The video game future of Games Workshop's Warhammer Blood Bowl is secure. Slitherine, the publisher behind the well-regarded Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector, has acquired the licence, publishing rights, and full back catalog from Nacon, the French publisher that filed for insolvency in February.
Nacon's collapse sent shockwaves through the industry. The company, which housed 16 development studios and a publishing division, was forced into bankruptcy after its majority shareholder, Bigben Interactive, failed to meet a critical loan repayment. The failure threatened multiple titles in development, including GreedFall 2, Hell is Us, and the RoboCop game.
Blood Bowl 3, which shipped in 2023, had stumbled with players and critics alike. The game carries a mixed rating on Steam, and reviews were harsh. IGN's assessment captured the sentiment: a 5/10 score paired with the verdict that it was "a sloppy, muddy, buggy rehash of a better game." The franchise badly needed a reset.
Slitherine is positioning itself as that fresh start. The publisher has confirmed it will fund the next Blood Bowl game previously announced by Nacon and will partner with Cyanide Studio, the veteran developer behind the series' video game iterations. Marco Minoli, Slitherine's Director of Publishing, framed the move as a commitment to the franchise's legacy and community.
"Blood Bowl is one of the most iconic and distinctive strategy franchises in videogames," Minoli said. "We're genuinely honoured to help shape its future alongside Cyanide and Warhammer." He added that Slitherine respects Cyanide's track record and intends to work closely with the studio going forward.
Patrick Pligersdorffer, CEO of Cyanide, echoed the enthusiasm. "We are delighted to partner with Slitherine to ensure the future of the Blood Bowl video games," he said, noting that Slitherine's expertise in strategy games makes it a natural fit for the series.
The original Blood Bowl tabletop game debuted in the 1980s as Games Workshop's darkly comedic take on American football played by orcs, humans, and other Warhammer fantasy races. The video game adaptation has maintained that identity: turn-based tactical gameplay wrapped around brutal on-field violence and the franchise's signature gallows humor.
Slitherine has pledged to support Blood Bowl with a focus on community feedback and long-term development. The publisher plans to unveil more details about the next game during its Slitherine Next Event on July 22.
Author Emily Chen: "Blood Bowl deserves better than what it got with Blood Bowl 3, and Slitherine's track record with strategy games suggests it actually understands the franchise."
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