Warhammer 40,000 codex release dates guide tracks 10th edition shutdown

The last stretch of 10th edition

Drukhari are the latest 10th-edition codex to hit the schedule, and that makes the end of the edition feel immediate rather than abstract. Games Workshop has now pushed the Warhammer 40,000 rules ecosystem across 30 playable armies, and the big shift for players is simple: a 10th-edition codex stays valid until that faction gets its next book.

That changes how you buy, build, and commit. Instead of treating codexes as short-lived launch paperwork, the current books are the rules anchor for their factions, with FAQs, dataslates, and app updates doing the day-to-day maintenance in between releases.

What 10th edition changed from day one

Games Workshop called 10th edition a complete revision of Warhammer 40,000 when it launched in June 2023, and it backed that up by releasing the full core rules for free online. The edition also arrived with a complete index reset, covering every unit in the game with more than 2,000 datasheets. That launch made the early months about learning a fresh baseline rather than patching an old one.

The current codex cycle sits on top of that reset. A release-date tracker is valuable because it turns the edition’s final run into a living roadmap instead of a one-off news item. If you are trying to decide whether to wait, buy now, or commit your army to tournament play, the schedule tells you how close your faction is to its next rules handover.

How to read the current codex cycle

The most recent 10th-edition codex in the schedule is Codex: Drukhari, which went on preorder on September 27, 2025 and released on October 11, 2025. That places one of the game’s most distinctive armies near the end of 10th edition’s publishing window, which is exactly why the final stretch matters so much to collectors and competitive players alike.

The practical takeaway is straightforward. If your army already has a codex, you can treat that book as your current rules baseline and use official updates to stay current. If your faction is still waiting for its next codex, the release tracker tells you where it sits in the queue and helps you avoid overcommitting to a rules set that may be overtaken sooner than you want.

Why FAQs and the app matter as much as the books

Games Workshop’s downloads page says its FAQs contain the most up-to-date errata and answers, which means the codex schedule is only half the story. The other half is keeping pace with rules updates after the book lands, especially for matched play and list building.

The Warhammer 40,000 app was designed to work with updated datasheets and rules, with Battle Forge built in for army planning. Warhammer Community has also said major updates are coming, including in-game scoring and the ability to see an opponent’s datasheets during play. Language support is expanding too, starting with Combat Patrol rules in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. For players, that means the rules support system is getting broader, more live, and easier to use on the table.

Why Armageddon changes the calendar

There is one more big signal for the end of 10th edition: Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon. Games Workshop revealed it at Adepticon 2026 and said the launch box is the biggest Warhammer 40,000 launch set yet, with Space Marines and Orks in the box. That matters because the launch set does more than sell miniatures. It also shows which armies are front and center when the next rules cycle begins.

The Armageddon preview gives the setting real weight. The Ork vanguard is led by Wazdakka Gutsmek, with Ghazghkull Thraka’s main force not far behind, while Blood Angels and other Space Marine forces rush to defend the war world. In release terms, that is why Space Marines and Orks are the most likely first 11th-edition codexes, based on their inclusion in the launch box.

What this means for your army decisions now

For collectors, the point is not just which faction is next, but how long a finished 10th-edition book stays relevant. A codex bought now still has value until its replacement arrives, so waiting for a hypothetical refresh can leave you playing on older rules longer than expected. That is especially important for armies tied closely to launch-box momentum, because they are often the first names people watch when the edition turns.

For tournament-minded players, the safest workflow is clear:

• check whether your faction has a current codex or updated index
• use the official FAQs for the latest errata
• keep the app updated for list-building and rules reference
• watch the release schedule for the next codex cycle

The finish line of 10th edition is not a dead zone. It is a managed transition, and the people who benefit most are the ones treating codex timing, digital updates, and launch-box clues as one connected picture. Drukhari marked the latest major 10th-edition beat in the schedule, and Armageddon points straight toward the next one.