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.

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.

The key to the company's success since its inception has been its ability to innovate. The creation of the Warhammer and later Warhammer 40,000 universes enabled the company to create unique products separate from the role playing games of their early days. The universes are an amalgamation of many different ideas, many coming for the Tolkien mythos in the early days of Warhammer.

During the 90s, following a management buyout in December 1991 the company refocussed on their most lucrative lines, namely their miniature wargame Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000 lines. The retail chain refocussed on a younger, more family-oriented market. The change of direction was a great success with a rising share price and growing profits, in spite of the fact that it lost the company much of its old, loyal fanbase. The complaints of these old customers led a breakaway group of GW employees to publish Fantasy Warlord in competition with GW, but this met with little success. Games Workshop expanded in Europe and the USA opening new branches and organizing events. The company was floated on the London Stock Exchange in October 1994. In October 1997, all UK based operations were relocated to the current HQ in Lenton, Nottingham. This site now houses the corporate HQ, the White Dwarf offices, mail order, and the creative hub.

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 Pokémon. It was realised that the targeted 12 and under age group was not an appropriate market to be aiming towards, and the company's focus was redirected.

In recent years, Games Workshop 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 (the Internet is used widely in this approach, to collect ideas and playtest reports). Games Workshop has also contributed to designing and making games and puzzles for the popular television series "The Crystal Maze".

The miniature wargames the company promotes are considered to be a welcome substitute to those young people mostly immersed in videogaming. Some view it as a learning experience that cultivates artistic talent as well as resource management skills, and that the hobby reminds people of more traditional mediums of entertainment, harking back to simple toy soldiers. The release of the Lord of the Rings (LoTR) games in 2000 signalled their intention to capture the younger audience with a simple, yet effective, combat system.

Other key innovations have been to harmonise their core products, and to branch out into new areas of growth. The acquisition of Sabretooth Games (card games), the creation of the Black Library (literature), and their work with THQ (computer games) have all enabled the company to diversify into new areas which have brought old gamers back into the fold; plus introduced the games to a whole new audience.

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


 * Warhammer Fantasy
 * Warhammer 40,000
 * The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game

"Specialist" 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 specialist games 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. They are all set within one of the universes of the main games. The rules are also offered as a free download from the Specialist Games website. These games are aimed at the "veteran" gamers. These are gamers who are more experienced in the core games produced by Games Workshop. This is because the rules and the style of play are often more in depth than the core games.

Warhammer Fantasy Universe

 * Blood Bowl - an American football style game using fantasy creatures
 * Mordheim - a skirmish game. An expansion (Empire in Flames) was also released
 * Warmaster - a game for fighting larger battles with smaller miniatures

Warhammer 40,000 Universe

 * Battlefleet Gothic - a game based around spacecraft combat
 * Epic Armageddon - a game for fighting larger battles with smaller miniatures
 * Inquisitor - a skirmish game using larger more detailed miniatures
 * Necromunda - a skirmish game

Lord Of The Rings Universe

 * Battle of Five Armies - a game for fighting larger battles with smaller miniatures (NOTE: This can be bought as a box set). Imitates one of the later scenes in JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit.

Warhammer Fantasy Universe

 * Advanced HeroQuest
 * Kerrunch: a simplified version of Blood Bowl.
 * Man O'War: a game of naval combat in a fantasy world. Two expansions were also released, Sea of Blood and Plague Fleet.
 * Mighty Empires
 * Mighty Warriors
 * Warhammer Quest: a game of dungeon exploration and questing, effectively an updated version of Advanded HeroQuest.

Warhammer 40,000 Universe

 * Cheese burgers (original game in the Epic series, which concerned combat betweens Titans.)
 * Advanced Space Crusade
 * Epic 40,000 (precursor to Epic Armageddon)
 * Gorkamorka (a skirmish game detailing gangs of orks)
 * Digganob (an expansion for Gorkamorka)
 * Lost Patrol
 * Space Fleet (Simple spaceship combat game from before Battlefleet Gothic)
 * Space Hulk (two editions were published, expansions below were for 1st edition)
 * Deathwing (expansion boxed set)
 * Genestealer (expansion boxed set)
 * Space Hulk Campaigns (expansion book in both soft and hard-cover)
 * Space Marine (original Epic-scale game)
 * Titan Legions (effectively an expansion of Lord of the Rings, though it extended the game system)
 * Tyranid Attack
 * Ultra Marines

Licensed games
These games were not made by Games Workshop but used Games Workshop style models (usually of lesser quality) and concepts with simplified game systems. These games were made by mainstream toy companies and available in standard toy and department stores rather than just in Games Workshop and specialist gaming stores. They are clearly set in Warhammer worlds.


 * Battlemasters (published in North America by Milton Bradley)
 * HeroQuest (published in North America by Milton Bradley)
 * Space Crusade
 * Operation Dreadnaught (Expansion for Space Crusade)
 * Eldar Attack (Expansion for Space Crusade)

Warhammer Historical

 * Warhammer Ancient Battles
 * Warmaster: Ancient Battles
 * English Civil War
 * Legends of the Old West

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)
 * 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.
 * ''Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Dark Crusade, an upcoming expansion to Dawn of War adding the Tau and Necron races to the game.

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 319 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 and ended on Pack 91.

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.

The group reported sales of £136,650,000 sterling in 2005 and employs around 3200.
 * 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
Games Workshop receives a great deal of criticism from elements of its fan base.

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. As evidence, long-term gamers point to the first edition of the Warhammer 40,000 rules which functioned much like a role playing game by using a 3rd player to act as a games maste. 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". Current third and fourth edition rules allow you to play a tournament sized 1500pt game (an average size) 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. As it is, the fourth edition has actually clarified a lot of gameplay issues, though at the same time the game still appears to be moving away from the level of squad-based play to a more sweeping, general sense of battle. This grand scale is the domain of the specialist game Epic 40K, leading to a blurring of the division between the two systems. Interestingly, Epic 40K has also struggled through generalisation and simplification of the rules to the point where it is arguably ignored by gamers.

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".

In 2002, White Dwarf magazine itself reported the Games Workshop's surprise at gamers' lukewarm reaction to the Lord of the Rings game system, in particular the amount of column space the LoTR game was starting to take up - detracting from the amount of coverage received by the more popular 40K and Warhammer. In the same article editor Guy Haley stated that despite the views and requirements of White Dwarf readers, the magazine would continue to feature the LoTR game system and in fact would probably increase the amount of coverage. Around that time the magazine itself was "split" into two different publications with two different covers, one for LoTR, one for 40K and WH. Readers were expected to turn the magazine upside-down to read the different sections. This format was quickly dropped without explanation. In early 2006, the LotR content was sharply criticised for being almost non-existent, with even the LotR logo removed from the cover. However, by mid-2006, the magazine now dedicates around 33% of non-advertising space to LoTR.

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. A clear example is the introduction of two new races to the 40K universe, the Tau and Necrontyr (Necrons). Traditional army selections have always been focused towards choosing lots of rank and file troopers (known simply as "Troop choices") to fulfil the majority of an army's functions, yet the Necron army features only one basic troop choice - the Warrior - while every other unit in the army is highly specialised, which removes a player's motivation to build an army of core troopers. The Tau fared only slightly better with two "normal" Troop choices: Fire Warriors and Kroot Mercenaries. As such, Tau armies often comprise the smallest possible number of Troop choices - which is contrary to the spirit of the game.

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 and Fanatic magazine has continued as a weekly online magazine.

Also, the Games Workshop's own publishing house, the Black Library, no longer produces its bi-monthly Inferno! magazine, which was a short story anthology set in the 40K and Warhammer universes. Inferno! offered new writers a chance to have their work published and often led to more work for the published writer including more stories and even novels.

Some GW fans consider the price of GW products excessive. 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. Large tank models and large monsters have also seen their prices rise from £25 to £35.

Non-miniature products that Games Workshop sell can often be bought elsewhere at much lower prices - particularly paints (which cost £2.00 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.

Discussion of Games Workshop's business practices and prices is 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. In June 2006, the company also closed down the forum dedicated to discussion of White Dwarf magazine, unsatisfied with the overall tone.