The Warhammer streaming TV service has just 115,000 subscribers says GW

Warhammer Plus, Games Workshop’s ambitious digital subscription that includes the Warhammer TV streaming channel, has earned just 115,000 subscribers since its launch in Aug. 2021. The endeavor is profitable, according to Games Workshop’s half-year financial report, but viewership lags well behind similar fan-created content available for free on platforms like YouTube.

Compared to services like Netflix and Disney Plus, with hundreds of millions of subscribers each, Games Workshop’s community represents little more than a rounding error. Of course, going up against the giants of the streaming industry was never the goal here: That’s why Warhammer Plus is listed under the “Marketing” headline in these documents, most likely.

Games Workshop instead wanted to attract diehard Warhammer 40,000 or Warhammer: Age of Sigmar fans by offering a boatload of digital content. And it’s done so admirably, in my opinion. There are hours of exclusive animated series that can’t be found anywhere else, plus actual play sessions of all the major product lines led by knowledgeable presenters. The $59.99 annual cost is worth it if you add in an extensive series of painting and lore videos from exceptional artists like Louise Sugden. There’s also a huge back catalogue of digital magazines and books available through Warhammer Vault. And an exclusive miniature. The second year, I was the one who pulled the trigger.

But it’s hard to weigh all that against the waning goodwill of the community. Many fan-made YouTube videos and projects were canceled after Warhammer Plus was launched. This, along with messages against 3D printing, angered long-term fans. I haven’t seen any straight-up cease and desist letters myself, but a handful of creators were spooked enough to wind down their pet projects and move on. Some — including the creator of the viral hit Astartes animated shorts — were integrated into the service itself and placed behind a paywall. A pirated version exists, with more than 13 million views.

According to Games Workshop, of the many hours of content now behind said paywall — including that Astartes animated shot — “Warhammer Plus shows and animations have now been viewed over 5 million times.”

Warhammer TV could have more content. I think so, however technical problems are my biggest complaint. The highlights of Warhammer TV’s first year include InterrogatorThe animated drama “The Animated Drama of the Year” is a nearly-feature-length animation. Angels of Death A more conventional action movie starring Space Marines, Blood Angels’ terminator. Much like the final season’s climactic battles, Game of ThronesThese are always dim and dark. They look terrible when compressed for streaming. Both are not available for downloading.

Warhammer Plus has released a teaser video highlighting their plans for 2023. It includes plenty of 40K content as well as other franchises. While I wish there had been more information, Games Workshop obviously has bigger fish to fry. Henry Cavill has begun a Warhammer 40,000 adaptation for Amazon. Warhammer TV will always remain a niche product, but Cavill is the main star. Man of Steel And The WitcherWarhammer is set to become mainstream soon.