Games Workshop

Games Workshop Group PLC is a British miniature wargaming company headquartered in Nottingham, England. It was founded in 1975 by John Peake, Ian Livingstone, and Steve Jackson. The founders initially sold games by mail order and produced a newsletter, Owl and Weasel. In 1978, Games Workshop became the United Kingdom’s publisher of the American role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons, helping establish a market for tabletop hobby games before its later concentration on proprietary miniature systems.

The company’s best-known creations are Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000. The first edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battle appeared in 1983, while Warhammer 40,000, called “40K,” was released in 1987. Both games combine collectible model kits, painting, background fiction, rulebooks, and organized play. Warhammer 40,000’s far-future setting includes the Imperium of Man, Space Marines, Orks, Aeldari, Tyranids, and Chaos. Its slogan, “In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war,” became closely associated with the brand.

Games Workshop manufactures many of its miniatures in the United Kingdom and sells through its own Warhammer stores, webstore, and independent retailers. Citadel Miniatures is its principal miniatures brand, while Citadel Colour is used for paints and tools. Black Library publishes novels and audio dramas set in the company’s fictional universes. Forge World produces specialist resin models and books, including products for Horus Heresy, a civil war narrative set ten millennia before Warhammer 40,000. Games Workshop also licenses its intellectual property for video games and other media; titles using Warhammer settings have been made by external developers.

The business floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1994. It is listed on the exchange’s Alternative Investment Market, generally known as AIM. The company later returned its retail identity from “Games Workshop” shop branding to “Warhammer” for stores and online channels, reflecting the centrality of its flagship settings. Kevin Rountree became chief executive in 2015, succeeding Mark Wells.

A major part of Games Workshop’s modern output is its continuing revision of core rules and miniature ranges. Warhammer Age of Sigmar replaced Warhammer Fantasy Battle as the company’s main fantasy tabletop game in 2015. The change followed the narrative event called the End Times, which concluded the original Warhammer Fantasy setting. Age of Sigmar introduced the Mortal Realms and factions such as Stormcast Eternals.

In 2023, Games Workshop announced an agreement with Amazon MGM Studios to develop Warhammer 40,000 film and television projects, subject to final contractual terms between the parties.