Just a few days ago, numerous classic Warhammer games were released, with seven making their debut on Steam and 12 returning to the digital storefront. We spoke to publisher SNEG about the challenges involved in re-releasing these classics, and about the retro gaming market.
Last week, the UK-based boutique publisher SNEG joined forces with Games Workshop and its developer and publisher partners for the launch of a new classic video game preservation label, Warhammer Classics. This includes more than 20 games, seven of which are making their Steam debut and 12 of which are returning to the digital storefront.
Classic titles making their Steam debut include Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat, Final Liberation: Warhammer Epic 40,000, Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate, Warhammer 40,000: Rites of War, Warhammer: Dark Omen, Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior, and Warhammer: Mark of Chaos - Gold Edition. Returning games include include Space Hulk, Space Hulk: Ascension, Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon, Warhammer 40,000: Sanctus Reach, Talisman: Horus Heresy, Talisman: Origins, Man O' War: Corsair - Warhammer Naval Battles, Warhammer Quest, Warhammer Quest 2: The End Times, Legacy of Dorn: Herald of Oblivion, Chainsaw Warrior, Chainsaw Warrior: Lords of Night. Each debut and returning title has been updated for compatibility with modern systems, while maintaining the original gameplay experience.
The Warhammer Classic games published by SNEG are (the original development studios are listed in parentheses):
One of the highlights of the re-released classics is Warhammer: Mark of Chaos – Gold Edition, a real-time strategy game released by Black Hole Entertainment in 2006. It was praised for its "unprecedented scale and detail for its time". The Gold Edition includes both Mark of Chaos and the add-on Mark of Chaos: Battle March in a single package for €14.99. The updated version runs on modern Windows systems and the game's UI now scales up to 4K resolution with support for widescreen displays. Stability has been improved and loading times have been reduced. Hungarian text localisation has also been added and Steam Cloud saves are now supported. Multiplayer mode only supports LAN. After release, the game reached 330 active players simultaneously on Steam.
Warhammer: Mark of Chaos - Gold Edition (Black Hole Entertainment, SNEG, Games Workshop)
Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior is also returning. Originally released in 2003, it brought first-person combat to the Warhammer 40,000 universe from a Tau perspective, with 21 levels to explore. However, the gameplay and graphics have not aged well by today's standards. This updated edition runs on modern Windows systems and supports borderless full-screen mode, scaling properly across modern resolutions, including 4K, with a corrected aspect ratio and HUD scaling. In line with the original game design, the frame rate is capped at 60 FPS, with optional adjustments available via a configuration file. Steam achievements have been added. Multiplayer supports LAN only. After its release, this classic game had 292 active players on Steam simultaneously. Set in the 40,000 universe, Final Liberation: Warhammer Epic 40,000, a turn-based strategy game featuring tactical battles and live-action FMV cutscenes. Players must liberate the planet Volistad from the Orks' grip. This edition updates the game to ensure it runs smoothly on modern Windows systems. The mouse controls have been refined to allow for more responsive camera movement and smoother gameplay. Steam achievements have also been added.
Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior (Kuju Entertainment, SNEG, Games Workshop)
One of the oldest games to make its debut on Steam is Warhammer: Dark Omen. Originally released in 1998, it is a classic real-time strategy game with full 3D terrain, which affects troop movement and line of sight. This edition modernises Dark Omen with 4K and widescreen support, smoother visuals and improved stability. Start-up issues, crashes and compatibility problems have been fixed, improving performance and reliability on modern Windows systems. Even older is Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat, which is also a real-time strategy game in which players command a mercenary army against the servants of the Horned Rat. It was released in 1995. This edition updates the game for modern Windows systems, offering improved stability and enhanced compatibility. German, French and Italian language versions have been added and long loading times between screens have been resolved. Higher-fidelity CD audio tracks are now supported, enabling players to switch between CD music and classic MIDI via the settings menu. However, the gameplay in this game hasn't aged very well either.
Warhammer: Dark Omen (Mindscape, SNEG, Games Workshop)
The company behind the aforementioned Warhammer Classics is SNEG, a small boutique publisher focused on bringing older games back to players. They specialise in re-releases and remasters, as well as the distribution of classic games that they believe still deserve an audience today.
"We are an independent company, privately run and without outside investors, which gives us the freedom to focus on projects we are truly passionate about," says Artem Shchuiko, Co-Founder, Business Development & Operations at SNEG. Prior to co-founding SNEG in October 2021, he held senior positions at GOG.com in Poland for over seven years. SNEG is a small team supported by a network of long-term partners. The company is headquartered in London, with team members based across Europe, including Poland, which remains an important part of their history.
GamesMarkt: What are the biggest challenges when trying to bring games as old as Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat, Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior and Warhammer: Mark of Chaos – Gold Edition – back to modern systems?
Artem Shchuiko: "The biggest challenge in bringing older games like Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat, Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior, and Warhammer: Mark of Chaos - Gold Edition to modern systems is that each one breaks in its own way :). There is no single solution. Every title comes with its own technical history, limitations, and quirks, so each requires a different approach."
"Shadow of the Horned Rat is the oldest game in the lineup and also one of the most technically demanding. It uses a software-based 3D renderer, depends heavily on registry paths across multiple folders, has game logic split across different libraries, and originally shipped with a very problematic Windows 98-era installer, just to name a few issues. We also spoke with some of the original developers, and they confirmed that it had been an extremely difficult project even at the time, with separate teams working on the Windows, DOS, and PlayStation versions. Even now, it is probably the title we are least satisfied with compared to the rest, simply because of how many underlying challenges it presents."
Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat (Mindscape, SNEG, Games Workshop)
"That said, every game brought its own set of problems. Our developers would probably point to Fire Warrior and Mark of Chaos as especially challenging because of the work needed around UI scaling without having access to the source code. "
"So the real challenge is not just getting these games to run. It is about getting them to run in a way that feels stable, respectful to the original, and acceptable to modern players."
"(...) Every game comes with its own technical issues and legacy challenges. Solving them often requires very specific expertise, and in some cases those skills are quite rare. Because of that, we usually prefer to work with a trusted pool of long-term partners whom we know well and can rely on. That gives us the flexibility to match the right people to the right project and make sure each title gets the expert attention it needs."
GamesMarkt: Why did you decide to release the Warhammer Classics exclusively on Steam and not on GOG.com as well? GOG.com is a platform that is usually associated with retro games.
Artem Shchuiko: "Quite a few of the games we brought to Steam are already available on GOG as well. In some cases, we even partnered with GOG to bring those titles to Steam. And for some of the games that are not yet on GOG, we are already working on that ;)."
"That said, while GOG is naturally associated with retro games, we believe Steam is the ultimate gaming platform, reaching the broadest audience of players with all kinds of tastes - whether they are looking for brand-new releases or returning to older classics."
"The key is making sure these games are presented in the right way. That is exactly why the Warhammer Classics label matters. It helps set the right expectations from the start and makes it clear that these are classic titles being preserved and made available again, not new releases."
Final Liberation: Warhammer Epic 40,000 (Holistic Design, SNEG, Games Workshop)
GamesMarkt: How do you assess the market for retro games? Does it also make financial sense to release old games that haven't yet been published in digital form?
Artem Shchuiko: "The retro games market is real, but it is a niche one. You do not go into it for huge margins. You go into it because you care about the games and understand the players who still want them.That is what separates the companies that do this well from those that do not. If you approach these releases only as a business opportunity, people notice very quickly. In this space, passion matters, and so does respect for the original game."
"Can it make financial sense to bring back older games that were never released digitally? Yes, but usually as a long-term opportunity, not a quick win. There is an audience for these titles, and there is real value in making them available again."
"There is also the preservation side of it. Too many great games are simply unavailable today. Bringing them back is not only commercially worthwhile when done right, it is also important for the medium itself."
