Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 5th Edition Is Coming in 2026

2026 will the 40th anniversary of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, the classic British fantasy TTRPG launched in 1986 by Games Workshop. It's also the year of a brand new edition of the game, with WFRP 5E hitting shelves, courtesy of Cubicle 7.

Cubicle 7's CEO Dominic McDowall, in an interview with Wargamer, indicated that the new edition will be backwards compatible with 4th edition, retaining the classic d100 system, and set in a similar time period. There will be a conversion document of sorts, but most older material will be usable with ease.

McDowall said that the goal is to 'standardize' things more, and remove subsystems which don't add enough player satisfaction in relation to their complexity. Existing 4th Edition books will not be re-released, and a new 'mega campaign' is being worked on.

WFRP has been published by various publishers over the decades--Games Workshop, Hogshead Publishing, Green Ronin/Black Industries, Fantasy Flight Games, and--since 2018--Cubicle 7. The game is set in a 'grimdark' fantasy setting called the 'Old World', with various regions very loosely based on countries in the Middle Ages. One of the game's predominant themes is the battle against Chaos, as represented by beastmen, mutated ratmen (Skaven), and dark cults.

 

[Crusadius]

Right around that time I ran into a game developer at a local CON that'd worked on WHFRP 2 and he sent me a PDF. I really liked it, but was disappointed to find out the CRB had long ago disappeared from LGS shelves. I also couldn't find copies at online stores and preowned copies were selling for hefty prices. Seemed ridiculous that something that had only debuted 5 years earlier, was no where to be found, or close to affordable.

There was a time, when Fantasy Flight Games had the license, there was a POD of the 2E core book on drivethrurpg. Alas it is no longer available, probably gone when Cubicle 7 got the licence. I already had a core rulebook for 2E so decided on not getting one, but now regret not taking advantage of its availability at the time and getting an extra copy.

 

[Micah Sweet]

There was a time, when Fantasy Flight Games had the license, there was a POD of the 2E core book on drivethrurpg. Alas it is no longer available, probably gone when Cubicle 7 got the licence. I already had a core rulebook for 2E so decided on not getting one, but now regret not taking advantage of its availability at the time and getting an extra copy.

I picked up all the 2e books in pdf from a Humble Bundle a while back.

 

[Crusadius]

Wild that first edition has like, by far the strongest of those covers, visually and that isn't just nostalgia talking because I'd forgotten that was what it looked like, and had to go check it really was! (Unusually modern-looking for the era) I do appreciate 4th's visual nods to 1st though, that's very cute. 3rd is awful oof. Let's hope 5th's cover is at least close to the best two.

The cover has already been revealed:

https://cubicle7games.com/en_EU/blog/warhammer-fantasy-roleplay-fifth-edition-cover-reveal

 

[schneeland]

There's now also an interview about WFRP 5e up on wargamer.com - Link. Not exactly any groundbreaking news, but there are some remarks about simplified calculation of success levels and less tracking for advantage in combat that sound to me like they will address some of the issues I had with 4e.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I do wish that not every new edition of every game didn't make a point to talk about how much they've simplified the system.

 

[mamba]

I do wish that not every new edition of every game didn't make a point to talk about how much they've simplified the system.

they are not talking about that...

"We've been working on it for the last few years, just trying to find where are those bits where we can make it a little bit simpler without losing anything. Where the additional complexity doesn't really give the returns in terms of satisfaction of the experience or the detail you go into."

"There's [still] a satisfying level of crunch, and it's going to be a bit crunchier than the average [RPG]. [Fifth edition] is not simplifying particularly, but it's unifying things a little bit more, and taking out some of the things where you don't always need that level of granularity and it's okay to use the usual range of success and failure.

So you don't always need to know to the nth degree of detail how bribery works across different social situations. It's good enough to say, 'Okay, we've got a solid system that tells you whether you are successful or not, or how much it would cost to bribe somebody'. So it's streamlining again - but it's not dumbing down."

 

[Micah Sweet]

they are not talking about that...

"We've been working on it for the last few years, just trying to find where are those bits where we can make it a little bit simpler without losing anything. Where the additional complexity doesn't really give the returns in terms of satisfaction of the experience or the detail you go into."

"There's [still] a satisfying level of crunch, and it's going to be a bit crunchier than the average [RPG]. [Fifth edition] is not simplifying particularly, but it's unifying things a little bit more, and taking out some of the things where you don't always need that level of granularity and it's okay to use the usual range of success and failure.

So you don't always need to know to the nth degree of detail how bribery works across different social situations. It's good enough to say, 'Okay, we've got a solid system that tells you whether you are successful or not, or how much it would cost to bribe somebody'. So it's streamlining again - but it's not dumbing down."

Ok, but "streamlining" is another way of saying, "simplifying".

 

[mamba]

Ok, but "streamlining" is another way of saying, "simplifying".

I know, but if you read the rest of the text, you should notice that it is only minimally streamlined rather than talking about 'how much they've simplified the system' as you put it

 

[Jahydin]

I never did get around to picking up 4E since I already had zweihander, so will probably check this out.

Also, I never realized the 4E cover art is an homage to the 1st edition one. Neat!

 

[MNblockhead]

I'm cautiously optimistic. If they can clean up and consolidate the rules, and make some changes based on the years of 4e play and feedback, I'll happily buy the book. In some ways, I think it is easier to ensure backwards compatibility with WFRP 4e. The game is not as finely balanced as other systems. Balance isn't as much of a focus in WFRP 4e. They just have to make sure sure that, overall, the adventure and setting books will be still be playable in the new edition, which is easier to do as encounter balance isn't really a thing. At least their isn't anything like D&D's CR calculations in WFRP.

I was interested to read that they are looking to make combat more deadly. I've read many WFRP grognards complain about how WFRP4e is far less deadly than older editions with mechanics like taking points of damage to armor to avoid critical hits and meta currencies like fate, fortune, resilience, and resolve making the game much more forgiving. It isn't a complaint I have, and I'm most interested in how they will streamline combat, but I'm interested in seeing what changes will make it more deadly.

The new cover art doesn't do anything for me, but Cubicle7 has done a great job with art and I still hold out hope for continued excellence in the interior art.

Also, I was very happy that Mooman, the developer of the WFRP4e game system for Foundry has been working on coding for 5e for two years already and from what I've read, it will just be some toggles in the settings to select whether you use 4e or 5e rules. It'll be interesting to see how granular it is. Will it just be a single switch to 5e setting or can you mix and max and just turn on settings for the 5e changes you like and keep some of the 4e rules if you don't like the changes.

I would guess that all the extensive hyperlinking of the old foundry content is not going to link to new 5e content.

Lastly, I was happy to read in the interview that one of the reasons for backwards compatibility is that they want to continue to move forward with new setting and adventure material, rather than revisit existing locations and adventures released for 4e.