"Is Games Workshop making a mistake?" Topic
13 Posts
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| Captain Sensible | 13 Nov 2025 5:57 a.m. PST |
I've read some articles saying that GW has been involved in several lawsuits recently with businesses selling 3D print files of minis that are closely compatible to their gaming system, and so violated their intellectual property rights. Strictly from a practical standpoint, I think GW is making a mistake. The industry is changing and a good portion of the gaming community will eventually have a 3D printer at home to print their own minis. There will always be a strong market for cast minis, but GW should be looking to adapt rather than defend IP in a global, digital world. They can't win just like the music and movie industries couldn't hold back file sharing when it first came out. In part GW is obligated to take legal action based on them being a public company now. Institutional investors have old school exceptions of senior management, even if they are a waste of time and resources. I also think other people are perfectly entitled to design and sell fantasy minis that look similar to, but are not the same as GW models. They were inspired by Tolkien and others may be inspired by them. It's perfectly fair. GW doesn't own fantasy gaming and they are picking on the little guys now by taking legal action against them. |
 Sgt Slag  | 13 Nov 2025 6:35 a.m. PST |
IMO… TSR/Gary Gygax went down the same path, attacking every competitor who dared to publish anything claiming to be compatible with their IP; this, by the way, annoyed and angered much of their fan base (I heard a lot of contempt heaped upon them for it, from gamer friends at the time, along with customer submitted articles published within TSR's own trade magazine, Dragon -- Gary published blistering rants in said magazine, attacking his own customers!). TSR/Gary's arguments would not have stood up in court, but no one could afford to defend themselves in court due to the legal fees involved, so it was cheaper to just back down and fold than to fight. GW will alienate many of their customers; they will spend large sums of money (profit) on lawyer fees. In the end, it will damage their reputation, offending their customers. It is all smoke and mirrors when you get down to it. IP laws are only defined in courts. It all depends upon what the judges rule in the end. Eventually, the industry will move beyond GW -- unless they adapt and find new ways to make sales. The 3D printing technology is still young, but with every year, it grows and it improves. At some point, it will eclipse the miniatures making industry, but it hasn't gotten there yet. Cheers! |
 John the OFM | 13 Nov 2025 6:57 a.m. PST |
As long as I can remember, GW has been finding ways to alienate their non cult customer base. This is just another. But it has never mattered.
As noted above, a billion £ corporation has lawyers on standby and on call.
How many lawyers does "Frank and Joe's 3D Rendering and Print" have?
The GW Cult™️ is fanatic about using ONLY GW products.
Play in an officially sanctioned GW tournament? No competitors allowed.
Play in a GW FLGS? Same thing. The real fan base, and it is massive, will buy anything in the latest edition. They will replace all their obsolete Codices. New approved models? Nothing but.
GW has been hard nosed for decades. And it has paid off.
Very briefly I dabbled in Warhammer. WFB 5th Edition, and 40K 3rd. I sold everything off and never went back. But I was never in the Cult. |
| Griefbringer | 13 Nov 2025 7:09 a.m. PST |
businesses selling 3D print files of minis that are closely compatible to their gaming system, and so violated their intellectual property rights It is a bit difficult to comment on these things based on third hand hear-say, and without actually seeing: a.) the actual product in question
b.) how it was marketed by the designers
c.) whether the lawsuit was based on claims of trademark or copyright infringement It is rather frustrating to discuss about these issues with an average person who cannot tell the difference between copyright (literally "right to make copies" of an original design) and trademark (right to use an original term or graphic design to designate your products). |
 piper909 | 13 Nov 2025 7:49 a.m. PST |
I don't miss a thing about never being involved with any GW products, except an odd mini or two (Repanse of Lyonesse!) I picked up decades ago. |
| 79thPA | 13 Nov 2025 9:07 a.m. PST |
I think a major legal point will be how the item is marketed, and how closely the sculpting style is mirrored. Anyone can produce a 32mm range of Renaissance figures, but if I call mi e, "Not GW Imperial militia" I may have a problem. |
| TimePortal | 13 Nov 2025 9:18 a.m. PST |
I stopped stocking GW in 1984. I am still in business while many other GW oriented stores are not. |
| robert piepenbrink | 13 Nov 2025 9:48 a.m. PST |
My presumption is that GW knows what it's doing. That's not based on this case, but on GW's track record. So far, they've outsmarted just about everyone for decades. In this case, I have seen the figures and the marketing, and I think GW's case is ludicrous. But that doesn't mean GW won't win in court. Think expensive lawyers and a judge who knows nothing of miniatures. And for GW winning also includes just running up the small independent's legal fees until even if the court rules in his favor, no one will argue with a GW "cease and desist" for decades. It's a little depressing to see GW thrive while historical miniatures conventions dwindle, but their time too will pass. |
| Prince Rupert of the Rhine | 13 Nov 2025 10:24 a.m. PST |
I doubt it GW are the most successful wargames miniatures business ever that make profit every year. People love to complain about GW but despite the endless prophecies of their demise, after their latest " mistakes" they keep going and seem to get stronger. |
martin goddard  | 13 Nov 2025 10:48 a.m. PST |
I wish GW well. They have created their own very successful hobby faction. martin |
| Stoppage | 13 Nov 2025 10:59 a.m. PST |
They're just protecting their customers' decision to invest in their product. I'd be annoyed if I'd just paid GBP100 for an 18-inch tall winged demon from GW; only to find someone else has punted something similar for a lot less. Also… they are an UK business success story (GBP100 Million) and provide much needed artistic employment in an economic back-water (East Midlands) |
| SBminisguy | 13 Nov 2025 11:43 a.m. PST |
John the OFM+1 Indeed,the cult is so strong that they will block you from using older release versions of figures! I played Rogue Trader and then 2e, and I had a figure -- ONE figure, of an Ork leader with a power glove and I was fan-swarmed! "That's not an APPROVED figure, that was only an OPTIONAL figure introduced in White Dwarf issue X, and it's NOT approved for Tournament Play, so you can't use that figure!" Oh, then I had my cool Ork Land Speeder and it was like, "Orks now don't have Land Speeders, they can't use them, they can only use War Buggies, so you can't use that either!" Then they grumbled that my other figures were older and "non-standard" with current release…I still managed to beat some folks before getting defeated out of the tournament -- never again. |
 aegiscg47 | 13 Nov 2025 12:04 p.m. PST |
I liken GW to the Pokemon craze, which believe it or not, is still going on. Both of them have an interesting issue (not sure if it is planned or not, there's pros and cons here) in that they simply do not produce enough product. Facebook pages are loaded with gamers and stores complaining that they ordered 20+ of the newest boxed set, but are only getting 10 or less, meaning that those that do show up or gamers lucky enough to get them can resell them for a pretty good price. Naturally, this keeps the prices high for both, but it does make getting what you want a bit challenging. |
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