GW- pushing the licensing even further...

[Denzark]

Firstly, I should say, I am not pushing this as a cheap wind up. Secondly, I have absolutely no provenance for this - except it comes from a guy in a wargames group I go to who I trust, and this is how the story goes.

On the group, he posts this link:

[URL="http://www.dreamsaway.co.uk/#!warhammer-40000/c1p3b"]http://www.dreamsaway.co.uk/#!warhammer-40000/c1p3b[/URL]

Which if you click it, should go to a sort of happy clappy 'head shop' selling dream catchers and that sort of tat. Anyhoo, at link they claim to be having a contract with GW to create 'exclusive licensed products'.

The FB conversation with my contact say:

'I would be very surprised if GW had licensed these'
'Not in a million years lol'
(him) 'Well I emailed GW it turns out they are lol'.

So, on face value:

A firm a pushing product is using GW IP

The firm claims it is an exclusive contract

My mate say he emailed GW and they confirmed it is legit.



So, with Toy fairs etc, and now this licensing, is GW pushing the boundaries?

[Mr Mystery]

Interesting stuff.

Got a mate who's a Space Woof fan, and he's moving house soon. Reckon that cushion would make a suitable house warming present.

[JamesP]

According to their website, "Established in 2003 in Stoke-on-Trent, England, Nemesis Now have specialised in fantasy and gothic giftware for over a decade supplying gifts, collectables, novelties and wooden toys to gift shops, department stores, tourist attractions, retail chains, online retailers, garden centres, market traders throughout the UK, Europe and thirty five countries globally."

And they have a page full of GW stuff: [URL="http://www.nemesisnow.com/nemesis-now-artist-ranges/games-workshop-warhammer-40000/"]http://www.nemesisnow.com/nemesis-now-artist-ranges/games-workshop-warhammer-40000/[/URL]

[Asymmetrical Xeno]

An Imperial Fist cushion does not sound comfortable!

[Erik Setzer]

Well, given that the below link is an official GW page pointing to basic print-on-demand stuff that anyone can do with, say, CafePress, I wouldn't be surprised:

[url]http://licensing.games-workshop.com/spreadshirt-merchandise/[/url]

It does feel a bit off, like they're spreading their brand a bit too much, and having some merchandise that feels kind of "cheap" might not help the view of their IP. But it's very believable that they'd use another route.

I get the idea of making more money with their brand, but a better way would be to go through someone like Jinx. Might not make quite as much profit for them, but it looks better, and they can make sure people get quality products. For a company that talks up quality so much, you'd think that'd be important.

[Dawg]

'I would be very surprised if GW had licensed these'
'Not in a million years lol'
(him) 'Well I emailed GW it turns out they are lol'.

I've had this reaction too, and so have a number of other people. It gets rather grimdarkly amusing when you see stuff other gamers commenting on the same thing and posting their analysis.

Remember that Plants Vs Zombies look alike, Storm of Vengeance? Check this out around 7:30..

<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CGXsOorkgpg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Or here

[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGXsOorkgpg[/url]

if my embed link doesn't work.

[Wolfshade]

I do like the journal, though most of these one has been able to do be uploading a jpeg to a relevant site for years. Like print your own coffee mugs etc.

I would buy a salamander fire guard...

[Erik Setzer]

Storm of Vengeance was one of the more unfortunate examples of them spreading their license all over the place for video games and tabletop games. Most of the tabletop games are fine (some are really good, and it's a shame you can't buy or play them in a GW store, so some of us had to play during lunch break or after the store closed at a nearby restaurant), but there are some stinkers in the video games, and some of them are just awful.

It's getting them money to keep profits up, but it still causes potential harm to the IP, which they claim is super valuable. Short-term gain but potential long-term harm. Still, that harm only goes as far as people remembering something like SoV vs. remembering Vermintide, Mordheim, BFG, Blood Bowl I and II, etc. There's a clunk of a MOBA out there, but a lot of people don't even know about it. And there's the ever-morphing MMO that I believe is now a shooter where you fight for worlds, but who knows when that'll actually release or what it'll be like. (And then there's the sad tale of the RPG we'll never get to play.)

If you want to see how crazy it is, go to their licensing site and check the number of licensed games. It'll take a moment to load all the icons.

[HsojVvad]

So, with Toy fairs etc, and now this licensing, is GW pushing the boundaries?

So I take it this would be what the new CEO or what ever position Mr Roundtree holds, means when they are "trying new revenue streams" or something like that.

It looks like GW is doing a lot of things so unKirby that who knows, maybe we will have actual good rules and FAQs in the future. :P

[Arkhan Land]

Imperial Guard Chucks Please! Thank You!


so how much does this fee cost? years ago i made molds out of the aquillas on my metal thunderhawk and use em for all sorts of cool cases/dice holders/journals. if im just kicking GW a percentage of what I make on paper can I break into "THE BIZ"?
(I am serious about the molds, not serious about the biz)