Games Workshop dropped a major policy announcement today while releasing its half-year financial results: the Warhammer maker has completely banned AI-generated content from its design processes, production pipelines, and even its competitions.
CEO Kevin Rountree made it clear during the financial meeting that the £6 billion company isn’t jumping on the AI bandwagon anytime soon.
The announcement came as part of the company’s 2025-26 half-year report covering the 26 weeks ending November 30, 2025.
Rountree admitted he’s not an AI expert but revealed that a few senior managers have been experimenting with the technology.
The verdict? None of them are excited about it yet. The company established an internal policy that Rountree described as “very cautious,” prohibiting AI-generated content or AI use in design processes and unauthorized applications outside Games Workshop, including fan competitions.
Protecting IP and human creators
The decision goes beyond just avoiding legal gray areas around AI-generated content. Rountree emphasized Games Workshop’s strong commitment to protecting its intellectual property and respecting human creators.
The company is particularly concerned about data compliance, security, and governance issues, noting that AI and machine learning engines now come automatically installed on phones and laptops whether anyone wants them there or not.
The timing makes sense given Warhammer 40k’s own lore, where artificial intelligence, known as Silica Animus, is treated as heresy and forbidden by Imperial Law.
Even the tech-worshipping Adeptus Mechanicus draws the line at true AI. It’s almost poetic that Games Workshop is taking a stance that mirrors its own fictional universe.
Investing in real talent instead
Rather than cutting costs with AI tools, Games Workshop is doing the opposite. During the reporting period, the company continued investing heavily in its Warhammer Studio, hiring more creatives across multiple disciplines including concepting, art, writing, and sculpting.
Rountree described these as the “talented and passionate individuals that make Warhammer the rich, evocative IP that our hobbyists and we all love.”
The company’s financial results back up this strategy. Core revenue reached £316.1 million during the half-year period, up more than 17% from the previous year. Despite taking a £6 million hit from US tariffs, Games Workshop delivered profitable sales growth across all 23 core countries and distribution channels.
The company released new miniatures weekly across its IP range and saw continued success with existing products.
While senior managers will continue monitoring AI technology developments, the ban on AI content creation remains firmly in place for now.
Games Workshop is betting on human creativity over artificial generation, and judging by their record-breaking results, it’s a strategy that’s working.
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