Warhammer.com crashes as scalpers rush Heresy book preorders

Games Workshop was compelled to take its official website, Warhammer.com, offline after scalpers disrupted the pre-order launch for the highly sought-after Siege of Terra: End and Death special edition book.

The publisher opened pre-orders for this limited collector's edition – an anthology of short stories exploring the aftermath of the Siege of Terra and the climactic events of the Horus Heresy. For newcomers, the Horus Heryset serves as the foundation of Warhammer 40K's dark future, depicting the Space Marine civil war that occurred 10,000 years before the current timeline and ultimately left the Emperor interred upon the Golden Throne.

While the Siege of Terra: End and Death represents a major new lore addition, the special edition features premium touches including a faux-leather cover with gold foil accents, gilded page edges, and a metal Imperial eagle insignia.

Games Workshop initially announced the special edition would have strictly limited availability, going live at 10 AM UK time on June 10 with a queue system designed to ensure fair access.

However, technical issues quickly emerged as fans trying to secure copies found themselves stuck in digital limbo. As complaints flooded social media and Warhammer forums, the website unexpectedly went offline with no explanation.

And so, it begins
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Frustration mounted among collectors who had blocked off time specifically for the pre-order window. Eventually, Games Workshop broke its usual silence to confirm it had deliberately taken the site offline after detecting scalpers using bots to circumvent their security measures.

"Scalpers attempted to use bots to bypass our normal safeguards," the company stated. "Our eagle-eyed Tech Priests caught this happening in real-time, so we pulled Warhammer.com offline."

Currently, the special edition shows as unavailable on Warhammer.com, replaced by an email notification signup page. Games Workshop assured fans the edition hasn't been canceled – they're committed to ensuring genuine collectors can purchase it.

"All erroneous orders are being purged," the statement continued. "This is our number one priority. Please forgive us for a delay as we sort it all out."

While some fans praised the company's decisive action against scalpers, others remain skeptical about long-term solutions. Suggestions from the community include implementing raffle systems like other premium product releases, or even requiring prospective buyers to pass Horus Heresy lore tests to prove their fandom.

Special edition book launches have historically been problematic for Games Workshop, with scalpers frequently reselling them at exorbitant markups. All eyes now watch how the company will handle the eventual re-launch of pre-orders for this coveted collector's item.

It's worth noting that Games Workshop is currently thriving as a business – the Nottingham-based company recently distributed £20 million (approximately $27 million) in staff bonuses.

While best known for its tabletop miniature wargames like Warhammer 40,000, Games Workshop has expanded significantly into licensed media. Recent successes include last year's Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 video game and animated projects like Amazon's Warhammer 40,000: Secret Level. The company recently finalized its landmark deal with Amazon for Henry Cavill to develop a Warhammer 40,000 Cinematic Universe. Development is also underway on Space Marine 3.