Why is it Called Warhammer 40,000?

Warhammer 40,000 gets its iconic name from being a futuristic and more over-the-top offshoot of the original gothic fantasy based Warhammer tabletop system, with action now transposed 40,000 years into a grim, dark future setting. It owes its "Warhammer" roots to the medieval battles that started this tabletop gaming franchise, but over 30+ years, 40k has dramatically eclipsed its predecessor‘s popularity across the globe.

As an avid tabletop gamer since high school, I‘ve played and followed both systems for over a decade. Here, I‘ll explore both Warhammer‘s origins along with how 40k has carved out such a successful brand identity of its own.

Warhammer Fantasy Battle – Where It All Began

Warhammer Fantasy Battle first launched in 1983 under founders Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson of Games Workshop. As lifelong hobbyists, they pioneered a tabletop war game focused around collectible miniature figures staged on handcrafted battlefield terrain.

In a 1985 interview, co-writer Rick Priestley recalled the team‘s key goal was "to create a full world – not just a game." This meant developing a fictional realm called the Old World, filled with expansive lore, diverse fighter races, mystical magics and legendary heroes.

While niche compared to models or board games, Warhammer quickly built a dedicated playerbase, drawn to creative modelling as much as tense, strategic battles. Through the 1990s and early 2000s, Warhammer Fantasy became a cult hit, with ~30 books fleshing out its fantasy world.

The End Times and Beyond

In 2015, the game‘s publishers transitioned Warhammer Fantasy to Warhammer: Age of Sigmar. This effectively rebooted its universe, while keeping some core elements. Some traditional players bemoaned the loss of the Old World‘s detail. Yet Age of Sigmar also drew new blood, keeping the fantasy Warhammer flame burning, albeit dimmer.

This table shows that even as support for original Warhammer fantasy declined, 40k went from strength to strength…

Warhammer 40,000 – How Sci-Fi Took Over

In 1987, Rick Priestley launched Warhammer 40,000 1st Edition, transplanting Warhammer to a gothic 31st millennium future. As Lead Designer, his vision was for "a game that would appeal to my tastes in SF literature – serious future war with a gothic overtone".

40K reinvented Warhammer with chainswords, bolters and hulking Space Marines. Yet familiar fantasy elements like Chaos, elf-like Eldar and mysticism remained, now recast as psychic powers and interdimensional sorcery.

As a tabletop narrative, 40k‘s endless, brutal war proved compelling for fans to build expansive collections. Its mix of religious iconography, alien hive swarms and magitek dreadnoughts was unique for military gamers. As Priestley put it: "40K owes a debt to Dune, Paradise Lost and 2000AD."

Runaway Growth and Expanding the Brand

40k has dominated the miniatures space since early 1990s. But shrewd licensing and multimedia projects have cultivated new generations of fans:

• 170+ novels fleshing out the Horus Heresy saga and other conflicts
• Big budget video games like Dawn of War (2004) bringing 40k‘s visuals to PCs
• Eye-catching Ultramarines animations on YouTube engaging young viewers

Crucially, the game foregrounds collecting. Its Power Armoured Space Marines especially have become icons far beyond tabletop circles, almost synonymous with 40k itself. Their clean sci-fi look makes them appealing starter sets for novice hobbyists.

Forbes reported 40k pulled in $150 million in 2015 alone, showing its shift from niche to mainstream pop culture juggernaut.

While I‘ll always have fond nostalgia for old school Warhammer Fantasy, 40k‘s success comes from mining a rich idea seam of grimdark sci-fi and open-ended narrative that engages hardcore battle gamers and casual fans alike to collect, read or just enjoy the spectacle!