A Hyundai dealership now sells Warhammer 40k and trading card games. Is this a smart move for Games Workshop or bad news for hobby shops?
Games Workshop recently added a surprising retail partner: a Hyundai dealership.
Sure, Warhammer 40k at a Hyundai dealership sounds like the setup for a hobby meme, but it’s real. One showroom just carved out space to sell miniatures and trading card games, and that has the community talking.
Is this a clever way to bring in new players, or a strange mix that pulls focus from the local shops hobbyists rely on? Whether you see it as a bold experiment or a marketing oddity, it could change everything we thought we knew about this hobby.
View this post on Instagram
Do Car Dealers and Hobby Gamers Mix?
Photos of their stock from their FB page.
For anyone keeping score, Games Workshop stockist rules are pretty simple. All you technically need is a physical location that serves the general public. That’s it. The standards seem low enough that plenty of unusual shops can qualify.
So, here we are, with a car lot doubling as a Warhammer hub.
But that being said, this isn’t some display rack of Space Marines parked next to the oil filters. This dealership, Visalia Hyundai, actually has a ton of Warhammer minis, paints, books, cards, and even JOYTOY figures.
Car dealerships also have traditionally had a reputation for employing high-pressure sales tactics. You could say that doesn’t exactly line up with the average Warhammer hobbyist, who usually wants a quiet spot to build minis and roll dice without a sales manager hovering about extended warranties.
Still, this dealership seems to have met both Games Workshop’s and its gaming card distributor’s rules. So, on paper, they’re just as legitimate as any local game shop.
The bigger question may be whether accounts like this contribute to the supply issues hobbyists run into. Traditional game stores often complain about struggling to get enough stock. If allocations are being spread to places like dealerships, corner pharmacies, or antique shops, does that hurt the local game stores that actually host leagues, run events, and provide hobby space?
A Novel Idea… But Should It Be the Norm?
On the other hand, this dealership is clearly serious; they even carry trading card games from distributors, making their showroom look like a hybrid retail experiment. It’s a bold way to draw in traffic, but you could also argue that it blurs the line of what a “game store” is.
There are other examples out there, too. HobbyTown in Kennesaw, GA, has a sizeable game store housed in a converted movie theater (which is cool). However, it may also work better there because the setup is already designed for gamers and hobbyists.
Not All Warhammer Sales Are the Same
This isn’t the first time Warhammer has shown up outside of game shops. The White Dwarf can be found at Walmart. Target and Barnes & Noble occasionally get limited-edition Warhammer offerings like Space Marine Heroes, and Dawn of War.
The difference is that those are more like teaser products, not full stockist accounts that siphon away new releases and restocks. That distinction could matter when the local store that runs tournaments, has hobby nights, etc, can’t get the latest kits because a car dealership got their allocation.
Final Thoughts: Score 40k & an Oil Change at the Same Time?
So maybe the real conversation is this: Is the classic idea of the game store fading into a new hybrid model? Could we see more cross-industry mashups like car dealerships with Warhammer, or is this a one-off novelty?
For now, we think it’s both amusing and a little concerning.
Amusing because who doesn’t want to score some 40k and get an oil change at the same time? Concerning, because traditionally hobbyists rely on dedicated game shops for community and consistent stock.
The Hyundai Warhammer store is a fun story, but it shines a light on a bigger issue: how Games Workshop decides who gets product and how much.
Traditional game shops are the backbone of the hobby, running events, hosting players, and creating the culture around Warhammer. If allocations are being eaten up by hybrid retailers who treat it as a sideline, then maybe it’s time for a closer look at what counts as a stockist.
Until then, all we can say is that now we live in a world where you can pick up a car, a warranty, and a box of Space Marines all in one trip.
GW’s Side Hustle Backfires on Warhammer 40k
