Jim: “The new Blood Bowl video game is out, Bob, and it’s better than ever before.”
Bob: “Yeah, Jim, it’s easy to enjoy the savagery and skill of Blood Bowl in your own home.”
Jim: “And there’s no danger of Halflings stealing your snacks, Bob.”
Blood Bowl is fantastic, and the only thing as good as taking your finely painted team out for a quick ruck is playing from the comfort of your own gaming chair. Enter Blood Bowl III – the new all-blitzing, all-blocking video game from Cyanide Studio, which releases today on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.
Blood Bowl III is the most faithful adaptation of Blood Bowl yet, enhanced with a narrative Campaign mode that takes your squad of scrappy hopefuls on a quest to beat the all-star teams from six powerful sponsors. Twelve teams are available at launch, including classics like the Skaven and Dwarfs to Second Season newcomers such as the Imperial Nobility and Black Orcs – with more on the way
Once you’ve built your team, craft them into your own image with unlockable uniforms, cheerleaders, and team colours, then take them online to face up to the best coaches from around the world. Custom leagues managed by players follow the full progression of a real Blood Bowl league, so you’ll really feel it when your star Runner fails a Rush, falls on their face, and dies on the pitch again.
The Season 1 official ladder is coming soon along with the first Blood Pass – a suite of unlockable bonuses that you’ll earn as you play – and each three-month season introduces a new team to the roster. In the meantime, full matchmaking ensures your next quick pickup game is as balanced as can be.In truth, we’re so excited about the launch of Blood Bowl III here at Warhammer Community that we’re getting stuck straight into a league of our own. Eight players – ranging from hardened veteran coaches to novices only vaguely aware that balls are involved – are going head-to-head to claim the inaugural Warhammer Community Shield, an entirely made-up trophy that we conjured over a round in Bugman’s Bar.
We talked to a few of the coaches to find out their hopes and dreams for the upcoming cup.
James: Nothing is faster than Gutter Runners, and combined with the brute strength of a Rat Ogre, the Skaven are a team that dominates every aspect of the game. Victory is assured, yes-yes.
Luke: I’ve never been very good at Blood Bowl, and frankly I need all the help I can get. I hope my nimble Elven Union serve me well.
Tom: I’m playing Chaos Renegades, because I’ve always wanted to know what it feels like to make loads of Loner rolls in a single turn.
Gav: I've always played bashy teams like Orcs before. Now, with Humans, I have to think about things like "tactics", "throwing", and "catching" – at least I can make Bob Bifford proud with an Ogre on my line of scrimmage…
Joel: I'm playing a Black Orcs team with no Black Orcs. It will be glorious mayhem with just 10 Goblins and a Troll.
Rob: I’ve never played Blood Bowl in my life. I was told Orcs were good for beginners. What’s a Tackle Zone?
Blood Bowl III is out now on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. Sign up to our newsletter for more Warhammer news, including the results of the Warhammer Community Shield.