Who said the future had to only be grim and dark? Why can’t it be soft and cuddly too? Toy company TOMY’s discomfortingly lovable, licensed Warhammer 40k plushie toys are an answer to that question – and it’s just unveiled five more cuties that’re coming out later in 2024.
We all know and love Warhammer 40k’s hard, gothic aesthetic – spaceships that are giant, floating cathedrals, is there anything more awesome? – but sometimes it’s nice to think how the various Warhammer 40k factions would look with the hard edges smoothed off a bit. Love it or loathe it, that’s exactly what these new TOMY toys offer.
Shown off via GW’s Warhammer Community site at the weekend, the new soft toys are a Dark Angels Watcher in the Dark; a Tyranid Ripper; the iconic Death Guard ‘sassy Nurgling’; a plushified servo-skull; and the Purple Sun of Shyish, an endless spell from Warhammer Age of Sigmar.
It comes nine months after GW and TOMY revealed their first set of licensed cuddly fiends (aptly dubbed the “confusingly cute quartet”) which included a Gnasha-squig, a Spanna Grot, another Nurgling (a.k.a. the Little Unclean One), and a Gryph-hound representing Age of Sigmar’s Stormcast Eternals.
The little hooded love-bug in the top-right there – the Watcher In The Dark – is a mysterious entity you might find scuttling around The Rock, carrying a winged MkVI helmet for its Dark Angel masters, and having fun with all sorts of relics. He comes hooded in a very oodie-like robe – complete with little plush, power-armoured booties sticking out the bottom.
The infamous Sassy Nurgling is sure to turn heads with his little hands on hips and “borrowed” Death Guard helmet – we’d put a few Imperial credits on a bet that this silly boy will be the best seller of the new bunch.
But then, they’re all good – even the little pokey-tongued Ripper is painfully cute. They may be designed to strip planets of their biomass, but who could deny giving this little chap a squeeze?
The other two plushies are extra large variants. The terrifying (and incredibly Zelda Majora’s Mask adjacent) Purple Sun of Shyish is one of Age of Sigmar’s most visually distinctive and memorable tabletop spells. While this thing may rip the souls from your enemies, TOMY’s squishy version looks more likely to tug on their heartstrings.
Finally, everyone’s favorite floating cranium-based robot assistant – the humble servo-skull – is getting a plushie makeover too. It’ll be perfect to comfort your toddler when they’re feeling sad – just don’t tell them the lore background to these horrifying cyber-servants.
All five of these plush toys will be available to buy later in the year. While GW has not announced pricing, the first wave of toys currently cost $16.99 (£11.99) each, so we’d hazard a guess that the new regular size ones may be the same or a little more, while the extra large Purple Sun and Servo Skull toys might be a bit more expensive.
If you’re in a playful mood after seeing these cutesified 40k critters, why not have a look at our guides on the best Lego sets for adults, or even the biggest Lego sets on offer. For more Warhammer knowledge, try our complete guides to Space Marines and all the Age of Sigmar armies.
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