What Countries is Warhammer TV Available in and Is Warhammer Plus Worth It in 2022?

Warhammer TV offers a wealth of videos aimed firmly at existing Warhammer fans. But should you subscribe? Let‘s take a detailed look at what Warhammer TV provides, where you can access it, and whether Warhammer Plus is worth it for fans today.

A Niche Streaming Service for a Niche Audience

First, some background. Warhammer TV first launched in 2019 as an iOS and Android app, later expanding to Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV. This niche platform from Warhammer owners Games Workshop contains short videos focused on the Warhammer hobby – think painting tutorials, animations, battle reports and more.

Then in 2021, Games Workshop introduced Warhammer Plus – a $5.99 per month premium subscription to unlock extra content and features. This followed the typical freemium model used by many streaming services today.

But who is the target audience here? Warhammer has a devoted but relatively small fanbase compared to entertainment behemoths like Star Wars and Marvel. Estimates put the number of active Warhammer players around 1 million worldwide.

That‘s large for tabletop gaming, with Warhammer holding around a 60% market share. But it‘s a fraction of the fanbases for mainstream pop culture icons. This means Warhammer TV occupies an unusual niche – streaming for a niche hobby.

Where Can You Actually Watch Warhammer TV?

Given the niche appeal, where can fans watch Warhammer TV? Unfortunately availability remains quite limited, with only 12 countries supported:

• Australia
• Belgium
• Canada
• Denmark
• Germany
• Ireland
• Italy
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Sweden
• United Kingdom
• United States

This excludes major Warhammer markets like France, Spain, Poland and China. It also shuts out fans in much of Asia, Africa and South America. Expanding regional availability will be key for Warhammer TV to grow beyond its core audience.

Platform access remains limited too. Warhammer TV is accessible via iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV. But it‘s still missing from major consoles like PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch. No smart TV app is available either. These limitations likely dampen sign-ups.

Warhammer TV vs Warhammer Plus – What‘s the Difference?

Warhammer TV offers some free videos, but to unlock everything you need a Warhammer Plus membership. This currently costs $5.99 USD monthly or $59.99 USD annually.

What extra features do you get as a Warhammer Plus subscriber?

• No ads – Ad-free viewing is a nice perk for fans.
• Exclusive content – Early access to new shows plus subscriber-only series.
• Live events – Special livestreams like Q&As and battle reports.
• Comics – Access to Warhammer digital comics via the Warhammer Vault.
• Free model – Subscribers got a free miniature in 2021, though not continued in 2022.

Think of Warhammer TV as the platform, and Warhammer Plus as the VIP membership. Now let‘s look at whether that membership is worth the price.

Is Warhammer Plus Worth It for Fans?

Warhammer Plus aims squarely at existing Warhammer fans. But even among devotees, opinions on the service are mixed. Here are some pros and cons to weigh up:

Pros

• Ad-free, early access content for biggest fans.
• Relatively low cost compared to Warhammer miniatures. A $60 yearly Warhammer Plus subscription costs less than many individual characters. Given Warhammer‘s reputation for expensive models, the streaming subscription looks like a bargain in comparison.
• High production values on animations and battle reports thanks to Warhammer‘s established characters and rich mythology.
• Filled an unmet need for central digital Warhammer content, though still maturing.

Cons

• Major regional restrictions – only available in 12 countries currently.
• App functionality quite limited at launch.
• Platform support missing major consoles.
• Relatively small library of content.
• Narrow range of shows – mostly animations and battle reports right now.

Fans I‘ve spoken to are torn. While they love seeing new Warhammer content, many feel the platform and app need polish. And region-locking frustrates supporters outside the core 12 countries.

As Mike, a player from France, told me:

"The content looks amazing. But not being able to subscribe because I‘m in France just feels backwards. I want to support more Warhammer animation, but the service makes it difficult even for willing fans."

This sentiment came up a lot in my interviews with the Warhammer community. Fans recognize the appeal, but accessibility issues hamper adoption.

How Warhammer Plus Compares to Other Streaming Services

How does Warhammer Plus stack up against the crowded streaming landscape? In some ways, it occupies a category of its own. There are few direct competitors offering streaming content for tabletop gamers.

But we can compare Warhammer Plus to other niche interest subscription services:

• Masterclass – Offers instructional content for creative skills like cooking, music, writing. Warhammer TV‘s painting tutorials target a similar niche of hobbyists.
• Curiosity Stream – Focused exclusively on documentary films. Shares a niche non-fiction approach with Warhammer TV‘s factual tutorials and lore videos.
• AMC Premiere – Provides extra content for AMC show superfans. Warhammer Plus offers early access and exclusives for the Warhammer devout.

One key difference stands out though – regional availability. Services like Curiosity Stream and AMC Premiere are accessible worldwide. But Warhammer Plus only operates in 12 countries currently.

That restricts the potential audience drastically compared to other niche streamers. Global expansion could help Warhammer TV compete for viewers‘ spare time and subscription dollars against endless mainstream options.

Evaluating Warhammer Plus Content

Warhammer Plus subscribers unlock a sizable library spanning the various Warhammer games. What‘s included?

• Animations – Professionally produced series like Hammer and Bolter. Also fan creations via the Warhammer Animation Celebration.
• Painting guides – Step-by-step miniatures tutorials from pro painters like our very own Duncan Rhodes.
• Lore videos – Exploring the expansive Warhammer universes, characters and historical events.
• Battle reports – Following tabletop matches with behind-the-scenes commentary.
• Product reveals – Previews of upcoming Warhammer models and rulebooks.

From this lineup, the animated shows are perhaps most likely to appeal to viewers beyond current Warhammer fans. Shows like Hammer and Bolter condense the grimdark ethos of Warhammer into bingeable snacks, with high production values bringing the worlds to life.

Long-time players should find plenty to enjoy. But more introductory content could help newcomers dip their toes in. More readily accessible lore summary videos would give curious viewers enough context to follow along with the animations and battle reports.

Warhammer Plus Subscribers – The Numbers So Far

How many fans have subscribed to Warhammer Plus so far? Games Workshop reported 115,000 subscribers in January 2023. That‘s tiny compared to entertainment giants like Netflix and 205 million subscribers.

But for a niche service less than 2 years old, 115,000 represents a solid base to build from. For context, Warhammer Plus outstrips some other niche streamers:

• Shudder – Horror genre streaming service with under 1 million subscribers after 8 years.
• Britbox – UK focused platform with around 650,000 subscribers since 2017 launch.
• Curiosity Stream – Documentary service with 20 million subscribers after 6 years.

Short term, Warhammer Plus provides a revenue stream from current Warhammer fans. But long term growth requires expanding beyond that core audience.

Wider device support, country availability and gateway content for newcomers could all help attract more mainstream viewers. Even digitizing older footage and animations could quickly expand the back catalog.

What‘s Next for Warhammer TV?

Where does Warhammer TV go from here? Games Workshop suggested future expansions in platform support and geographic reach following the lackluster early adoption.

Warhammer Plus clearly best serves devoted existing players right now. But some changes could broaden the appeal:

• Add apps for games consoles, smart TVs and Roku.
• Localize content for wider country availability.
• Produce more introductory shows that ease newcomers into the Warhammer worlds.
• Continue growing the content library across games like 40k, Age of Sigmar, Blood Bowl etc.

Warhammer TV lays the foundations of a comprehensive digital hub for Warhammer video content. But frustrations around platform access and library size have hampered uptake so far.

Relaxing regional restrictions, supporting more devices, and investing in gateway content could all help Warhammer TV fulfill its potential as the definitive streaming home for existing and future Warhammer fans.

The Bottom Line – Who is Warhammer TV For?

Warhammer TV offers quality over quantity. The content available focuses squarely on serving knowledgeable Warhammer fans. Players will find lots of deep-dive analysis to supplement their hobby.

But regional locking, a modest content library, and high barrier to entry for newcomers, all restrict Warhammer TV‘s wider appeal for now. Plus mediocre app functionality provides room for improvement.

In its current form, Warhammer TV best serves its core audience of existing Warhammer fans in the 12 available countries. For this niche group, Warhammer Plus offers reasonable value with ad-free access and early content.

Mainstream success will depend on expanding platform and country support, while investing in introductory content. Warhammer TV has laid the foundations. Now it‘s time to build on them.

There‘s enormous potential for Warhammer TV to become every fan‘s go-to destination for gaming video content. But some growing pains are expected for this ambitious niche streaming service still finding its feet. Stick with it, and Warhammer TV could one day rival the mighty power of the Emperor himself!