I don't care if the line is finished.  Price has kept me away from this until now.  I purchased the whole line thanks to this sale.

A roleplaying game doesn't die if the publisher stops making it. It only dies if people stop playing.  Look at the number of people who play OD&D or 1st and 2nd Ed WFRP.  I regularly play out of print games and I'll continue to play this even if TEW is the last thing produced (which i don't actually think will be the case but does seem to be a common belief).

It doesnt mean the game is necessarily ending. But it has been 5 years since they got the license, and it expiring may very well be on the horizon. The question becomes, who owns the system? If it is true that the new star wars RPG is based off the same core concepts, than the system may indeed belong to FFG.

I always felt that the last to 40K RPGs (Black Crusade and Olnly War) were largely attempts at having big sellers real fast to make money (which I fully support, being a capitalist) and had less substance than the earlier games. So if the license does expire in early 2013, GW will probably try to bring back thier % system and FFG may continue to use their system with a new setting (Grim or Firebound or whatever they have, Midnight?). Maybe they will use if for a Rune Wars or Dust RPG?

I doubt either FFG or GW would be keen on letting the license expire.  GW is not interested in publishing its own RPGs or Board Games and I don't think anyone else could give them the revenue that they must have been receiving from FFG from all of the games it has been producing over the years.  Whilst it seems that WFRP isn't the money spinner that FFG hoped (I assume the removal of the cards from the Star Wars RPG was because cost of production of WFRP cut into margins) the 40k game appears to be selling well as do the rest of the GW based products.   At the same time GW licensed products appear to be a big proportion of FFG's output so I doubt that they would want to lose it.

Of course I suspect that there are still license negotiations built into the contract every few years and these could possibly explain the drop of in releases (not that I am aware of such a drop off in any line other than WFRP).

In terms of who owns the system?  If I recall my game copyright law correctly you can't copyright a mechanic only the description of a mechanic.  As most of the descriptions in WFRP are based on the flavour of the setting (Sigmar's Comets, Chaos stars etc) it would be very easy to produce a similar system for another setting.

It is interesting that recently FFG have gently nudged people to remind them of the existence of RPGs that they own the license to.  I refer to the Fireborn novels that were released out of the blue and the recent promotion of both Midnight and Dragonborn's availability on pdfs (which is strange because I think they have both been for sale on Drivethurpg months if not years). This suggests to me that they are thinking of re-entering the market with a non licensed rpg.

I am actually a little bit worried about this. I still bought 3 expansions from this sale (those were 60€ cheaper with shipping costs than those are now in our local store).

If they are going to stop producing more boxet sets etc. to WHFRP 3ed, then it would be very nice from them to make some sort of announcement from this.

My guess is that the WFRP RPG will be allowed to wither on the vine probably. The 40K RPG's and the board and card games will keep the license going, which I believe has another couple of years at least on it. Maybe if the Star Wars RPG has been a success they might use the same mechanics on a new version of WFRP in two or three years time. Remember FFG are totally unsentimental and businesslike, they have no loyalty to any game that does not make enough money, however well liked by the players. They will only produce new versions of games as that is where the money is. The only question they will ask themselves is whether there will be a market for a new 4th edition of WFRP in two or three years time.

Selling product that close to cost is a pretty good indicator of it's future. I figure there are three possibilities here: (1)  a new editon is in the works with a model more akin to what Edge of the Empire looks to be. (2) a new edition more akin to the 40k line. (3) a cancellation of the game, which may go to yet another company. I just don't know if there are separate licensing deals for WHFRP and WH40K. Personally, I'd love to see a new edition. I like third, but it is a bit cumbersome.

Count Zero said:

I would also love for Fantasy Flight to reivigorate the line by releasing a 3.5/4th edition. Something that would be backwards compatible with most of 3rd editions material, but lighter on components.

Something akin to the newer Star Wars rpg line, with possible optional components such as tokens, cards, standees, etc.

GoblynKing said:

I feel that if there are going to be cards at all they won't be optional. I don't think FFG would want to sell optional play aids. I think we've seen it fall flat on its face already. I just want a new version that doesn't take an hour to put away! :)

Perhaps a streamlined editon similar to the new Star Wars.  

Is it so unthinkable to conceive of an RPG line as having a life cycle? 

WFRPG is great. But I think I have what I need. The Enemy Within may make a fitting swan song.

Star Wars looks to be in many, many ways an evolution of concepts incepted by Warhammer. If that's where FFG's RPG resources are being directed, then great. Another wonderful license in a genre (space opera) that never really had an undisputed flag-bearer.

steveg700 said:

Not inconceivable, but they haven't even scratched the surface of the setting. They made some poor product decisions and it cost them. The line itself has years and years of potential; FFG just needs a team to tap into in, streamline the experience, and set a reasonable price point. I like the 40k games, but the WFRP team clearly has no idea what made the game tick in the first place.

i think the writing is on the wall with this current iteration of warhammer.  im thankful it got this far. a 100 dollar core box, a sizable rift between 2nd and 3rd edition players, a confusing release of player guides and vaults, followed by a series of expensive box releases that covered tiny niches of material ? to get this far was a labor of love because if im an exec thats crunching the numbers im pulling the plug on warhammer 3E shortly after launch. 

you can see what ffg learned from this game in the new star wars game. people liked the mechanics but weren't so keen on the all the bits. star wars has the custom dice but we are back to the character sheet containing almost all of the info needed to play.  paizo launches a beginner box at a low price point that barnes and noble and target will stock….star war beginner box with a lower price point and everything you need to play. people like the dark heresy/rogue trader/ deathwatch trilogy…star wars rpg is a trilogy of hard back books. 

if you look at xwing and descent 2 they are basically stripped down variations of the warhammer 3E engine.  im convinced warhammer 3E was and is groundbreaking but it wont be recognized as such until ten years from now when its mechanics are running all the ffg games. 

dang thats a good sale but im all hyped for star wars and im playing x wing and descent 2. sigh. might just have to fill out the collection for completionist's sake. 

Remorhaz makes some good points.  Star Wars appears to be a conglomeration of all the things that have been successful with the other product lines.  I don't blame FFG in the leest for following successs, however i cant help but think if the rumored 4th edition is true, it has to be backward compatible to prevent splintering the fanbase.   Pissed off 3rd fans and the would be 4th fans who are affraid to purchase the game because it could be canceld at any time could result in no one buying the game.