Is Games Workshop Getting Ready to Sell? | The Tabletop Tactics Podcast Ep 65

Avatar Jinx October 14, 202433  27 33 Likes

YouTube video

On this week’s podcast we go on a bit of a speculative adventure. Games Workshop has changed a huge amount since its inception, evolving and re inventing its main franchises and rules systems, but with the recent streamlining of rules and major moves into both Video Games and TV, could this be a sign that Games Workshop want to take a huge next step and “sell” their business to become part of a larger organisation? Would someone like Hasbro, Warner Brothers or even Disney be interested? And what could this actually mean for the hobby and us as fans? Bard, Beard and Spider sit down to explore this topic and ponder the good and bad such a tremendous change could bring!

🎥 Want even more Tabletop Tactics videos? Check out our website and sign up for On Demand! 

📱 Download our App for videos on the go, or to take part in the League! Available on Android and iOS 

🎲 Like to roll in style? Tabletop Tactics Merchandise 

🛒 For all your hobby and gaming needs, visit Tabletop Tactics’ sponsors Element Games

🎵 Music is licensed from their respective Artists at Premium Beat



Subscribe
Notify of
27 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Heath Stephenson
Heath Stephenson
19 hours ago

100% agree. Historically speaking when the foundation members of an organisation retire the company gets sold within a generation. Looks like GeeDubs has been dropping IP conflict models and turning away from R18+ to M15+ as well. First tough when I heard about the assassination of Gabriel Seth was I hope the mouse is happy. Lawrence’s point on the board is spot on. Warhammer as we know it probably peaked during COVID. Every game has to grow and it’s a difficult brand to grow and painting is the elephant in the room, it has a very high attrition rate. James,… Read more »

Last edited 19 hours ago by Heath Stephenson
Khaaneentch
Khaaneentch
23 hours ago

I should probably listen to the whole episode before commenting 🙄😂

Khaaneentch
Khaaneentch
23 hours ago

I think the discussion about pre-painted minis is interesting, and in an ideal world GW would offer both. Normal/blank minis for those who want to paint, and then pre-painted minis, with a small price increase, for those who wanted them. I love seeing well painted minis and want to use them on the table, but I will probably never be a good enough painter to be able to achieve that myself due to time commitments, etc. Of course this is where commission painting services come in, but they are so expensive!!

Talos Miniatures
Lodge Member
23 hours ago

Ummmm I feel I have to defend myself! I do NOT like the new Star Wars Stuff!! Primaris – YES. Votann – YES. But the new star wars films are not good. Do they have redeaming features, yes but overall they are bad. I think Lawrence was getting confused with my stance on The Hobbit trilogy which I think are verry good. Lawrence, you need to listen to my podcast more. 😉 Cast-a-role.

ScoundrelStudios (Matt Purdie)

Great discussion topic guys. Let’s hope there’s still a niche for all us commission painters in the future of the hobby… pre-painted minis might spell serious trouble for us. Don’t make me go back to being a teacher! Please!!

Shawn Chenoweth
Lifetime Member
1 day ago

The market being what it is right now and most investors sticking to more stable products like bonds and even gold. Everyone is acutely aware of the demographic shift in most societies as the bulk populations age into retirement. Most real investment comes from 55-65 year old. Now that they, and especially the baby boomers, are moving into retirement they are leading the charge on that front. Then you add in the current Republic of China disaster and I don’t see a lot of available capital moving in GW’s direction until they full embrace an IP focus approach and figure… Read more »

Corruption
Lifetime Member
1 day ago

On one hand I think a takeover/acquisition of GW would be bad for the hobby, we’ve seen the slow dilution and decrease in quality of the MCU and Star Wars IPs since Disney took over, and I believe the same thing would happen should a massive corporation take over the GW IPs. I could see GW partnering with some more companies like Amazon and sharing their IP to be used in different media, but selling the actual miniatures production and game development would be a massive risk, even for the additional investment. On the other, I would love to see… Read more »

Alexander Campbell
Alexander Campbell
1 day ago

Great conversation guys! To be honest though, when GW split with Fantasy Flight Games after eight years I was gutted to hear this. I’m sure I’m not the only one, I think they really missed some amazing opportunities with board games and card games. With the new content they have, it really could of been endless. Especially for the younger players as they are more likely to play those formats as its easier to collect.

jon vaughan
jon vaughan
1 day ago

good discussion

knarre
knarre
1 day ago

Maybe the real reason Sir Ian was visiting was because he was interested to buy tabletop tactics? Kind a weird that he just shows up one day for an interview and then this podcast drops. (Insert X-files theme) 😉

The Casual
Lodge Member
1 day ago

So I wanted to weigh in on near the end of the Pod because the whole thing of ‘give us the names of the sculptors/writers, let us support and be positive about them’ is a nice idea in theory. But we’re in an Internet age where people will track someone down to there home address because they’re angry about some design or development change that has been made. We see this in the Video Games industry, Developers have and will continue to cut-off communications with their playerbase because the trolls and the negativity can get to the point of actual,… Read more »

Matthew Lumley
Matthew Lumley
1 day ago

Surprisingly, the lack of discussion around Amazon in particular – a company clearly after developing its own teeth with IP, who definitely would be interested in production and distribution? If there was a company somewhere who would be interested in 40K and GW, it’d be the one wanting to expand its place in media

Justin Gregory
1 day ago

Awesome video guys and I do believe a sell out wouldn’t be good for us as consumers cause of the way it could go… but then again it’s all speculation and we won’t really know unless it happened lol One thing this video made me realise is what’s gonna happen when Jes Goodwin – the god father of my beloved Eldar is no longer designing them.. how are they gonna change from a new artists perspective.. scary times man scary times We already seen how the editions and general game have changed since the days of Priestley and Chambers lol… Read more »

Garry Hewitt
Garry Hewitt
1 day ago

Having seen the disaster that is Hasbro owning WotC, GW staying its own entity would be by far the better option for the average player. Even with the problems they have.

maxpower
Lodge Member
maxpower
1 day ago

Hi team – I work in Mergers and Acquisitions for a Fortune 100 company. Honestly, GW being acquired seems unlikely. They’ve grown, yes. They’re more mature from a business standpoint, yes. That said, they’re not doing everything in their power to squeeze every bit of value out of themselves. The idea would be that they would be running to make as much money as possible while shrinking costs – you wouldn’t see them do something like invest in new warehouse capabilities, for example. They’d literally just be existing to increase their valuation. Leave investing in the business to the buyers.… Read more »

Stephen Neal
Stephen Neal
1 day ago

You did release tge video on your app! This is great, thanks.

Matty B
Matty B
1 day ago

If it is, that’s the end of the hobby as it stands. The Quality will go down, the price will go up & the enjoyment will disappear. I would probably leave if it happens…