According to some, the writing is on the wall for Games Workshop as one of its most famous miniature lines may be about to be dethroned.
Embracer recently acquired Asmodee Group and Dark Horse Comics, which are giant companies on their own, but have also acquired Middle Earth Enterprises. This now gives them all the intellectual and licensing rights for the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
So, in essence, that gives them all the rights to license miniatures, movies, video games, board games, merchandising, theme parks, and stage productions.
And guess who has a big Lord of the Rings miniatures game? That’s right, Games Workshop
Another Sign That Games Workshop Miniatures Are About to Be De-Throned
We looked at this a while ago, but with the new deal with Warner Bros and New Line to make more Lord of the Rings movies, things are ramping up!
The sale process was initiated earlier this year, but with the new partnership, new Lord of the Rings movies are coming soon. So, while Embracer Group having the rights might mean more films and shows coming out based on the core works (and a planned release of the animated feature The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim in 2024), for tabletop gamers the biggest thing is that they now have the licensing rights for the miniatures as well.
Asmodee is one of the biggest gaming companies in the market today, and with their parent company holding the rights to license all things Lord of the Rings, it would almost be insane for them not to make a miniatures game based in Middle Earth.
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From the industry insiders we have spoken with, Games Workshop is very worried about losing the license to produce miniatures to a competing studio like Asmodee; however, they may have little choice.
So, when the license comes up for renewal comes up for the miniatures, it seems there is an excellent possibility that Asmodee could very well make their own miniature game based on Lord of the Rings.
If Star Wars is anything to go on, Asmodee is not slowing down at all in the miniatures space with new games such as Star Wars: Shatterpoint. So, it seems strange that Embracer would pay so much for the rights to Lord of the Rings and then a games publisher such as Asmodee, then not use them in conjunction.
Embracer Group CEO Lars Wingefors did potentially foreshadow future licensing deals via Asmodee and or Games Workshop in the announcement:
Asmodee Group had been a successful licensee of the rights, producing over a dozen games with over 100 expansions in the past 20 years. Future plans include both further use of the rights by Embracer Group companies and external licenses.
They talk about licensing here, which makes sense for use both internally in Ebracer companies and externally, like with book publishers and such.
Regardless, the future of miniatures based on the works of Middle Earth could get very interesting soon.
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Do you think Asmodee will take over the miniature side of Lord of the Rings, or do you think Games Workshop, a competitor, will be allowed to keep the license?
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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.
