Legalwatch : Games Workshop vs CHS Finance Tidbits

2 Minute Read

Sep 6 2012

We are waiting for both sides to return responce briefs to the court, but the existing testimony is plenty interesting- for both 40k and WFB fans.

First up, to bring you up to speed, go read THIS FIRST if you aren’t current on the case. Now, while we are waiting for both sides to respond to the opposing sides Motions for Summary Judgement, lets take a look at some VERY interesting witness testimony.

For years, one of the most shrouded pieces of information regarding Games Workshop is the breakdown of sales by game system. This data never appears in any financial reports and is kept close to the vest. Thanks to the Chapterhouse case, some details have come out.

Go read this testimony:

Andrew Jones (Head of Licensing)

Now read pages 206-221 of the PDF.

A sealed document that is not part of the public record (exhibit 143) is being discussed that covers Games Workshop’s sales figures – broken down by game system. While the public can’t see the final document in question, you can glean a lot by just the questions and answers given.

Here are just a few datapoints:

Black Library North America Novel Revenue:

2008: Warhammer 40,000 77% – Warhammer Fantasy 22%

2010: Warhammer 40,000 78% – Warhammer Fantasy 21%

Games Workshop Warhammer 40,000 Revenue

2008-2009 Fiscal: 40K – 50.6%

Now that last number is REALLY interesting. Just over half doesn’t seem like a lot until you read that that the other 49.4% includes Black Library, Forgeworld, all other game systems, and hobby sales. Start shaving each of those away in reasonable percentages, and a picture starts to emerge – one that paints Games Workshop as firmly a Warhammer 40,000 company. One with 40k as their cash cow, and Fantasy limping along; much too large a share of revenue to ignore, but not small enough to write off. Surely a tough spot for any product range to fit into.

Note that this would be before the relaunch of WFB 8th Edition. Who knows how much larger 40k is than WFB by 2012. Interesting data indeed.

How much bigger do you think 40K is than Fantasy right now, and what do you think that means for Games Workshop moving forward?

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Author: Larry Vela

Dad, Gamer, Publisher, Pilot, Texan. All games all the time since junior-high. I started BoLS Interactive in 2006. I’m a lifelong tabletop & RPG gaming enthusiast, and internet publisher working to entertain and inform my readers every day. I've been playing RPGs and Tabletop Games since the 1970s. I'm been playing and covering Warhammer and Warhammer 40K for over 35 years.

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