Games Workshop has sued Ghamak for its 3D printable miniatures they claim are too close to Warhammer 40k. Here’s what is behind the claim and what it could mean for the hobby.
What started as a quiet copyright notice has turned into a full-blown legal battle (amid many others happening right now) that could reshape how we buy, print, and play with miniatures across the tabletop scene.
Let’s unpack what’s going on and why this matters to anyone in the hobby who has dabbled with 3D printing alternative Warhammer 40k models.
Ghamak Makes Some Clarifications About Games Workshop’s angle
Updated on October 31st, 2025, by Rob Baer with the latest on both sides.
See the rest of the legal notices Ghamak has posted here.
So, here’s the gist straight from Ghamak: they’re stressing that this whole legal scuffle isn’t about straight-up copyright or trademark infringement, it’s also about unfair competition under Article 2598 of the Italian Civil Code. They are also two completely distinct ideas, and GW is attempting to claim both in one go.
Games Workshop’s angle? They’re saying Ghamak’s models supposedly use shapes, symbols, or designs that make people instantly think “GW.”
But Ghamak’s flipping that around. Their stance is that it’s actually up to GW to prove that their own designs are distinct and recognizable enough to claim as uniquely theirs. Ghamak argues that GW can’t do that, because the elements in question pull from shared, imaginary universes that no one company owns.
They even ask, “Does GW own an eagle?” As that is one of the designs they were asked to take down. And even if GW tries to argue confusion, that someone might think a Ghamak model is a GW creation, Ghamak says there’s just no real evidence of that.
Ghamak promised to release more information in the near future on how this will impact the entire community.
Games Workshop Sues Ghamak Over 3D Warhammer Models
GW and Ghamak comparison from the statement.
According to Francesco Pizzo, Ghamak’s lead designer, in early 2023, Games Workshop reached out to several creators about potential copyright concerns. Most were allegedly told to tweak or rename a few models that looked a little too close to official GW designs.
Ghamak, on the other hand, got a very different letter.
Games Workshop reportedly demanded that Ghamak remove nearly its entire model catalog, claiming that the designs infringed on GW’s intellectual property. The kicker? They didn’t actually specify which models were supposedly crossing the line or how they did so.
On top of that, GW allegedly asked for access to Ghamak’s internal business data and pushed a contract that would’ve effectively stopped the creator from designing new models altogether.
Silence and Stalemate
GW and Ghamak comparison from the statement.
According to Ghamak, they tried to meet GW halfway, offering to remove or heavily modify more than 30% of their existing catalog to avoid a drawn-out fight. But even after those offers, Ghamak says GW went quiet and never responded to their attempts to resolve things amicably.
Ghamak says that Games Workshop took nearly a year to respond to their first message, and when they finally did, they still refused to provide a list of which models were supposedly infringing. GW also didn’t share any guidelines or criteria that would help Ghamak understand what parts of their work might be in violation.
The company also allegedly moved straight to takedown attempts on Patreon and MyMiniFactory, platforms where Ghamak has built a strong following.
MyMiniFactory pushed back, saying GW hadn’t provided enough proof to justify a takedown. Then, in January 2025, the entire matter escalated into an official lawsuit.
It’s a messy situation, and right now, we’ve only got Ghamak’s side of the story. But if true, it paints a pretty frustrating picture for independent creators trying to stay on the right side of IP law in the wargaming space.
A Different Kind of Lawsuit
GW and Ghamak comparison from the statement.
Here’s where things get wild: the lawsuit names over 1,000 models, but doesn’t actually accuse Ghamak of copyright infringement. Instead, it’s framed as “unfair competition.”
That’s a big deal. The argument, in short, is that making models “compatible” with Warhammer games is unfair, even if they don’t directly copy any designs.
If that idea sticks, it could wreck the entire 3D printing ecosystem. Every creator who makes alternate parts, proxy models, or thematic “counts-as” minis could suddenly be at risk. We’re talking everything from generic dwarves and skeletons to tanks and bug monsters being labeled as “counterfeit.”
Essentially, what GW seems to be saying is that they own every version of generic skeletons, dwarves, space marines, etc.
That’s not just a Ghamak problem; that’s an industry problem.Why the Community’s Fired Up Against Games Workshop
Gamers are already frustrated with Games Workshop’s track record on communication, pricing, and how they handle fan creativity. Between limited stock runs, digital paywalls, lore rewrites, and rising prices, the company’s goodwill has been thinning for a while.
3D printing filled that gap, letting hobbyists build, customize, and play their way without paying premium prices. Now, with this lawsuit, many see GW doubling down on control at the worst possible time.
The response? People are voting with their wallets. Ghamak’s fundraiser to fight back saw nearly €8,000 (now over €40,000) donated within hours of the news breaking.
Support the Ghamak GoFundMe Here!
That’s no pocket change; that’s a statement from hobbyists.
What About Games Workshop’s Side of the Story?
So far, we’ve mostly heard Ghamak’s side. Games Workshop has remained quiet, reportedly stating only that over a thousand files need to be taken down, but without explicitly explaining why on the exact listing.
Obviously, they have to protect their IP, but the real question is what exactly they’re claiming here. Are these models actual copies, too competitive, or just “too compatible” for comfort?
It’s possible GW believes Ghamak crossed a legal line, but without specifics, it’s hard to tell if this is about genuine infringement or overreach.
This all feels like déjà vu from the Chapterhouse case, where the court ended up spelling out for GW which designs were truly theirs, like a ‘Farseer on a Jetbike’, and which were too generic to own like ‘space soldiers’ or ‘laser guns.’.
That ruling limited what they could claim, and GW might be avoiding that kind of scrutiny again
If this goes to court, it could redefine what counts as a “protected design” versus community territory. And honestly, there may not be a clear winner. A GW win could tighten control over creative freedom, while a Ghamak win could blow the doors open for even more 3D-printed “compatible” models.
This case could decide more than just one company’s future. It could define how far corporate IP reaches into the fan-driven side of creative hobbies in general.
Final Thoughts On Games Workshop V. Ghamak
Either way, we think, this fight isn’t just about one lawsuit. It’s about where the line is drawn between corporate control and community creativity.
If Games Workshop keeps pushing creators out instead of working with them, that tipping point everyone talks about might come faster than expected. Especially with a shaky economy and plenty of hobbyists already feeling burned.
Either way, something’s got to give. To us, it feels like more players are bailing on the Warhammer hobby than ever, and you can’t really blame them.
Between stock issues, rule chaos, and pricing blunders, Games Workshop’s missteps are starting to pile up.
The hype from Henry Cavill’s Amazon deal and the Space Marine 2 video game brought in a wave of new hobbyists, but now a lot of them can’t even get their armies built or on the table before the first Cavill show airs.
The message from the tabletop crowd is clear: support innovation, not intimidation. And right now, it looks like a lot of Warhammer 40k hobbyists are backing the little guy with their hobby dollars.
GW Granted $10m Final Judgment in Warhammer Crackdown
Damn some of the corporate shills in the comments show the sad state of people’s mentality. Defending a company that attacks fans and tries to crush the possible competition.
Which was good for markting for them when they were niche but now that they are trying to attract the lunatic community they start to monopolize the market.
Afterwards has some of their shills attack original fans of the lore on reddit for not agreeing with their stupid ass modernization.
So called suspends him while in reality they have just shown they defend vile staff members for the sake of their modern agenda.
This sums up the modern problem… Couldn’t resist posting it.
https://youtu.be/pp-f–sloe8?si=7bzzHQHej2u_ubuO&t=100
GW greed knows no bounds.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wBS8Aj4V0Cg
Oh quite trying to bring your culture war BS into a discussion where it is at best tangential.
The culture war is why the community is ripped apart. Maybe i’d be better if you say that more against the people that have injected it into the company/community. You know, the murderous staff that gets excused for their vile behaviour because they have the same type of political views you have.
The game was satire from the get-go and this always had a leftward bend. Because chuds couldn’t process that fact, GW had to release public statements about the game being open to everyone. Your desire to die in that foxhole proves just how necessary those statements were.
GW IS PEANUT BUTTER AND JEALOUS, cuz they cant have a monopoly. For those who dont 3d print anying. Its not an easy thing to do and it can in the end be cheaper all together. Not right away.
Seems like GW is trying for monopolies on the hobby.
That’s scumbag practices.
Agreed
40k and warhammer have been going for years. This is IP and AP that belongs to the artist they paid to create each model. Some smuck with a 3D printer is basically being cheap not buying a real set. But in long term damage this guys going to be the start of how we lose Games Workshop.
Get a job, buy the stuff. Don’t be a cheap little bitch like him.
Im behind GW
Lmao what a bootlicker take
Agreed.
I have a job. I’ve bought thousands of dollars of GW models since I started playing 40k and Fantasy in the mid-90s. GW has been on a steady decline as an organization for 20 years. They DGAF about you, so Stanning for them in comment sections won’t actually gain you anything but a lighter wallet. You might not be intelligent enough to understand that, but we’re not all equally intellectually stunted
“Some smuck with a 3D printer is basically being cheap not buying a real set.”
I started 3d printing so I could customize my armies. I continued because GW is an anti-consumer POS organization no longer run by gamers who see you as a dollar sign. I haven’t given GW a dime for nearly 5 years, and I never will again. Not because I can’t afford it, but because I choose not support a-hole companies who actively hate their customers.
And we all understand you aren’t bright enough to figure out how to turn on a 3d printer, let alone use one. But that’s a you problem.
“But in long term damage this guys going to be the start of how we lose Games Workshop.”
Good. Most of us can’t wait for GW to fold. Those of us who don’t enjoy supporting a company so corrupt they believe they can copyright things like “elder” and “space marine” can’t wait for GW to fold. Particularly since they basically stole all of their IP from other, far more creative individuals and organizations. GW hasn’t created ANYTHING unique, and you just can’t grasp that or why it makes GW the villain.
“Don’t be a cheap little bitch like him.
Im behind GW”
Oh, the irony of a GW cuck calling anyone else a bitch …
GW is simply terrified of competition and rely on bullying actual creatives into NOT competing. They want a monopoly, and they rely on dimwits to mindlessly support them. What does that say about you?
So sad…
Yeah but a lot of these models are in all actuality different sculpts. Games workshop isnt a community organization who exist as a morale good we need to defend. They are a company that sells a product and so is this guy, his product is objectively different, and they don’t like the competition. This is a move towards monopoly.
And you are a bootlicker lmao.
Ok. I normally am on the side of the IP holder and original creator/company, but the designs that they are suing over are CLEARLY unique and original designs that COULD be abstracted as a stand in. Did you look at the pictures Ghamaks showed, or the pictures here, even? They are comparing a man riding a winged lion to a man riding scaled dragon.
If GW can sue over that far of an abstraction, no model of ANYHING riding ANY kind of mount will be safe.
Games Workshop is offside here. GW appears to agree that their IP has not been infringed. Instead, they are claiming it isn’t fair that another company’s product could be used privately by some hobbyists with their game rules. The lawsuit is the equivalent to claiming that no one is allowed to make digitally or physically tiny armored space men for fear that they might play 40k privately with non-GW models. There is no issue with GW events and stores as only GW models are allowed there. Games Workshop has gone way over the line. I hope they lose this badly.
Oh please. GW is experiencing positive growth (almost 15% in 2024), and they aren’t claiming copyright infringement (because it isn’t). If you want to pay exorbitant amounts to field an army, go right ahead. But don’t tell me that I MUST use their awful crap to play a game. Proxies are used in thousands of games daily. Grow up and don’t be such a self righteous bitch.
I’m with John and GW! I’ve enjoyed the hobby since 1988, and it’s been the same bitching. It costs too much, I can’t have or do whatever I want boo hoo fucking hoo. 3d printed models are fraud and IP infringement period. All tournaments should ban the use of fake bitch models (not complaining about females,just whiny little bitches) and be done with it. GW used to enforce goblin green bases or you couldn’t field your army!?! Follow the (I’m glad I’m elitist, being a commoner is so boring) fucking rules, support a lawful economy and if you want a unique model…learn how to sculpt your own! It’s a hobby, if you don’t like it go play the ‘game’ online where you whiny little nicely bitches belong.
Agreed
Shut it Boomer, no one cares. If gw is all you have (which you obviously do) You got waaay bigger issues then worrying about a legit company making great unique sculpts and not charging a medical bill for lol.
People like you are so pathetic.
lol you are literally one of the sweats that make people NOT want to play 40K. Why are you so hostile towards people who can’t afford to pay $500-$1000 per army? If you can’t appreciate that in today’s economy $40 for a single model is way too expensive that’s on you. Not sure if you understand the concept of it but if people can’t afford to play a game at all is much worse than if they do play with a couple of knock off printed models. They still have to buy the books, the dice, other models, pay the game store to play in a tourney, etc. I’ve played people like you before in a tournament and it’s people like you in fact that are the only negative experience I’ve ever had with 40K. Guaranteed you sit there and cry the whole time about measurements, dice rolls, and rules interpretation. Stay Sweaty ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Historical wargames by their nature are company miniature agnostic. So are generic sci-fi and fantasy rules. But if you play GW rules you should use GW miniatures. It’s as simple as that.
Based on years of playing wargames and tournaments, this fits the profile of someone as easy going as they come.
Insert neckbeard saying leave the multibillion dollar company alone meme.
Seriously just because you’ve been pavlovian conditioned to accept every bad action from Gw and like it too doesn’t mean everyone else does. Being elitist over miniature brands does not actually make you elite, it just means you have a superiority delusion.
… they aren’t 3D printed copies of 40k or Fantasy, did you read nothing above? One of the models they are suing over is because Ghamak made a knight riding a winged lion in a completely downward facing pose. The “unfair practice” violation comparison is a man riding a scaled drake/dragon thing with a completely different set of armour, look, and weapon… in an upward facing pose.
This has NOTHING to do with infringement. This is a disgusting abuse of the courts and I say that as a STAUNCH defender of IP rights, I have my own IP, Price For Freedom, and I would defend it to the grave. But I would never sue another game developer for making a fantasy game with a completely different set of characters and designs, but in a VAGUE similarity of “aesthetic similarity.” That would be immoral.
It is not IP infringement you fucking dolt. GW models at one point were affordable and agreeable. But you too busy being a selfrightous douche to notice.
Fuck that, you, and GW. It seems your happy to bend over elitist mentally would be happy to pay even 200£ for one box of space marines and adotional trust funds or colloidal debt, and then not be able to play anybody because not everyone has the privilege of having such financial liberty to spend thousands on this hobby. For less than 500£ over the course of several years, I’ve been able to print several armies that would’ve cost 10x from the ‘almighty games workshop’. They want to lay claim to every skeleton, bug, robot or otherwise? Period? Do you realize that would decimate the board/tabletop hobby altogether? Defending GW here says a lot about the neckbearded sheep in this hobby and frankly you can continue to be railed by GW all you want. Leave the rest of us the fuck alone.
Agreed
You should wipe the saliva off your mouth after “supporting” gw, before speaking in public, it’s gross.
“You should wipe the saliva off your mouth after “supporting” gw,…”
I don’t think that’s saliva…
🤣
Did you even read the article? its about a “compatibility” lawsuit, not a lawsuit about making copies of “ma space guys lol.” Essentially GW is saying they own all tabletop gaming with miniatures involved. GW claims if you the consumer squint hard enough at their flavor of starship troopers then squint at any other miniature range like storm troopers from starwars painted blue or D&D skeletons of a generic variety, you just may field them in your games of warhammer. This line of thinking is hersey! It’s essentially “compatible” because you visually can NOT tell the difference between your toys all because GW says so. Thats just not fair to papa hasbro. This is the wording of the lawsuit. This will not end well if this legal issue is escalated because Disney and Hasbro will bury GW on any day of the week. They also have miniatures and games that would “fall” under this lawsuit. Wording is everything.
This loser put Aquilas all over this shit, look at his product line; then shut your whore mouth. If GW goes bankrupt it will be because parasites like this selling Palworld copies at a fraction of the price, because there’s no overhead cost to being a leech
so aquilas are only from games workshop?
Lol seems to be the case. dont tell the Germans, or Czars.
If GW goes bankrupt, it will be a fantastic win for actual gamers. It may be bad for GW’s simps, but we gamers don’t really care about you
“Parasites selling copies”
My dear idiot created by the almighty himself. There is not “copying.” This is like if Apple tryed to sue computer manufacturers because they wanted a monopoly on the industry.
This is a transparent as fuck overreach and you were never meant to deep throat the boot that hard.
Oh boo hoo for gw, they should adapt.
Your are mad over a creator using an Aquila? Why? GW owns the two headed version sure, but each bird sculpted on the 3d prints have only one head. Aquilas have been used by militarys since forever. The Romans as their standard and the Greeks used it as a symbol of Zesus’s holy thunderbolt carrier bird. If GW goes out of business that’s on them and stupid business practices. They have already been laughed out of court for trying to copyright pauldrons and the term space marines. They even got mad at a guy for using “warhammer” and he was referencing the mech out of battletech. Yes battletech predates warhammer. Alot of tabletop wargames do.
I’ll tell you a fun fact: you don’t need GW to enjoy tabletop wargaming.
You can use anything you want in your games. Have a good one.
That’s one point of view yes, the other is – If GW win this case then companies like One Page Rules, Kromtek, and many many others, even Mantic Games could be sued and shut down as they also produce ‘compatible’ miniatures with GW settings, any company that makes anything remotely similar to a Genestealer or sister of battle would be under that threat. It’s the broader scope of GW control you need to look at. The term ‘Compatible’ here is the danger.
Have you looked at Gahmaks products? There are aquilas on dreadnoughts.. the aquila at least is still a registered trademark, so he was given a chance to take it down in 2023. But he ignored GW, so they are well within their rights to sue now… he started selling calvary with gas masks like a week after the Krieg box dropped, my guy.. this clown knows what he’s doing.
Agreed
“There are aquilas on dreadnoughts…the aquila at least is still a registered trademark,”
LOL. It isn’t. GW’s two-headed version MIGHT be, but aquilas IN GENERAL have been used by real-world militaries for centuries, clown.
“was given a chance to take it down in 2023.”
If you’re too lazy to read the article (or too stup1d to understand it), you probably shouldn’t comment on the article. GW never called out specific models to take down, and the creator offered to work with them to resolve the situation… And GW refused. You’re clearly a m0r0n.
“he started selling calvary with gas masks like a week after the Krieg box dropped”
Thanks for confirming what we all knew… you think GW can copyright “cavalry with gas masks” because you’re stup1d. Of course, if you were bright enough to understand that, you wouldn’t blindly support GW.
“this clown knows what he’s doing.”
Too bad you don’t know anything …
Bro, gw didnt supply any specifics, they are a lazy a$$ company who loves to prey on boot lickers like you. Learn to read then come back to the conversation.
Then gw lists over 1k models, basically the whole range lol, cause again, lazy. Hope Gw has to pay through the nose on the counter claims. Dog company.
I disagree. I looked at his models you mentioned and I see wings but no double headed aquilas. A single head eagle has been used all over history, so that can’t be copyright. Gas masks were used by many nations in WW1, no copyright there. You can be close, how close is up to the law. GW steals everything then bitches when something looks like something they made. Imperial Guard = Starship Troopers (movie), Tyranids = Aliens franchise, Eldar made by Copplestone based off of the ‘Skinnies’ in Starship Troopers. GW knows what they are doing. Let’s see them get a monopoly and if you have any economic knowledge you should know what happens then. Don’t be foolish.
Obviously you didn’t read the post. GW made a blanket statement about 1000 models, but refused to say which ones and what was wrong with them. Ghamak tried to get information and reach an amicable solution, but GW refused to respond.
And there is nothing new about cavalry wearing gas masks. GW took that from actual history, and many miniatures of soldiers with gas masks have been produced since the 1990’s.
GW grew while recasters and alternative models were a thing even before 3D printing. Fan creativity went hand in hand with GW’s products for decades. Now with the limited poses, poor options on sprues and price hikes, only an idiot would consider backing GW as “supporting the hobby”. GW themselves don’t support the hobby.