Yes. Yes it is.
Even though the rumor mill started this new edition to Knight Models’ Batman Miniature Game weeks ago during their terribly marketed 10th anniversary, the 3rd edition of the game was announced today via social media. To me, it seemed like just the other day 2nd edition was announced so this felt really strange for KM to reboot the game again.
The 2nd edition version seemed to be ramping up with new “Bat boxes” coming out as fantastic new ways to get new players involved and the release of the “Dark Knight Returns” starter. Someone reminded me that 2nd edition was actually released 2 years ago and that “…26 months too short for an update, yikes”. Obviously, I think it is too short, especially given that the DKR starter only came out 6 months ago.
Knight models has responded to this criticism (as I was hardly alone in this sentiment):
It’s not a matter of years in the running of an edition. We understand that this hobby is changing at an ever faster speed and we sincerely believe that this new edition was necessary for Batman fans to have a game more in line with current tastes.
-Knight Models, Facebook Oct 31,2019
While I applaud the company for responding to their fans’ request for more information, this response is even more troubling. It seems apparent that Knight Models feels like there should be no limitation on how fast editions or revisions come out. “Current tastes” sounds like code for “no longer selling enough” so the solution in Knight Models’ mind seems to be one of rebooting to boost sales. I’m not interested in watching this company flail about trying to remain solvent so it looks like this is my stop. Or maybe not?
Both the thumbnails and character cards of the 2nd edition are perfectly compatible with this 3rd edition.
-Knight Models, Facebook Oct 31,2019
Huh? How will that even work? Will new 3rd edition models be compatible with 2nd edition rules? The whole thing is sounding like a mess. I don’t need another company that can’t figure out how to make a new edition. I have enough of that with Dropzone Commander.
I’m still reeling from the damage that has been done there and the lack of a clear way forward.
All of this has given me severe “edition fatigue.”
- Gaslands Refueled released September 2019
- The Walking Dead: Call To Arms* released August 2019
- Test of Honour 2nd edition released July 2019
- Dropzone Commander 2nd edition released May 2019
- X-wing 2nd edition released September 2018
*while not a full revision or edition change, Call to Arms essentially replaces and updates All Out War regardless of Mantic’s claims to keep both systems going.
While not all of these releases have been major overhauls (Test of Honour 2e has had a pretty seamless transition), the sheer bulk of new editions just in the past year has me relearning so many of these games. Relearning miniatures games is tiring and annoying to me as I don’t play enough to keep them all neatly packed in my head.
And the hits just keep coming with the following edition revisions on the horizon (likely within the next year):
- Infinity N4
- Frostgrave 2nd edition
- Song of Ice and Fire Miniatures Game 1.5 edition
- Time of Legends: Joan of Arc 1.5 edition
If Knight Models is right and the pace of gaming and its very tastes are evolving at an ever hastening pace, will this be the norm? Edition changes every year or so? Or is this glut of new editions just a weird coincidence and if I can but ride out the coming storm, I will see providence at its end?
I have no answers.
‘The world has moved on,’ we say… we’ve always said. But it’s moving on faster now. Something has happened to time.
– Stephen King, The Gunslinger