Warhammer 40K publisher will stop selling its products into Russia

Warhammer 40,000And Warhammer Age of SigmarGames Workshop on Wednesday announced that all Warhammer merchandise sales to Russia will be stopped. The announcement comes nearly three weeks after that country’s illegal and unprovoked invasion of its neighbor, Ukraine.

“We are terribly saddened by the horrific events taking place in Ukraine,” the British company wrote in a statement on its official community website. “Our heartfelt thoughts go out to all those affected by Russia’s actions. Games Workshop will suspend any sales of Warhammer items into Russia in light of these events. We didn’t take this decision lightly. We know that there are many Russian hobbyists who don’t condone the war. Yet, we must stand with those suffering.”

Games Workshop’s main line of business is miniatures wargaming, which is supported by the sales of plastic model kits and supplementary rules material. The company’s main business lines are: 40KAnd AoSBesides the above mentioned, Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game This is a reinterpretation of The Lord of the Rings (and The Hobbit) Necromunda, Adeptus TitanicusYou can also find other sub-franchises. Since 2019, the company has enjoyed incredible success, with many people returning to the hobby and others trying it out for the first-time while they are at home due to the pandemic.

The company’s 2021 annual report noted that it was doubling down on both the Russian and Chinese markets, and adding additional translation staff in the first half of 2022. It’s unclear how those positions will be impacted by this move. There was no mention of sales in Belarus which is a country that has supported Russian aggression in Ukraine. Games Workshop provided additional comments when Polygon reached them for further comment.

Many other gaming companies have made similar moves to exit the Russian and Belarussian market, including Sony, Microsoft and Electronic Arts.