Games Workshop has targeted another 3D designer- this time, the talented Artisans of Vaul are getting some heat from Nottingham.
This one is a little strange because it’s not the designs GW is actually targeting; it’s just the wording. However, saying something is compatible with 40k generally isn’t enough to get something taken down and may actually be already settled depending on how you interpret the Chapterhouse Vs. Games Workshop case.
While it may seem like an overstretch, it may be a good warning for other creators out there. If you say something is compatible with 40k, you could be getting hit with that copyright hammer soon.
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Games Workshop Targets Another 3D Designer
Not that long ago, GW targeted hundred of creators on Cults. If you want to read more about that big cancellation, you can check that out here. For now, though, we’ll focus more on this individual case. However, in that document, they mentioned there is a long list of terms that will trigger an issue with GW.
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This comes from the Vaul Instagram, and they have been working to remedy the situation. It used to be GW going after sculpts (especially anything with insignia) but apparently even saying compatible is now a huge issue.
They have a bunch of items over on Cults and CG trader, and as you can see, they changed the wording to just say for giant robots. While this is annoying, it’s better than the products being taken off the platform. This is quite an interesting development in the constant fight against 3D printing. So if you are an existing or aspiring artist, and you want to keep below GW’s radar, be sure to keep those keywords out of your descriptions!
There were a few groups that furnished a list of keywords supposedly at the bottom of the takedown notices that Games Workshop have sent. Here are the copyright terms that supposedly Games Workshop says are being infringed upon in general, and artists may want to avoid altogether:
- Games Workshop
- Warhammer
- Sigmar
- 40k
- Adeptus
- Drukhari
- Necrons
- T’au
- Ynnari
- Idoneth
- Khaine
- Kharadron
- Lumineth
- Seraphon
- Sylvaneth
- Khorne
- Tzeentch
- Slaanesh
- Maggotkin
- Skaven
- Nighthaunt
- Ossiarch
- Mawtribes
- Gloomspite
- Behemat
- Necromunda
- Imperialis
- Ultramarines
- XV107
One thing we noticed about this list is that most of the terms are the new “de-Tolkienized” versions of Warhammer Faction names that were perhaps borrowed from works like The Hobbit or pulled from pop culture in general. You may remember in the mid, 2010s Games Workshop started rebranding all its factions.
Luckily though for Artisans of Vaul, the Cults3d platform already said they would relist those items for sale as long as the “offending” words were removed after GW tried to cancel hundreds of 3d designs recently on their site.
What do you think about Games Workshop targeting the 3D designer Artisans of Vaul?
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About the Author: Travis Pasch
