In the world of collecting, the battle against scalpers using bots to snatch up limited edition items is all too familiar. Games Workshop recently announced pre-orders for a final anthology in its Horus Heresy series, set in the Warhammer universe's grim dark future. The series, which began in 2006, tells the story of a galaxy-spanning civil war among the Imperium of Man.

The latest book, End of Ruin, was a surprise final chapter in the series of sixty-four primary books. Each release in the 'Siege of Terra' sub-series comes with a premium limited edition, making them highly sought after by fans. Despite efforts to prevent scalping, including queuing systems on the website, the limited editions sell out quickly, leading to aftermarket sales at inflated prices.

When End of Ruin went live for pre-order, Games Workshop's website experienced technical difficulties, angering fans. The company acknowledged the issue, attributing it to scalpers using bots to bypass safeguards. The launch was paused, and the product was temporarily removed from the site. Games Workshop assured fans that all erroneous orders would be canceled, and a newsletter sign-up was provided for updates on the relaunch of pre-orders.

With a history of similar incidents during previous releases, fans are left wondering if Games Workshop's safeguards are truly effective. The outcome of the next round of sales for Era of Ruin remains uncertain, but if issues persist, the beloved Horus Heresy series may face an era of ruin of a different kind.