Games Workshop

Games Workshop is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop is one of the largest games companies in the world. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange with symbol GAW.

Overview
Games Workshop was originally an importer of American board games and RPGs. When they became publishers of the UK based roleplaying magazine White Dwarf, Games Workshop created a national chain of gaming stores in the 1980s. Their publishing arm also created UK reprints of famous but expensive to import American RPGs such as Call of Cthulhu, Runequest, Traveller and Middle-Earth Role-Play.

During the 90s the company refocussed on their most lucrative lines, namely their miniature wargame Warhammer lines. The retail chain refocussed on a younger more family-orientated market. The change of direction was a great success with a rising share price and growing profits. The company started expanding in Europe and the USA opening new branches and organizing events. By the end of the decade, though, the company was having problems with falling profits being blamed on collectible card games such as Magic: The Gathering and Pokemon.

Recently the company has been attempting to create a dual approach that will appeal to both older, loyal customers while still attracting the younger audience. This has seen the creation of initiatives such as the "Fanatic" range that supports more marginal lines with a lower cost trading model.

One of the more well-known of their games would be Heroquest which was sold in high street stores and introduced many people to the hack 'n' slash style of game.

Currently in Production
The following games are in production and widely available.


 * The Lord of the Rings
 * Warhammer 40k
 * Warhammer Fantasy

"Fanatic Games"
The following games are considered "specialist" and are not necessarily available in Games Workshop stores. They are however available through mail order and are supported by the "Fanatic" division of Games Workshop. Note also that some of these games (e.g. Necromunda) are available only as rules and miniatures, not in the "boxed set" form that they originally took.


 * Blood Bowl
 * Mordheim
 * Necromunda
 * Epic Armageddon
 * Inquisitor
 * Battlefleet Gothic
 * Warmaster

Out of Print

 * Manowar
 * Space Hulk
 * Space Crusade

Role Playing Games
Several of the miniatures games (e.g. Inquisitor) involve a role playing element, however Games Workshop has in the past published role playing games set within the Warhammer universe. Although Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is currently out of print, in 2004 Games Workshop licensed Green Ronin Games to produce a new edition.

Out of Print

 * Golden Heroes
 * Warhammer Fantasy RolePlay

Board Games
Games Workshop had a strong history in boardgames development, alongside the miniatures and RPGs. Confusingly, several may have had roleplaying elements, or for that matter had miniatures included or produced.

Out of Print

 * Advanced Heroquest
 * Apocalypse
 * Battlecars
 * Calamity
 * Chainsaw Warrior
 * Chaos Marauders
 * Cosmic Encounter (under license)
 * Dark Future
 * Doctor Who
 * Dungeonquest
 * Fury of Dracula
 * Hero Quest (actually co-designed by GW and distributed/owned by Milton Bradley)
 * Judge Dredd
 * Kings and Things
 * Quirks
 * Railway Rivals
 * Rogue Trooper
 * Super Power
 * Talisman (3 different editions)
 * Valley of the Four Winds
 * Warhammer Quest
 * Warlock
 * Warlock of Firetop Mountain
 * Warrior Knights

Other media
Many computer games and novels have also been produced by third parties based on the Warhammer universes owned by the firm. These include:


 * Dark Omen
 * Shadow of the Horned Rat
 * Space Hulk
 * Fire Warrior
 * Dawn of War

A Warhammer online role-playing game, Warhammer Online, was in development but was ultimately cancelled.

Miniatures
Games Workshop originally produced miniature figures via an associated, originally independent, company called Citadel Miniatures (of which Maurauder Miniatures was an imprint) while the main company concentrated on retail. The distinction between the two blurred after Games Workshop stores ceased to sell retail products by other manufacturers and Citadel was effectively merged back into Games Workshop.

Games Workshop has faced criticism for selling particularly expensive minatures, and also constantly updating their games, making older versions of the rules and minatures redunant. Despite this their minatures are acknowledged as being of particularly high quality.

Licensing
In conjunction with the production of cinematic adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, Games Workshop acquired the rights to produce a skirmish wargame based on the films. The rights to produce a roleplaying game version of the films were sold to another firm.

Games Workshop Group
Games Workshop has expanded into several divisions/companies producing products related to the Warhammer universe.


 * Games Workshop produce the core games and the Specialist Games range.
 * Sabertooth Games produce the CCGs.
 * Black Library Publishing publish books and comics.
 * Warp Artefacts produce merchandise.
 * Forge World make additional miniatures and conversion kits