It's just a joke that the game costs $40,000 to play. In reality, it takes about $800 to get started with Warhammer 40k which is still a pretty high initial investment. Games that require various parts, miniatures, and expansions can easily cost hundreds of dollars, sometimes even thousands. That doesn't keep avid gamers from emptying out their piggy banks for those shiny new items and accessories, especially if the games are based on a pop culture theme with a dedicated fanbase that's always looking for new merch.
Warhammer isn't a unique board game in the sense that it costs a lot, either. There are plenty of other titles that are even more expensive and enjoy an equally enthusiastic following. Some are part of popular genres while others bring literary or movie franchises to the tabletop. Here are a few similar games that cost even more than the notoriously expensive Warhammer franchise. Don't let a tight budget deter players from looking, as the internet provides budget options in the form of used and refurbished games.
Updated April 13, 2022, by Kristy Ambrose: Tabletop games continue to surge in popularity, and interest in the genre also covers parts of the media and entertainment world. That's also how so many of these games take a substantial monetary investment to get started. If a player has the money to spend and the passion to keep that momentum going, here are a few suggestions for tabletop games that return the investment.
16 Malifaux
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The models themselves are worth having just for the hauntingly beautiful steampunk and Gothic fusion architecture, and since this game is one of the cheapest on the list depending on what the players want to add, that's a real possibility. The core game costs about $65 US, depending on the condition, but there are plenty of other accessories available.
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Malifaux's gameplay borrows from some RPG rules, but cards are used to determine the outcomes of skill checks instead of dice, and buying extra card bundles is one of the options available that can make the game more expensive. Other extras include additional adventure modules and rulebooks that cost anywhere from $15 to $35.
13 Star Wars: Imperial Assault
Being a part of the Star Wars franchise, this game won't have trouble finding some willing investors. Star Wars: Imperial Assault is a dungeon crawl set in that iconic space opera setting which includes both a campaign and a skirmish option, giving the players two different experiences in one gaming session. The time frame is intended to be after the Death Star was destroyed over Yavin 4, during a time when the Rebel Forces are pitted against the Galatic Empire.
If it's better to fight a friend than resist the Empire, that's what the skirmish part of the game is for. The price for the base game, without any of the extra trappings, is about $90, but players can easily spend up to $900 on additions like accessories, figurines, and expansions.
12 Warmachine
The players in this game are Warcasters, and they control an army that mixes medieval aesthetic and steampunk technology. Known as Warjacks, the powerful robots that make up the bulk of the Warcaster's forces use steam as a source of their power, and the one that builds up their army to control all of the Iron Kingdoms is the winner.
Warmachine is less about RPG, leveling, or quests, and more about pure RTS (real-time strategy). What makes even the base game cost several hundred dollars is the number of miniatures and other peripheral materials required even for just the core gameplay.
11 Descent: Journeys In The Dark, 2nd Edition
Descent: Journeys In The Dark isn't a typical fantasy RPG game. There's a twist in the story that allows one player to be the antagonist while the other players take on the role of the heroes and try to defeat them. The game is highly immersive, complete with maps, figurines, and various other accessories to keep the players interested in the lore and riveted to the plot.
Players that want to get started but are on a tight budget can pick up the base game for about $100 and save up another $1000 for the detailed and beautiful figurines. Individual characters are highly customizable with the custom dice and stat sheets that come with the base game.
10 Zombicide: Black Plague
For those that are more interested in horror, visions of the Apocolypse, or darker and more visceral storytelling, there's the bluntly titled Zombicide: Black Plague. There are several expansions and accessories available for the Zombicide franchise, and this is one of many, but what's unique with this one is that players fight monsters in a fantasy setting with a medieval aesthetic. Imagine Game of Thrones meets World War Z but also with magical items and precious artifacts.
As the description implies, this is an easy game to spend money on, with the extra pieces and other accessories costing as much as $1100. Luckily the basic game only costs about $100.
9 Heroes of Normandie
The more realistic a board game is, the more expensive it seems to be. More on that later, but for the moment, that explains something about the price of Heroes of Normandie. Players use maps of the French countryside that are complete with roads, trees, hedges, and other details. They control either the American or German military forces and various different strategies, missions, and tactics are used. The setting and time period are authentic, but the gameplay itself is based more on a Hollywood film or a video game as opposed to historic fact.
The expansions alone can cost an average of $60 and often extra pieces are required which also require more investment, which can mean about $1200 for a complete set. There are collectible versions of this game available that make it even more expensive.
8 Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition
At least three players and no more than six can take on a game of Twilight Imperium, but luckily the monetary price tag isn't as intimidating as the time investment. All of the pieces and models required to play Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition are already included in the base game, so after the initial purchase, no further books or models are required.
The game is popular enough that players can find it selling for a variety of prices, but it's rarely listed for below $100, and other versions can cost twice that much. Prices can vary depending on if the manual is included and whether it is used or still in a sealed package.
7 Catan 3D Collector's Edition
This could be the only entry on the list that doesn't have an RPG angle or at least one that's a much more muted part of the gameplay. For about $1300 a dedicated fan can own a three-dimensional copy of Catan, the board game that everyone seems to recognize and has some experience playing.
There are various collectible and customizable versions of Catan, in various settings, styles, and prices, and this one is the Official CATAN 3D Collector's Edition. It includes realistic, three-dimensional models of the game's geographical regions along with detailed figurines of towns, cities, and other features depending on how many expansions players want to buy.
6 Cthulhu Wars
The dedicated fanbase that enjoys the vast universe of Lovecraftian lore will happily pay the high price this game demands, provided they can afford it. Be prepared to spend about $1600 for this board game, complete with the required pieces, maps, figurines, and even literature to enhance the gaming experience.
The base game is available in used condition, without any frills for a mere $10, so fans of this franchise shouldn't be discouraged. New copies or collectors editions of the same thing cost around $800 with the various expansions going for around $60 each. All of those books and starter sets aren't mandatory to get through a session, they're just extremely cool.
5 Shadows of Brimstone: City of the Ancients
RPGs are technically board games, but they require a lot more in regards to equipment and accessories. That's why it's not exactly a shock that an RPG game as detailed and immersive as Shadows of Brimstone can cost over $2000. City of the Ancients is but one of many expansions that require an investment of $150 each, and at least one of them is required to play the base game.
Players can choose to control different archetypes that recall the Old West, such as the Gunslinger or the Saloon Girl, characters that fit in with the setting for this particular adventuring module. They band together in a "posse" a group similar to a D&D party, to level up and complete various quests.
4 Kingdom Death: Monster
Oh, you like figurines? Kingdom Death: Monster is a game that can scratch that itch and then some. This game is famously pricey, costing around $2500 due to the myriad of detailed and often oversize figurines that are an essential component of the gameplay.
Each player controls a civilization that needs to grow with time, and there's also a portion of the game that includes RPG elements like leveling a character and joining an adventuring party. A base copy of this luxurious game that could double as an artwork installation costs about $250, and it's difficult to go any lower than that.
3 Advanced Squad Leader - $3200
Similar to other strategy games that use military tactics, the detailed maps and myriad of extra pieces available to bolster forces are what run up this game's price tag in excess of $3000 for various kits, modules, and action packs. Unlike Heroes of Normandie, which takes place in an authentic historic setting but uses fictional missions, Advanced Squad Leader bases the gameplay on actual historic events.
The game has a dedicated following, and there are several collectors and fans that try to ensure the price of the game isn't too much of a hindrance to anyone new that's interested. That's the only reason that there are some used copies of the game available for very economical prices are thanks to this thriving Advanced Squad Leader community and online networking.
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1 Outrage! Deluxe - $15,000
This game looks like something that upper-class Victorians would have played over tea time, and that's the idea behind this uniquely designed board game that looks much older than its 1992 release date. Players move around a board designed to mimic the Tower of London and attempt to steal the Crown Jewels.
This special edition of the game is expensive because it's a rare custom design and only a few copies of it even exist. There are regular versions of this board game that are much cheaper, like the travel version that sells for as little as $10, while the Deluxe version is the most expensive board game in the world at $15,000.