Games Workshop



Games Workshop (GW) is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop is one of the largest games companies in the world, and is the dominant company in the miniature wargaming hobby. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange with symbol GAW.

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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. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay returned to print with a new edition on March 29 2005. It is being published by Black Industries, a Games Workshop subsidiary.

Out of print

 * Golden Heroes

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

 * Apocalypse
 * Battlecars
 * Battle for Armageddon
 * Chaos Attack (Expansion for Battle for Armageddon)
 * Blood Royale (multiplayer, battle and resource game of medieval Europe)
 * Calamity
 * Chainsaw Warrior (solo play game)
 * Chaos Marauders
 * Cosmic Encounter (under license)
 * Curse of the Mummy's Tomb
 * Dark Future  (similar to Car Wars)
 * Doctor Who - The Game of Time and Space (1980)
 * Doom of the Eldar
 * Dungeonquest
 * Fury of Dracula
 * Horus Heresy
 * Judge Dredd (see 2000 AD character Judge Dredd for background)
 * Kings and Things (under license)
 * Quirks
 * Railway Rivals
 * Rogue Trooper (another 2000 AD related game)
 * Super Power
 * Talisman (3 different editions)
 * Valley of the Four Winds
 * Warlock
 * Warlock of Firetop Mountain
 * Warrior Knights

Computer Games
Games Workshop produced and published several ZX Spectrum games in the early years, not all of which were based in the usual Warhammer settings


 * Apocalypse (1983) based on the original boardgame
 * Argent Warrior (1984) Illustrated adventure
 * Battlecars (1984) 2 player racing game written in BASIC
 * Chaos (1985) multiplayer turn based "board" game, written by Julian Gollop
 * D-Day (1985) based on the Normandy Landings
 * HeroQuest (1991) based on the MB board game
 * Journey's End (1985) text adventure
 * Key Of Hope, The (1985) text adventure
 * Ringworld (1984) text adventure
 * Runestone (1986) text adventure
 * Talisman (1985) text adventure
 * Tower Of Despair, The (1985) text adventure

Many computer games have been produced by third parties based on the Warhammer universes owned by the firm. These include: (Miniature game they are based on is included in parentheses after the game name)


 * Space Crusade (Space Crusade) and 1 sequel for the Amiga.
 * Dark Omen (RTT game based on Warhammer Fantasy Battles)
 * Shadow of the Horned Rat (RTT game based on Warhammer Fantasy Battles)
 * Space Hulk (Space Hulk)
 * Space Hulk - Vengeance of the Blood Angels (Space Hulk)
 * Final Liberation (Epic 40,000 - Space Marines, Imperial Guard, Orks)
 * Fire Warrior (First Person Shooter)(Warhammer 40,000 - Tau)
 * Dawn of War (Warhammer 40,000 - Space Marines (New Chapter: 'Blood Ravens'), Orks, Eldar, Forces of Chaos)
 * Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Winter Assault (PC Only/Add-on)(Warhammer 40,000: Armies same as Dawn of War, also: Imperial Guard (Cadian)
 * Chaos Gate (Warhammer 40,000 - Space Marines)
 * Rites of War (Warhammer 40,000 - Eldar)
 * GorkaMorka (Warhammer 40K - Orks)

In development
As of January 2006, there are also some future games in development:


 * Warhammer Online is a Warhammer online role-playing game by Mythic Entertainment, who took over from Climax, under whom the project was deemed cancelled.
 * Warhammer: Mark of Chaos, an upcoming Warhammer real-time tactics game by Namco.

Worldwide Campaigns
Games Workshop has run numerous 'Worldwide Campaigns' for its three core game sysyems. In each campaign, players are invited to submit the results of games played within a certain time period. The collation of these results provides a result to the campaign's scenario, and often goes on to impact the fictional and gameplay development of the fictional universe. Although in the past, campaign results had to be posted to the UK to be counted, the more recent campaigns have allowed result submission via the Internet.

Below are listed the Games Workshop Worldwide Campaigns (the fictional universe the Campaign was set in follows in brackets):


 * 1995 - The Battle of Ichar IV (Warhammer 40,000)
 * 2000 - Armageddon3 (Warhammer 40,000)
 * 2001 - Dark Shadows (Warhammer Fantasy)
 * 2003 - Eye of Terror (Warhammer 40,000)
 * 2004 - Storm of Chaos (Warhammer Fantasy)
 * 2005 - The War of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game)
 * 2006 - The Fall of Medusa V (Warhammer 40,000)

Other media
Many comics and novels have also been produced based on the Warhammer universes, published by the Black Library.

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.

Magazines
Games Workshop's best known magazine is White Dwarf, which in the UK has now passed 316 issues. Seven different international editions of White Dwarf are currently published, with different material, in five languages. Originally a more general roleplaying magazine, since around issue 100 White Dwarf has been devoted exclusively to the support of Games Workshop properties.

Games Workshop also published Fanatic Magazine in support of their Specialist Games range, but it was discontinued after issue 10, though it lives on in electronic form. Fanatic was preceded by a number of newsletters, devoted to the particular games.

There was also the Citadel Journal, intended as a "deeper" magazine for modelling enthusiasts and more experienced gamers. It often featured unusual rules and armies, and was occasionally used as an outlet for test rules. Under some editors, they also published fan fiction and fan art. This is no longer published.

There is also a fortnightly series called "Battle Games in Middle Earth", which comes with a free Lord of the Rings SBG miniature. Though the miniatures were made by Games Workshop, the magazine itself was written and published by De Agostini. It is published in Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain, Austria, Australia, New Zealand, and Poland. The magazine became more popular than the publishers had anticipated, and the deadline has been extended several times, now due to end on Pack 91. It is currently beyond Pack 80.

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, and also on the novels by J.R.R. Tolkien. The rights to produce a roleplaying game version of the films were sold to another firm, Decipher, Inc.

Though they had the rights to produce a Battle of Five Armies game, the rights to the one-inch scale normally used by Games Workshop were already owned by another company. For this reason, the game was done in 10 mm scale for the normal warriors, and "heroic" scale for the named characters.

Games Workshop has not acquired the rights to the Silmarillion, which is currently the exclusive property of the Tolkien Estate. However, they were somehow permitted to use Eorl the Young and Khamul the Easterling (from Unfinished Tales) in their upcoming The Two Towers and A Shadow in the East Supplements. 

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


 * Games Workshop produce the tabletop wargames, Citadel miniatures and the Specialist Games range.
 * Sabertooth Games produce the CCGs and The Lord of the Rings Tradeable Miniatures Game.
 * BL Publishing is the publishing arm of Games Workshop.
 * Warp Artefacts produce merchandise based on Games Workshop's intellectual property.
 * Forge World make complementary specialist resin miniatures and conversion kits.
 * Black Industries produce rulebooks and supplements for the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay system, as well as the forthcoming Warhammer 40,000 role-palying game

Comments and Criticisms
Common criticisms of Games Workshop are that the rules systems currently in production are increasingly being simplified and aimed at younger gamers with an eye to their infinitely-disposable income, while offering less to more experienced players. The first edition of the Warhammer 40,000 rules functioned much like a role playing game by using a 3rd player to act as a games master, and in 2003, Michael Sherwin, the company's finance director, stated that "A hobby game takes a whole day to play... is less about instant gratification". This statement reflects the style of play available under first edition, but is directly at odds with the then and now current third and fourth edition rules which allow you to play a tournament sized 1500pt game in under 2 hours. An RPG.net review as early as 1998 felt that the third edition movement rules, in which all units of a given type move at exactly the same speed, were "a tad boring" and the close combat rules were "confusing and unrealistic, if a lot faster." The same review called the army selection lists "severely incomplete and simplified", and referred to "a lot of confusion and silliness" with what it felt were unnecessarily simplified lumping-together of weapon types. Doordice.com glumly opined that "you can bet the game will still be skewed towards a young teen audience" in an article anticipating the release of the fourth edition.

In contrast to criticism of the two Warhammers' game system, Games Workshop's newest system, The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game, has achieved acclaim as being by far the most realistic and flexible of the three core games. Unlike Warhammer, time taken to play the game can be done more quickly as a result of the more flexible scale of battles. It lacks some of the more complicated rules of the other two systems (in contrast, for example, the miniatures are not necessarily locked in formation), making the game the easiest to learn, but "the hardest to master".

Nonetheless, the continuing development and release of new armies for the Warhammer Fantasy, Warhammer 40,000 and Lord of the Rings SBG game systems has also drawn criticism, with some gamers feeling that there are now too many armies and model ranges for Games Workshop to be able to support them all adequately. In 2005 Games Workshop massively cut down support for the entire 'Specialist Games' ranges to concentrate on the core games for 40k, Fantasy and Lord of the Rings. The dedicated specialist games magazine called Fanatic was cancelled after only 10 issues and now updates to these systems are managed by the specialist games website. That being said, the rules to most of these games are available for free as living rulebooks on the site.

There is also evidence that Games Workshop may be abusing its monopoly position. The 'Space Marine Tactical Squad' boxed set, a staple of the game system, was released in 1998 at £10 but in early 2006 sold for £18, a price rise well in advance of inflation. Non-miniature products that Games Workshop sells can often be bought elsewhere at much lower prices - particularly paints (which cost £2 for 12 ml) and other craft items. As early as 2001, the Qualiport educational share portfolio felt that Games Workshop has "A distinct lack of worthwhile industry competitors;" given the requirement to find not only products but also opponents, anyone interested in wargaming as a hobby has no practical choice but to buy Games Workshop products. Going into a Games Workshop store can sometimes be rather intimidating, as the staff are often known for their enthusiastic, but potentially intimidating sales banter. Discussion of Games Workshop's business practices and prices are notably banned from their forums (the forums are intended purely for the discussion of the game and hobby, rather than the economic aspect), as is linking to any other commercial websites.

The group reported sales of £136,650,000 sterling in 2005 and employs around 3200.