The world of collecting has shifted dramatically, and it’s disheartening to note that fans now face not just their fellow enthusiasts but also a relentless wave of bots driven by scalpers. Whether you’re hunting for action figures, trading cards, sneakers, or even limited-edition novels, the battle has become an uphill struggle. This is especially true in the realm of Warhammer.
This week, Games Workshop revealed plans to launch pre-orders for a highly anticipated final entry in its long-standing Horus Heresy novel series. Set approximately 10,000 years before the events of Warhammer 40K, this saga—initiated in 2006—depicts a galaxy-wide civil war within the Imperium of Man. At its center is Horus, the Emperor’s most trusted warmaster, who succumbs to corruption and sways massive Space Marine legions toward Chaos, ultimately turning against the Imperium. The main series, which spans sixty-four primary books, concluded with the release of The End and the Death Volume III last January, marking the tenth chapter of the “Siege of Terra” miniseries chronicling Horus’s final assault on Earth.
The upcoming title, End of Ruin, caught many by surprise as the final chapter. This anthology of short stories unfolds in the aftermath of The End and the Death. Although fans were eager for its pre-order launch, the recent Horus Heresy editions have garnered attention not only for their content but for the fervor surrounding their limited editions. Each volume launched has been packaged in premium faux-leather covers, embossed with gold foil, resembling ancient texts from the Warhammer universe. These limited editions have become the exclusive route to acquire each book in physical form ahead of the standard paperback releases, which always lag behind by a month.
It’s no wonder that these limited editions have become incredibly sought after. With only a few thousand copies available directly from Games Workshop, this dedicated fan base clogs the website every weekend for the latest releases. After all, once you start collecting, it’s hard to stop at just one. The challenge becomes not just getting each book but ensuring a uniform set on your shelf. However, fans quickly learned that with each new chapter of “Siege of Terra” since its 2019 inception, demand often causes Games Workshop’s website to buckle, leading to frustration and scalpers reselling copies on platforms like eBay at inflated prices.
Despite Games Workshop’s attempts to combat scalping—such as revamping their website in 2023 to include queuing systems to deter bots—each limited edition continues to sell out at lightning speed, reigniting waves of discontent among fans. Following the launch of The End and the Death Volume III, another round of disappointment loomed with the announcement of End of Ruin. On June 10, fans braced themselves for another chaotic pre-order battle, and unfortunately, it didn’t go well.
Minutes after End of Ruin went live at 5 a.m. Eastern, the queue system started showing wait times extending into hours, quickly followed by the queue pause. Eventually, Games Workshop’s website went down entirely for a maintenance period that lasted several hours. The uproar from fans prompted Games Workshop to issue a rare public statement regarding the situation.

“Today we launched our pre-order for the much-anticipated special edition of Siege of Terra: Era of Ruin,” a statement posted to Facebook read. “Unfortunately, scalpers attempted to use bots to bypass our normal safeguards. Our eagle-eyed Tech-Priests caught this happening in real time, so we pulled Warhammer.com offline. What this means is we’re pausing the launch of Era of Ruin and have removed it from Warhammer.com for the time being.”
“Don’t worry, it’s still coming—we’re just absolutely determined that real fans get it,” the statement continued. “All erroneous orders are being purged. This is our number one priority. Please forgive us for a delay as we sort it all out.”
As part of their renewed efforts to combat resellers, Games Workshop included a newsletter sign-up link for customers wanting updates on when pre-orders for Era of Ruin would relaunch. This is a step up from the previous incident with The End and the Death Volume III, which faced similar issues weeks later. Given that this has been a recurring theme for the Horus Heresy series, one wonders how long the existing safeguards will prove effective.
Will the next round of sales for Era of Ruin go more smoothly? That remains to be seen. But if the headaches continue for Horus Heresy fans, it might just lead to a different kind of ruin for one of Games Workshop’s most beloved book series.
What are the benefits of owning a limited edition Horus Heresy novel? Limited editions often come with unique artwork, special binding, and can hold their value well over time, making them sought-after collectibles.
Why are collectors so affected by scalpers? Scalpers often buy up limited editions rapidly using bots, leading to scarcity and inflated prices on the resale market, which frustrates dedicated fans.
How does Games Workshop plan to combat scalping? Games Workshop is continuously updating its website’s security features and implementing queue systems to deter bots and ensure genuine fans have access to their products.
What should fans do if they miss out on a limited edition? The best course of action is to stay engaged with official channels, sign up for newsletters, and participate in communities to stay updated on various releases.
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