HeroQuest Publication Chronology

[HispaZargon]

One data that I have recently discovered about original Spanish Editions of the basic game Rules of Play booklet is that also exist a version copyrighted in 1993, I guess included in some boxes (but probably not all) of Advanced Quest Edition of the game in Spanish, which was firstly released in 1992, but this clue maybe suggests there was also another release from 1993, who knows.

Here is a picture of the 1993 Rules of Play back cover of Spanish Editions (bad quality, I know):

Screenshot_20221206-215726.jpg

According to the pictures I have checked, this 1993 edition of Spanish Rules of Play I think contains exactly the same texts as the one from 1990, except the back cover, were copyright text was changed and Citadel copyright sentence was also included below the GW logo (Spanish 1989 and 1990 editions didn't have it), but as far as I know, that's all, since this edition also keeps the infamous Spanish errata in the rules which mixed the Dwarf and the Elf characters in the Magic rules section.

[HispaZargon]

Not sure when the jigsaw puzzles were released (they were based on the EU box covers, the Les Edwards paintings) but the Sticker Album was a UK product dated 1991.

I can provide some data about the puzzles release dates:

I own a couple of French MB Puzzles Catalogues, one from 1990 and the other from 1992.

The 1990 catalogue includes only KK and ROTWL puzzles, so I think we can consider that they were available at shops at 1990, even earlier, but I cannot confirm it.

The 1992 catalogue includes only ADK and ATOH puzzles, so I think we can consider that they were already available at shops in 1992, however, there is a footnote written in the same page of the catalogue which claims 1991's Hasbro copyrights, so maybe those puzzles were also available in 1991, or maybe not. Unfortunatelly I don't own any MB Puzzles catalogue from year 1991 to cross-check it.

Additionally, the 1992 Puzzles Catalogue also includes the two puzzles from Space Crusade, the one of the basic game box art and the one with the Dreadnought box art. Surprisingly, no footnote with 1991 Hasbro's copyright is written on that page, so maybe those two SC puzzles were not available at shops before 1992.

[HispaZargon]

February 1991 White Dwarf Magazine 134 page 2 two prototype HQ ogre metal figures

Prototypes of some of the Citadel Miniatures Ogres for the forthcoming HeroQuest supplement, Against the Ogre Horde

mentions HeroQuest Dungeon Design Kit (interesting early name), Against the Ogre Horde, and looking further ahead new types of wizard. Page 12-29 Advanced HeroQuest The Trollslayer's Oath quest, page 30-32 The Halls of Durrag-Dol quest

I think these lines are missing in the list after WD #134, and should be added:

March 1991 White Dwarf Magazine 135 page 2 four prototype HQ Wizards of Morcar expansion metal figures (Swordman merc, High Mage, Necromancer and Orc Shaman)

HeroQuest Expansion: the Citadel Miniatures designers have just finished some new models for an expansion to MB Games' Heroquest. We haven't got final details of what's appearing in the set, but we thought you'd like to see some of the new models: a Man-at-Arms, Wizard, Chaos Sorcerer and Orc Sorcerer

also mentions the forthcoming HeroQuest videogame by Gremlin.

[Kurgan]

The CD-ROM edition of HeroQuest for the pc (DOS) has a copyright date of 1995, however it is the same exact content as the 1991 floppy disk version (with the exception of Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the PDF of the instruction manual on the disc). The Gremlin computer game was ported to other systems (with some different sound effects and background artwork) like the Atari ST, ZX Spectrum, etc. It was clearly most based upon the 1st edition of the EU game (+ROTWL) with several oddities as discussed earlier. The cancelled NES/Famicom version would have included more content (Kellar's Keep quests and the rest of the missing 2nd edition equipment) and exists in unfinished form online and can be played via emulation.

Tyrant's Tomb novel came out in 1993 (technically it included a solo quest for the Barbarian, the last official product for the board game) and HeroQuest II: Legacy of Sorasil (Amiga systems including AmigaCD32) came out in 1994.

[HispaZargon]

One data that I have recently discovered about original Spanish Editions of the basic game Rules of Play booklet is that also exist a version copyrighted in 1993, I guess included in some boxes (but probably not all) of Advanced Quest Edition of the game in Spanish, which was firstly released in 1992, but this clue maybe suggests there was also another release from 1993, who knows.

Here is a picture of the 1993 Rules of Play back cover of Spanish Editions (bad quality, I know):

Screenshot_20221206-215726.jpg

According to the pictures I have checked, this 1993 edition of Spanish Rules of Play I think contains exactly the same texts as the one from 1990, except the back cover, were copyright text was changed and Citadel copyright sentence was also included below the GW logo (Spanish 1989 and 1990 editions didn't have it), but as far as I know, that's all, since this edition also keeps the infamous Spanish errata in the rules which mixed the Dwarf and the Elf characters in the Magic rules section.

Thanks to the valuable info provided by a so good Spanish collector of HeroQuest, who owns different versions/boxes of the game in mint condition (even close to unsealed), I can confirm that this 1993 rulebook was included inside the Spanish 'Edición Ampliada' of the game (UK's Advanced Quest Edition), as expected.

Additionally, I can also confirm that such rulebook was accompained inside the Edición Ampliada box by a Spanish questbook copyrighted in 1990, so it seems that probably in contrast never existed any new release of the Spanish quesbook after 1990.

[HispaZargon]

One data that I have recently discovered about original Spanish Editions of the basic game Rules of Play booklet is that also exist a version copyrighted in 1993, I guess included in some boxes (but probably not all) of Advanced Quest Edition of the game in Spanish, which was firstly released in 1992, but this clue maybe suggests there was also another release from 1993, who knows.

Here is a picture of the 1993 Rules of Play back cover of Spanish Editions (bad quality, I know):

Screenshot_20221206-215726.jpg

According to the pictures I have checked, this 1993 edition of Spanish Rules of Play I think contains exactly the same texts as the one from 1990, except the back cover, were copyright text was changed and Citadel copyright sentence was also included below the GW logo (Spanish 1989 and 1990 editions didn't have it), but as far as I know, that's all, since this edition also keeps the infamous Spanish errata in the rules which mixed the Dwarf and the Elf characters in the Magic rules section.

About this topic, I have been investigating a bit more and I can confirm that existed at least other EU rulebook also copyrighted in 1993, which is this French one that I own (here shown just the back cover):

HQAQ_French_Rulebook_Back_Cover.jpg

Probably this rulebook was included inside a French Advanced Quest Edition box, but I cannot confirm that all the boxes of such edition included a 1993 copyrighted rulebook, it is posible some of the very first boxes still included a 1990 one, since the Advanced Quest edition was supposed to be released during 1992, not 1993.

Off topic: As curiosity you would probably already know, you can also see there that French rulebooks were the only ones in Europe which included an Index in the last page/cover.

[Kurgan]

Old Thread but I wanted to add a few thoughts... and corrections.

The HeroQuest Mythic tier (haslab pledge version) shipped a little earlier than I thought with some getting it in October 2021. The retail version of the game system (big box edition with the old red and yellow "flag" Avalon Hill logo) appeared that same month, again for some. Most were able to get the Haslab version in November and January 2022 was when the "slim box" retail version of the game system (with the white "iceberg" Avalon Hill logo) appeared (this same logo adorns all of the expansions, except for the retail versions of KK & ROTWL I believe).

Rise of the Dread Moon was July 15, 2023, officially. Only a very small number got it early, this one was more tightly controlled it seems than the others.

Spirit Queen's Torment & Prophecy of Telor retail versions had an official release date of Dec 8, 2023 though many reported getting them early.

Path of the Wandering Monk had an official release date of January 15, 2024 (moved up to Jan 2, 2024) but customers continue to get it early from various places (including myself). Amazon.com lists its release date as Dec 2, 2023!

Against the Ogre Horde remake (of which only the box cover has been shown so far) was given a release date of March 1, 2024 (previously March 31 or within the month of March).

Dread Veil (Rise of the Dread Moon themed) dice and "scroll" play mat were given away at GenCon 2023 at the Avalon Hill booth to people who bought or pre-ordered HeroQuest products and are set for official retail release on Feb 1, 2024. Some confusion has arisen over when they will be available in Europe (with or without the rolling mat, originally they were supposed to be given out at European conventions as well like Spiel Essen or LUCCA if I recall correctly).

Jungles of Delthrak was leaked as another expansion comparable to that one in price given a release date (not officially confirmed by Hasbro/AH yet) of "Q3 2024."

The Corgi HeroQuest trilogy of gamebook novels by Dave Morris were published by "Hasbro Bradley" so I think saying MB had "no involvement" is not correct as that's clearly some kind of imprint or subsidiary company (probably using the wrong terminology), all of them being run or owned by Hasbro at the time. Dave Morris in his blog (fabled lands) talks without going into too much detail about how the instructions he was given about the lore and lands of his HQ novels changed during their run, hence why the geography isn't quite right (so hardcore Warhammer Fantasy fans say... of course WHF itself changed from 1983-1993 didn't it? because that's the period we're talking about from the editions that were current when HQ was first developed to the time when the last of his novels was published).

It's also worth mentioning that a few youtube influencers (Always Board Never Boring was one of them if I recall correctly) got mailed little promo demo packs for free before the Haslab campaign including a painted (and bendier) version of the male Dwarf hero, some resin white combat dice (with rounded corners as shown in the official animated trailer, not like the square cornered ones included in the actual sets), and a scaled up version of the tomb that was painted and lined with red velvet/felt as a dice storage box under the lid, and a little parchment "letter from Mentor." That could be a real collectors item! A few "painting" style posters in the new art style (but depicting a different image than the new boxes) also appeared at some early convention(s), I don't recall the details about these.

A painting poster for the vintage HeroQuest appeared in both White Dwarf Magazine's "Eavy Metal" painting guide as well as a larger poster showing metal versions of the various characters with custom paint jobs... that was interesting to me. I've seen a few pictures of it.

The whole theory (which I once believed myself) of the "breakdown" or "divorce" between Milton Bradley (Hasbro) and GamesWorkShop involving HeroQuest to me is bogus, being without foundation and I think it has grown in the telling online. Until someone can show me primary sources or reliable accounts indicating its a fact that there was any sort of struggle, animosity, or rivalry between the two companies or any kind of "fight" or creative disagreement over HeroQuest in the period in question ('89-94) I will treat it with extreme skepticism. Unless we assume it was a complete PR job on his part, Chris Nadeau presented a very different picture of the relations between GWS & Hasbro circa 2020 which lead to the remake getting out the door. At best we have some old and anonymous comments purportedly from Brian Ansell formerly of GWS which could be interpreted as some kind of professional jealousy with Stephen Baker (or, perhaps more charitably, a reaction against overblown celebrity worship by some online of Baker as the sole "inventor" of HeroQuest when it was a collaborative process that created the game we know and love).

The differences between the various versions of HeroQuest are subtle but vast (I even learned about multiple editions of the 1989 version... with the shortsword card lacking its familiar diagonal striking ability). You can find so many differences between the 1st and 2nd EU editions from each other, not just the NA edition or the Japanese Edition. The recently re-discovered Hebrew edition from Israel possibly introduces a fourth ruleset (even if just a hybrid of 1st & 2nd EU).

The Brazilian version isn't entirely cardboard... I was mistaken on that point. Two pieces of furniture are entirely folded cardboard in this one (Sorcerer's table and tomb) while the rest retain their plastic parts. The main standout are the cardboard standee miniatures.

Rumors of a hidden piece of inner cardboard inside the Adventure Design Kit with more information on Plague of Zombies seems to have remained a rumor (no one can affirm its existence).

Noticing little details all the time, some of which others have seen before but I'm just discovering, like the blue dice in the picture of the early versions of Space Crusade (and alternate cover graphics).

Thus far all of the HeroQuest remake releases have come out in a few languages (French, German, Italian, Spanish and English) with only the Rogue Heir of Elethorn, Commander of the Guardian Knights (Hero Collection #1) and the Haslab versions being English only. The official HeroQuest companion app (checked as of version 2.0) leaves the cards for the Rogue and Knight heroes untranslated and the audio narration is English only (even if you can change the text to a number of languages). The online digital quests are all only available in English, though you can run all of them (except Rogar's Hall so far) in the Companion App and they ARE translated there (in text form anyway).

The HasbroPulse website also has sections for Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan but doesn't have HeroQuest listings for any of them (yet?).

When the Knight from Rise of the Dread Moon is finally added, they could in theory use the other language versions, but nobody knows if and when that will happen.

[lestodante]

For some reason I missed this nice post until now.
Seems you missed to list the 1990 release of Kellar's Keep UK (there was a 1989 and a 1990 version too featuring different box and questbook).
Both dates on Boardgamegeek for AtOH and WoM were wrongly listed as 1993 but I corrected them few days ago with the right ones (1990 and 1991).

[Bareheaded Warrior]

Another series of edits to the initial post based on great feedback and sleuthing from many sources, more to follow I'm sure!

[Bareheaded Warrior]

The Corgi HeroQuest trilogy of gamebook novels by Dave Morris were published by "Hasbro Bradley" so I think saying MB had "no involvement" is not correct as that's clearly some kind of imprint or subsidiary company (probably using the wrong terminology), all of them being run or owned by Hasbro at the time.

Correct, "Hasbro Bradley" is a bit of a weird one. Officially when "Hasbro" acquired the Milton Bradley Company in 1984 they changed their name to "Hasbro Bradley" but only briefly as they changed it again in 1985 to just "Hasbro Inc" and yet I've seen material published in 1989 that references both "Milton Bradley" with a UK address and "Hasbro Bradley UK Ltd" in the same document, so this may be a regional UK thing as the books were published by Corgi with a copyright of "1991 Hasbro Bradley Ltd" and used the trademarked HeroQuest graphics (even though the trademark part had been dropped on the game material as early as August 1989) so it certainly feels like the book was "produced" in 1989 but not published until 1991, either way the books were definitely official, some of the discrepancies between their content and other official content is due to the growing GW influence on HQ and the gradual infiltration of the Warhammer world into HQ which happened over time, for example when Dave Morris was creating his first HeroQuest book there was no official HQ world map, but by the time his book was published in 1991, RotWL had already been published featuring the Warhammer World map on the back cover.