The ‘Warhammer 40K’ woke controversy and female Custodes explained: Women in a game is apparently too complicated for some ‘Warhammer 40K’ players
In 2024, the team of Warhammer creators at Games Workshop is releasing several new codexes for in-game factions, including the Adeptus Custodes, genetically enhanced guardians of the Imperial Palace in 40K‘s lore. Reportedly, their codex includes a passage that very explicitly states that there are women among the Adeptus Custodes.
Controversy over Female Characters in Warhammer 40K
However, the inclusion of women in this particular faction has caused controversy among players who have long believed that the Custodes were composed entirely of men.
Outrage and Backlash on Social Media
The conversation over including women in the Custodes exploded on X (formerly Twitter), with fans becoming vocal over the earth-shattering revelation of women being included. When asked by angry fans why women were put into the faction, the official Warhammer Twitter replied, “Since the first of the Ten Thousand were created, there have always been female Custodians.”
Fans’ Reactions and Accusations
Fans have not taken kindly to either the news or Warhammer‘s response, with many believing that this new fact supposedly retcons existing Warhammer lore entirely. Some have even taken the pre-existing lore behind women in other Warhammer factions as a talking point against their inclusion in the Custodes. On X, many have accused the developers of “wokeism” by including women in another established faction.
Defense of Female Inclusion and Response to Controversy
However, many argue that the revelation of women in the Custodes doesn’t actually have any meaningful impact on the existing lore. This isn’t to say that their inclusion doesn’t matter, but simply that women can be worked into the Custodes without disrupting any existing storylines and lore aside from fanmade notions and headcanons. Others don’t necessarily have a problem with women in the Custodes, but instead took umbrage with how Games Workshop responded to the ensuing controversy.
Ongoing Debate and Resistance to Change
Naturally, this argument includes plenty of back and forth with folks attempting to tout established lore for either side of the conflict. Of course, with issues like this, there’s always a non-zero percent chance that male gamers are once again finding roundabout ways to put up “No Girls Allowed” signs over their favorite games.