscription service will be fairly familiar to most people. Firstly there's access to Warhammer TV, a series of shows that cover all aspects of the Warhammer hobby. Subscribers will gain access to painting tutorials, lore dives, and live games, all through the Warhammer TV app. When the Warhammer+ subscription launches, the app will be available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku, ensuring that it is a viable option on a large number of platforms.
Another part of the Warhammer+ subscription that is familiar is the access to Warhammer Animations. Subscribers will gain access to a range of brand new animated series, exclusive to the Warhammer+ service. A lot of these animations and animators started out as fan-works, before being folded into the Warhammer canon by Games Workshop. A continuation of series like the YouTube hit Astartes, by animator Syama Pedersen, will be a big draw for a lot of Warhammer+ Subscribers.
Although these features will certainly be of interest to die-hard Warhammer fans, they're not what give the Warhammer+ subscription its unique selling point. After all, this isn't a subscription to a single media service like Netflix, it's a subscription to an entire franchise. As such, it covers every aspect of the Warhammer IP.
Despite the huge expansion of the Warhammer and Warhammer 40k series, Games Workshop remains a miniature-wargaming company at heart. As a result, it shouldn't be much of a surprise that subscribers will get access to a pair of unique physical miniatures. However, these physical miniatures are the first sign that Warhammer+ will be something different from most streaming subscriptions.
Another sign is access to the Warhammer Vault, a vast repository of Warhammer content available online. Over the course of the almost four-decade lifespan of the Warhammer franchise, Games Workshop has released hundreds of magazines, lore codices, and rule-sets related to the hobby. All this classic content, including the popular White Dwarf magazine, will be available to subscribers through the Warhammer Vault.
It's clear that Games Workshop is incorporating the full range of the Warhammer franchise into the Warhammer+ subscription, something that few other services have ever attempted. This even includes exclusive bonuses at live Warhammer events in the future, although few details have been given so far as to what these special event bonuses could entail. Regardless, the idea of such a broad subscription that covers digital, physical, and live content is a new one, and something that franchises beyond Warhammer may be inspired by.
MORE: Xbox Users Can Play Three Games for Free This Weekend
