Which Petersen Games centerpiece should you buy first?
Start with Cthulhu Wars (O4 Edition) if you want the biggest miniature scale and the deepest faction ecosystem. Choose Hyperspace for a faster asymmetric strategy session, Planet Apocalypse for cooperative demon-hunting rather than head-to-head play, or The Gods War if Glorantha's mythic pantheons interest you more than cosmic horror or space combat.
Petersen Games runs four separate centerpiece lines, and each one asks a different question of the table. Cthulhu Wars asks who can out-maneuver three rivals. Hyperspace asks the same thing in a shorter, sci-fi-flavored session. Planet Apocalypse asks whether your group can survive together. The Gods War asks it again in a fantasy pantheon instead of a mythos setting. None of these games are competing for the exact same buyer, which is the point of this guide. Below is what each one actually is, what's verified on its own product page right now, and who should reach for their wallet first.
What is Cthulhu Wars (O4 Edition), and who is it for?
Cthulhu Wars O4 Edition is Petersen Games' flagship centerpiece: a 2-4 player strategy game (expandable to 8) built around five Great Old Ones and four core factions battling for control of Earth. The box ships with 72 detailed 28mm miniatures, and it costs $249.00. Petersen Games hasn't published a play time on the product page, so we won't guess at one here.
The four core factions are Great Cthulhu, Crawling Chaos, Black Goat, and the Yellow Sign. Every faction plays by its own rulebook, so a Great Cthulhu player and a Yellow Sign player are running genuinely different strategies, not the same game in a different color. This is the game the brand built its reputation on, and it has the longest expansion runway of the four: faction packs, Great Old One packs, and dice sets have kept coming out for years. If you want one game that anchors an entire collection, this is it. Buy it here: Cthulhu Wars (O4 Edition).
What is Hyperspace, and who is it for?
Hyperspace is Petersen Games' 4X space strategy game: 2-4 players (expandable to 6 with an add-on), asymmetric alien civilizations, and a turn structure built on three actions with no upkeep phase. The product page lists a 90-minute play time. The Standard Edition Core Game costs $96.99 and includes four civilizations, a number that doubles to eight once the Nova expansion is added.
Most 4X games drag because of bookkeeping: resource tracking, upkeep steps, long turns between your own turns. Hyperspace cuts that out. You take three actions, then pass. The depth comes from how differently each civilization plays, not from added rules weight. It's a lighter buy-in than Cthulhu Wars at under $100, and it's a solid second purchase for someone who already loves the asymmetric-faction structure and wants a shorter session in a science-fiction setting. Buy it here: Hyperspace Standard Edition (Core Game).
What is the Planet Apocalypse board game, and who is it for?
The Planet Apocalypse board game is a cooperative demon-hunting game for 1-5 players. Heroes team up against waves of demons pulled from the circles of hell, working toward a final confrontation with a demon lord, not against each other. It costs $99.99 and plays as a team from start to finish.
Designed by Sandy Petersen with art by Keith Thompson, Planet Apocalypse is the odd one out on this list in one specific way: there's no faction-versus-faction combat. Every player is on the same side, building up a hero over a campaign and adapting as the demon horde escalates. That makes it the right pick for gaming groups who love Petersen Games production values but don't want a competitive table dynamic, or for anyone whose group has burned out on cutthroat strategy games and wants to fight something together for a change. Planet Apocalypse is currently sold out on its own product page (no add-to-cart option, no restock date posted), so treat it as one to watch rather than one you can check out with today: Planet Apocalypse.
What is The Gods War, and who is it for?
The Gods War drops players into Glorantha, a mythic fantasy world where gods, monsters, and mortal factions fight for territory. It's a fast-moving, highly asymmetric strategy game: each faction runs on its own rules, and matches are built around territory control and miracle-driven abilities rather than a shared tech tree. It costs $129.99.
Sandy Petersen spent more than three years developing The Gods War, and the design goal was tight balance across wildly different factions battling in the same mythic setting. If Cthulhu Wars and Hyperspace are the same asymmetric-strategy DNA wearing cosmic horror and sci-fi skins, The Gods War is that DNA wearing a fantasy pantheon skin. It's the right call for players who love the faction-driven strategy format but want gods and monsters, not Great Old Ones. Like Planet Apocalypse, The Gods War is currently sold out on its own product page with no restock date posted, so bookmark it rather than expect to check out today: The Gods War.
How do the four centerpiece games compare side by side?
Here's what's actually confirmed on each product page right now. Where a spec isn't published, we've left the cell blank rather than guess.
Every price above sits inside the $96.99-$249.00 range these buyers already expect to spend, which lines up with a collector base comfortable putting $100-$200+ into a single game. The gap between Cthulhu Wars and the other three is real. It's the biggest box, the longest table time, and the widest expansion ecosystem, which is exactly why it's the flagship.
How should you actually decide?
Pick by table experience first, budget second.
Want the definitive centerpiece and don't mind the biggest box and the longest expansion runway? Cthulhu Wars. Want a faster asymmetric strategy game with a lower buy-in? Hyperspace. Running a group that would rather cooperate than compete, or burned out on cutthroat faction combat? Planet Apocalypse. Want the same faction-driven design philosophy wrapped in fantasy gods and monsters, not cosmic horror? The Gods War.
None of these are starter games in the beginner-board-game sense. All four assume a table that already enjoys strategy, is comfortable with asymmetric rules per faction, and wants real production value under the components. Browse the current lineup and see what's in stock right now on the full Petersen Games catalog, sorted by best-selling.
For more background on the people and worlds behind these games: designer Sandy Petersen's design history on Wikipedia covers his work across Call of Cthulhu, Doom, and Age of Empires before Petersen Games. Meeple Mountain's review of Planet Apocalypse gives an independent look at the cooperative demon-hunting design. And Wikipedia's entry on Glorantha covers the mythic setting The Gods War is built on.
Ready to pick your first centerpiece?
Whichever game fits your group, shop direct from Petersen Games: Cthulhu Wars (O4 Edition) and Hyperspace Standard Edition are both in stock now. Planet Apocalypse and The Gods War are currently sold out on their product pages, with no restock date posted, but the pages will show it the moment that changes. In-stock orders process within 48 hours, with US delivery via USPS Ground Advantage in 2 to 5 business days and Canada via DHL Ground in 3 to 7 business days. Rates are calculated at checkout.
Frequently Asked Questions: Comparing Petersen Games Centerpiece Games
Which Petersen Games centerpiece should I buy first?
It depends on what you want on the table. Cthulhu Wars (O4 Edition) is the flagship for collectors who want the biggest miniature scale and the deepest expansion ecosystem. Hyperspace suits players who want a shorter asymmetric strategy session. Planet Apocalypse fits groups that prefer cooperative play. The Gods War fits fantasy and mythology fans.
Is the Planet Apocalypse board game cooperative or competitive?
The Planet Apocalypse board game is fully cooperative for 1 to 5 players. Everyone at the table plays a hero working together against waves of demons and, eventually, a demon lord. There's no player-versus-player faction combat, which sets it apart from Cthulhu Wars, Hyperspace, and The Gods War.
How is The Gods War different from Cthulhu Wars?
Both are asymmetric, faction-driven strategy games designed by Sandy Petersen, but they run on different settings. Cthulhu Wars is built on Lovecraftian cosmic horror. The Gods War is set in Glorantha, a mythic fantasy world where gods, monsters, and mortal factions fight for territory through miracles and combat rather than a shared tech path.
Do I need to own Cthulhu Wars before buying Hyperspace, Planet Apocalypse, or The Gods War?
No. Each of the four centerpiece games stands on its own with its own board, factions or heroes, and rulebook. Owning Cthulhu Wars is not a requirement for any of the others. Collectors often start with whichever theme or play style (competitive versus cooperative) appeals to them most.
Where can I buy these Petersen Games centerpiece games?
All four are sold directly through petersengames.com: Cthulhu Wars O4 Edition ($249.00), Hyperspace Standard Edition ($96.99), Planet Apocalypse ($99.99), and The Gods War ($129.99). Cthulhu Wars and Hyperspace are currently in stock. Planet Apocalypse and The Gods War are currently sold out on their own product pages, with no restock date posted, so check availability there before you plan a purchase around either one. In-stock orders process within 48 hours, with US delivery via USPS Ground Advantage in 2 to 5 business days.
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