2019 was responsible for One-Coat-paints, Funko Pop figures, 6mm Thunderbolts, a Bandai Intercessor, a rebooted Realm of Chaos skirmish game and an Ambul. If you’d have predicted any one of these at the start of the year I’d be amazed.
Given the future is difficult to predict even with the rumour engine images, here I go for 2020 anyway:
Things we will see this year
1. Fulgrim is the only Primarch to get a plastic model.
2. Fabius Bile and Noise Marines
3. 9th Edition 40k introducing living spells and changes to detachments.
4. A large plastic C’Tan to be released alongside…
5. …Necrons in the 9th edition boxed set with a…
6. …Female (female looking robot) Necron Lord (Necron Queen) and/ or squad of femalish Necrons.
7. More metallic spray paints like copper and grey knights steel.
8. Primaris speeder/bikes as per the blurry shot (confirmed to be an accidental leak rather than a planned one).
9. New Wood Elf AoS faction.
10. Another Stormcast Chamber gets opened.
11. Chaos Dwarfs to get the full Sisters of Battle style re-release starting with sketches (assuming they haven’t already gone through this phase and are ready to drop).
12. More boxed sets like Blood of the Phoenix and Aether War. My guesses are Wood Elves vs Khorne, Fryeslayers vs Orruks and Free Peoples vs Skaven.
13. The major surprise this year, 40k game using Shadespire style rules. Expect GW to put a lot of their chips on this one. Fully diversified characters, female Inquisitors, tech priests and rogue traders. This will probably be a what’s used for all 40k spin off media going forward. Possibly an Eisenhorn tie in.
14. Space marine heroes series 4, probably Primaris marines, outside chance Deathwatch, maybe even Tau.
15. BloodBowl gets a re-release with High Elves and Amazons, or quietly shelved.
Things we won’t see this year
1. Battlefleet gothic rereleased and set in the Horus Heresy era.
2. GorkaMorka
3. Adeptus Titanicus gets no releases, the wait for Epic 30k continues.
4. A female space marine
5.A Plastic Imperator Titan
Also
* Forgeworld will release Jhagetti Khan, and re-release the Aeronautica scale Thunderhawk and Eldar fliers.
* Shadespire will continue to roll along. Once the computer version is released late in the year the releases will start to dry up.
* Lord of the Rings will still be a thing and probably readied internally for a rerelease to coincide with the 2021 Netflix series.
* Blackstone Fortress will get a small boxed set maybe with a Zoat or Enslaver.
* Necromunda gets a few new gangs to keep it ticking over.
* Warcry, and Sisters of Battle get their full releases.
* 3D printing will continue to not disrupt the industry. We might see a few colourised renders published on Reddit as fake rumours only to be later shown as elaborate viral marketing for Shapeways shops.
* Increase in 40k gender and racial diversification.
Anything I missed?
Reading this back halfway into the year, I’m honestly pretty amazed how many points you were right about already. Fabius Bile, 9th Edition (though no Endless Spells so far, thank god), new Necrons – including a plastic C’Tan and a starter box, Primaris bikes, SoB and Warcry full releases, further gender/racial diversification and a Blackstone Fortress Zoat.
Colour me impressed!
I should have added “I will forget to update the blog”