An interesting short video on Games Workshop’s video game licensing strategy.
Games Workshop has done a complete about face on its approach to video game licensing. They used to focus on one key partner (SSI Mindscape or THQ) producing high quality, big budget games. But recently, they started licensing multiple video game developers, many with no proven record of success. Why the sudden change?
I’m just worried that GW’s too focused on the shotgun approach/short term profits and not putting enough attention into the long term stability aspect.
They do seem to be grasping for any money they can get at the moment. With a very scorched earth attitude. To me personally it seems like so much desperate flailing. Now I know reaching out to the community is a good thing but it feels like it’s just another straw to grasp at. Throw stuff at the wall, hope something sticks.
I’m not sure that’s such a bad thing as that is generally how innovation works. You throw a bunch of ideas at the wall and you keep what sticks and discard what doesn’t.
Personally I’m really enjoying Freeblade on my phone which probably wouldn’t exist if not for this new (for GW) approach. So I’m all for it.
I’d speculate that since any company can make knock offs by changing a few details anyway, they may as well make it easy for them to acquire a license and do it legally while GW gets a modest cut of the proceeds and the company can develop a more desirable game. And avoid lawsuits.