Games Workshop is back at it again pushing their hobby standards. Is GW getting a little out of line in the hobby community? Let’s take a look.
You might have heard of some talk about GW cracking down on models and players at their events. They essentially said that if a hobbyist’s models aren’t 100% Games Workshop right down to the base that it’s on, they can’t go on-stream.
Well, it looks like the talk we’ve heard is finally coming true and it’s very real.
Editor’s Note: While there are a ton of very talented folks at (Games) Workshop that bring a lot of enthusiasm and hobby love to everything they do for the company, there always seems to be these continued PR missteps that really cast a shadow over the Warhammer Hobby.
Long story short Hobby Strong, don’t let anyone on this site or anywhere else tell you how to have fun with your models!
Go Home GW: You’re Hobby Drunk
Spotted on Next Level Painting’s Facebook Via the Warhammer Citadel
It can be said that when you hobby well enough, not even GW can tell if the model is standing on their base or not. But that’s not the point here. It’s actually frightening that GW is following through with this “standard” of only-GW product.
It was all initially just cheap talk, but after these comments on Facebook, it really seems like the GW team will be cracking down on models at their events, and perhaps even the ones they sponsor.
This is surely going to leave a bad taste in people’s mouths. But let’s look at this from a different angle for argument’s sake.
What does “Sponsor” Mean?
As the story goes, GW won’t allow non-GW models on camera at events they sponsor. We first saw this at NOVA. Now the question is…What do they mean by Sponsor?
If Sponsoring means that they will be paying for space, paying the judges, providing the terrain and tables, etc. etc. Then we would say that GW may have some ground to stand on as to what they allow in the tournament. Otherwise, if they’re just talking about some prize support (which is cool but is hardly worth the trip to the events), then they’ve got a reality check in store for them.
I mean heck bracket winners at NOVA got a small box of troops for their efforts, reportedly donated by vendors in exchange for their booth space in the basement floor of the event.
Is There a Double Standard?
GW may be harboring a double standard. There was a NOVA event that happened a year ago where a player brought a fully-converted 1988 Squat army as Imperial Guard. The Army used legit pewter rogue trader era Warhammer 4ok Squat models and bases but still wasn’t allowed to go on camera. Technically, the player with the Squat army followed the rules and his list was completely legal.
Perhaps GW only likes their model’s part of the time when they still have them on the shelves to sell?
How Far is Too Far?
If GW is starting to get serious about their models right down to the plastic that their models stand on, what’s to say they’ll stop there? Will they start enforcing a “scratch & sniff” test for the paints that hobbyists use? What about a litmus test for resin scrapings to see if models are “authentic” Forge World or not.
Where does it end?
What are your thoughts on GW’s hobby enforcement? Is GW holding the Warhammer Hobby hostage at all of their events and venues? Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group.
More articles on everything Games Workshop
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.
