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Lore is only partially influenced by sales. In the 1990s or early 2000s there were, if the information I've read is correct, some suits from GW's sales department or somesuch that looked at the background, and were horrified that it was such a bonkers regressive setting of bloodshed and hatred for all the silly modern oversensitive reasons (you wouldn't want to live in 40k, that's a basic part of the lore and its charm, roll with it and enjoy the ride).

But the game designers refused to remake the setting as the sales department wished for. They stayed true to the spirit of the setting, and went for an archaic, historically based vision that has worked so well. With a villainous Imperium as the protagonist human faction.

There are a lot of things that would sell, that GW don't do. Plastic Death Korps of Krieg for instance. It's more than just sales potential involved. Game designers' worldbuilding choices matter.

That reads like fanfiction dude, I would put 0 stock in that. Plucky underdog game designers vs corporate bigwig fat cats?
As for the "true Grimdark" 40k, at this point, I'm convinced it never existed and it's just people salty about Primaris that have made it up.
And you are correct about GW's fairly haphazard approach to sales but when their primary market is kids and teens, with adults as a secondary, then a dilution of 18+ material is to be expected and tbh I have no problem with that. Of course considering the backlash GW got for daring to put a non-white dude on the cover of a novel, a more inclusive 40k is going to be out by the time I'm 90.

Dont necro threads just to continue arguments from other threads again.