After 75 issues, Lyle Lowery is out as White Dwarf’s managing editor, and Games Workshop axes the role entirely. What’s next for the iconic magazine?
After six and a half years at the helm, White Dwarf managing editor Lyle Lowery is out. Not for scandal or stepping down. His position was just… cut.
Amidst restructuring, Games Workshop has eliminated the role entirely. The magazine will continue, just without a managing editor.
It’s a weird move when you look at what Lowery achieved.
The Wins Behind the Pages
Under his watch, White Dwarf won an industry award for Best Magazine, climbed newsstand rankings, and delivered the two best-selling issues ever. It was also GW’s best-selling product most months, not bad for something made by a tiny team that painted their own minis for photo spreads.
Lowery didn’t just edit. He curated. One of his biggest contributions was the creation of the Tome Keepers, a fully fleshed-out custom Space Marine chapter used to show players how to build their own.
Lore, paint schemes, rules; all there. It wasn’t just filler. Players adopted the chapter and made it their own. That’s hobby influence you can’t fake.
Grombrindal, Reforged
For Age of Sigmar, Lowery brought Grombrindal back from Warhammer Fantasy limbo. The White Dwarf himself got resurrected as a mythical Duardin champion, complete with new lore, serialized fiction, and a fresh model.
Campaigns That Kept Up
Then there were the Flashpoints: serialized campaigns that ran across multiple issues, keeping pace with studio releases. One standout was Herald of Misery, which added Boarding Action missions, new sub-factions, and a full narrative arc.
This wasn’t just support content. It was the kind of monthly storytelling that no battletome could match.
Small Team, Big Effort
Behind the scenes, Lowery worked closely with the 40k and AoS teams, often in the same room. That synergy gave White Dwarf access to future plans, letting the magazine feel connected without feeling like an ad. Still, not every idea made it in.
Sometimes, studio priorities won out. And with a small staff, some features, like expanded hobby content, had to stay small.
The Human Side of Hobby
It was really awesome getting a chance to meet Henry Cavill today… and I gave him a White Dwarf! pic.twitter.com/692ySvOAis
— Lyle Lowery (@LyleLowery) February 18, 2022
Beyond the pages, Lowery also led two Make-A-Wish projects. One involved building a custom codex for a young Necron player. The other? Helping a kid live out their dream of being a White Dwarf editor. Quiet moments like that didn’t make headlines, but they spoke volumes.
When we spoke with him, here’s what he had to say:
I want to thank Games Workshop for entrusting me with the leadership of White Dwarf for 75 wonderful issues. And I also want to thank our huge community of readers who embraced me as the steward of a venerable publication that is, historically and today, such an important and influential part of our hobby. I hope I did them proud.
What Comes Next?
Lowery summed up his exit like this: “While I’m sad it’s over, I can’t help but look forward to the next chapter.” He’s now freelancing and already has projects lined up, along with a personal gaming convention for him and his friends next year dubbed “Lyle Con.”
As for White Dwarf’s future? Hard to say. Cutting a role this central might save money, but it risks gutting the magazine’s personality. Without a clear voice behind the curtain, White Dwarf could become just another glossy catalog.
Let’s hope it doesn’t.
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