Games Workshop Co-Founder Ian Livingstone Knighted

Ian Livingstone is one of the major reasons we have the games we play. He’s finally being recognized by the Queen for his achievements.

Ian Livingstone’s career is steeped in gaming. Journalist Sam Leith called him “Patient Zero for the epidemic of UK geek culture.” He started with Fighting Fantasy gamebooks and co-founded Games Workshop while living in a van. He and Steve Jackson took the company all the way to the London Stock Exchange.

When video games came along Livingstone lent his talents to Eidos (which was bought by Square Enix in 2009). He’s also written children’s books and contributed to technology education programs in the UK.

He’s a successful businessman, creator, and philanthropist – and now he is adding Sir to his name. The formal ceremony has been postponed due to COVID restrictions, but that hasn’t stopped folks from across the industry from honoring him.

Congrats from all of us at BoLS,  Sir Livingstone! And thank you for your work.

Quick mention: you can still support The Dice Men: Games Workshop, The Early Years 1975 to 1985 on Unbound.

It gives a behind-the-scenes look at how Games Workshop became the world’s top wargaming manufacturer. It follows Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson’s journey during the company’s formative years – the first store being opened in 1978, the first publications and games. It tells not just the history of the business, but of the people whose passion and hard work helped create the company we buy our plastic armies from today.

Author: Mars Garrett

Pop culture writer and news editor that has been on the BoLS team since 2010. Contributor on the One of Us podcast. Marvel, Vertigo, Batman, and dystopian sci-fi fan. Enjoys bad movies, amazing stunt performances, and the internet. Hates rom-coms. (she/they)