Gamers vs. collectors- the creator of Warhammer 40k, Rick Priestly, talked about where GW is focusing its efforts and even he seemed to be confused by it all now.
This interview is from a few years ago, but with constant paywall rules and changes to the game, it felt like the perfect time to look at what one of the OGs feels about the current company’s direction since the new CEO took over.
We’ve heard a lot lately from hobbyists that it feels hard for them to be a casual gamer and keep up with the rules now. However, GW seems to focus most of their marketing on the collector side which, as we said, it seems hard to be casual and actually keep up with the rules enough to even play a game.
Right now the opinion is that Games Workshop is trying to split their time between collectors and gamers, but not really hitting the middle ground.
Gamers Vs. Collectors, Who is Games Workshop Focusing on?
It’s not very often that we hear from Rick Priestly, the creator of Warhammer 40k, but he had a few things to say about Games Workshop including both good times and bad! Let’s hear what he has to say and then break down some of his thoughts.
Picture from around the time 40k Rogue Trader was created. Rick Priestly pictured top right second from right (looking down). Note a fresh Jervis Johnson in a tie.
via Rick Priestley’s Facebook Page
It all got started with the following comment directed at Mr. Priestley:
You sir are a legend! Its a shame that GW have lost their way a bit and moved away from the humorous, dark, irrelevant and very British state of Warhammer and 40k that you pretty much invented.
And then Priestley chimes in with the following:
Blimey you turn your back for a day or two! I worked for GW (Citadel in Newark and then GW at Eastwood and Nottingham) for 28 years, and the company changed a great deal over that time, but we always aimed at making money. I can just about remember thedays when making money was about having enough in the bank at the end of the month to cover our wages – I don’t know if that was ever literally true – but it certainly came across that way! We also enjoyed what we were doing! We enjoyed games and gaming and – of course – the models that went with that. The big recent change is that GW has actually stated – both during the Chapter House court hearing and subsequently to its shareholders – that it considers its market to be collectors of models and not gamers. The games are very much played down internally, and you can see with the latest (very nicely done!) models that they are conceived as collectors pieces that have very little practicality in terms of a wargame. It’s perfectly fine for GW to turn its backs upon wargaming in favour of modelling and collecting if that is the vision of the current management. But the result is that many customers who are or have been passionate about GW’s games do feel marginalized.
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I should add that we always used to maintain a games design department that was fairly heavy weight – smart guys, some of them rebarbative, bloody-minded and mildly dangerous types (dangerous to themselves on occasion). I won’t say who it was… but one of our staff once ran back into the burning building he’d just been rescued from by the fire brigade to recover his ‘stash’ from the flames! The design team has been run down over the years – the guys who work there now are just not doing the same sort of work and they’re not the same sort of people. Probably for the best:)
I think that is the danger Rob – well not literally fridges to motorcyclists! – but betting the company on the assumption that the market is primarily collectors and not gamers is a big gamble isn’t it! In the short term it will work because so many gamers are loyal to the backgrounds and to what is left of the games range (that’ll be 40K then). The large, very nicely done, collectors style pieces generate good sales at high margins. I would expect to see an improvement in full year performance under their new CEO – and maybe even a dividend! Long term though… if GW is sincere about changing its market stance (and does not lose its bottle and start to back track – which is still possible) it opens up the market to any number of new companies that are interested in games, gaming and gamers! That won’t do GW any harm so long as they are determined to abandon that market – and it would leave them to concentrate on a mixture of high price highly profitable collectibles and licensing its IP out into other media – always something I felt was under exploited due to fear of losing control at the top of the business. But what do I know:)
Well I’m touched by all the thank yous! So let me add my own. Thank you for making it possible for me and so many of my comrades to earn a living doing something we love – there’s not many people get that chance – and I remain eternally grateful.
It seems like Priestley knows alot, as the vast majority of his predictions about the “new” CEO have indeed come true.
The Focus is too Split
It feels like in the last year or two GW has once again gone the other way. They still seem to market to collectors but have paywalled more rules than ever before. Then with the constant release of codices, the new seasons, and Chapter Approved, it seems hard to be a gamer or a collector. Trying to keep the game updated is nice, but unless you’re a competitive player, the rules are hard to keep up with. This means the casual gamer is sort of lost in the mix. If you want to have cool models and play with them, it’s really hard.
As he said, they need to cater to the gaming side, and in a way, they are trying. But it just feels like the casual gamer is getting left in the dust. If you’re just a collector, it doesn’t really matter as they are constantly releasing amazing models.
If you’re a gamer, however, you have to keep up with so much and deal with constant purchases just to play with the models you like…
Maybe the real question is which demographic is better, and why…
So where are we now? What IS Games Workshop’s focus gamers Vs. collectors wise?
Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group, or our new Discord server, and make sure you enter the latest monthly giveaway for FREE today!
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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.
