My predictions:
- The factions that are cobbled from old models are a stop-gap. They will be phased out in favor of a concise set of factions / armies specifically for AoS. These will eventually become composed of entirely new releases that fit the current level of production quality.
- Slaanesh will make a return and each Chaos god will have a sub-faction with model range.
- Schools of magic will return with rules for what wizards of various factions can take. Something like "a unit that could take Arcane Bolt or Arcane Shield may roll for an alternate spell on this list instead." Probably as it's own expansion book.
- They intended this from the start or at least grew towards this as a goal, but wanted to try and take advantage of existing collections to migrate users over. This transition wasn't handled well and instead of trying to present AoS as a new phase of eld Warhammer, they should have rolled it out as a new game and separately phased out Warhammer. They realize that mistake, but mostly expect to see it fade as support for AoS improves and AoS builds its own following. Unfortunately, they are paying a tax in hostility towards customers + the new IP tax.
- General's Handbook will shift a bunch of discussion towards the rules themselves and what works / doesn't. Because GW has positioned points as an alternate way to play, they'll have an out to more aggressively balance the game while keeping narrative options open for casual play. Question remains how responsive they will be to concerns about rules, but 40k FAQs shows a level of responsiveness better than in the past and a willingness not to wait to a major codex to offer fixes to problems.
- General's Handbook will become a periodic release independent of codex style releases enabling GW to balance the game for comp players separate from army specific rules revisions. They'll feel more comfortable making comp changes in this situation (bonus points if they move to annual or biannual comp seasons that include balance changes for that season).
- As GW shifts towards more responsiveness and care with rules, we will see a softening of customer response. GW takes a position of "best quality miniatures games in the world" and they have that in components, plastics, etc, but need to extend that to their rules and game design.
- Board game releases will continue and GW will start to realize the board games are a platform. For example, I can play with my gorechosen in gorechosen, silver tower, and AoS. This makes me want to own a gorechosen model. If the board games are good, side effect will be players engaging across a broader range of games strengthening GW's market share and slowing losses to competitors.
This seems like a more complete vision of where to take their games than the previous CEO had, hopefully what I'm reading in their actions is intentional. AoS might have been launched as a major mis-step, but it seems very possible they can recover it if they continue to be as responsive as they have been.
