Spikey Bits » Fantasy Flight Games » Will FFG Return As a Warhammer Licensee?

There is much speculation going around that Fantasy Flight Games may not be returning as a Warhammer Licensee for Games Workshop. Come see the latest!

GW was at the  2016 Licensing Trade Show and Expo in Las Vegas, where over 5000 different brands will be on hand selling the rights to their Intellectual Property, this summer for the first time, and a lot of us took notice.

They were selling licenses to their IP for new products there, but curiously it looks like they may have been trying to sell some that Fantasy Flight Games currently has as well.

Now one site is reporting that there is much speculation that Fantasy Flight Games may NOT be returning as a licensee for Games Workshop:

Source Enworld

Right now, speculation is that Fantasy Flight Games have lost the licensing to the Warhammer and Warhammer 40K franchises from Games Workshop. An unconfirmed source has told EN World that the license is, in fact, ended, but as of the time of publication no official word from either Fantasy Flight Games or Games Workshop have confirmed this information.

The PDFs for the Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play and Warhammer 40K role-playing lines have been removed as being for sale from the Fantasy Flight Games pages on the OneBookShelf sites.

Keep that in mind as we re-examine our exclusive coverage from the Licensing Trade show this summer:

First off An anonymous source sent pictures of GW’s booth at the event, and their “offerings”.

Both myself and another gaming site editor both though that it was strange that GW included the fury of Dracula and Talisman in their display at the time, because they are currently licensed to Fantasy Flight Games (see above pic).

Here what properties they had up for license at the show with know licensed properties to FFG in red:

Now remember GW just cited in their trading update for FY 2015 that they expected to post higher profits due to extra income from licenses!  So you have to imagine that this show is super important to them to help with their overall sales goals for FY 2016, as they look to reboot Age of Sigmar, and head into another possible edition of Warhammer 40k.

And it could have also been even more important going forward if indeed Fantasy Flight Games will not be picking up the license to these games as well.

While all this remains pure speculation at this time also consider this, FFG’s GenCon booth was all about the launch of THEIR new miniatures game this year, Runewars that looks to be a combination of the classic tabletop feel with X-wing style dials and maneuvers:

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce RuneWars: The Miniatures Game, a new two-player miniatures game of epic, rank-and-file warfare set in the realm of Terrinoth!

For years, the armies of Waiqar the Undying have stayed within their borders, launching only minor raids across the border. But now, a nameless threat stirs within the Mistlands, and legions of undead cross into the realm of Terrinoth under Waiqar’s command! The Daqan Lords have sounded the call to war, and their finest generals lead armies of warriors and golems to take up defensive positions in the border territory of Roth’s Vale. The first battles of the next great war are about to begin. 

At this time neither companies are commenting officially, but I doubt this is the last we’ll hear on this topic for sure.

UPDATE: FFG & GW End Their Business Relationship

Time to finish out those RPG Wish Lists?

About the Author: Rob Baer

Rob Baer

Job Title: Managing Editor

Founded Spikey Bits in 2009

Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X

About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.

Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls. 

Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.

Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.

With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.

While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.

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