How GW could/should embrace 3D printing going forward

[Scribe]

4 minutes ago, phandaal said:

 

He just doesn't like that you said it. As for why, who knows, because that is just about the most neutral thing you could say, and also objectively true. 

 

Just imagine it coming with a "nyeh!" sound effect and it goes from confusing to funny. 

 

Oh its not confusing, he doesnt like me and always leaves a respectful (lol) disagree. 

[ThePenitentOne]

I'll go opposite to the zeitgheist here, and write a post from the point of view of an old man sitting in a lawn chair screaming at teenagers to get off his lawn:

 

Please don't make it necessary for me to buy an expensive machine and learn how to use it to participate in a hobby I've enjoyed for 40 years without having to buy an expensive machine and learn how to use it. Just keep doing it for me as you have for 40 years, thanks.

 

I HATE disruptor culture. Taxi's were (and still are) safer than Ubers. Hotels were (and still are) safer than Air BnB. Thinking for yourself will always be better than outsourcing thought and skills to AI. I wish people had never let "Software" become a service. I'd like businesses to start selling things that don't require subscriptions or updates again.

 

See, if GW ends up adopting 3d printing, you know where it goes, right? It's some version of "Well, you can still buy Marines off the shelf, but if you want Xenos, print them yourself" which is WAY worse than the status quo.

 

What's worse is when people who like disruption in a business context apply principles of disruption to politics and governance.

Edited June 17 by ThePenitentOne

[SvenIronhand]

1 hour ago, phandaal said:

He just doesn't like that you said it. As for why, who knows, because that is just about the most neutral thing you could say, and also objectively true. 

Actually, I disagree that the rules are the abomination Scribe says they are. But whatever floats your boat, mate.

[Evil Eye]

3 hours ago, ThePenitentOne said:

See, if GW ends up adopting 3d printing, you know where it goes, right? It's some version of "Well, you can still buy Marines off the shelf, but if you want Xenos, print them yourself" which is WAY worse than the status quo.

 

I highly doubt that would happen, honestly; GW would never sell full models- let alone full factions- as STLs. If they ever sell digital models it'd be small conversion parts/addons for existing kits. GW may embrace printing as a supplement to existing kits but would never want to even acknowledge that it could be an alternative to them.

[SvenIronhand]

Is there a means for one to do DRM with STLs? That’s the wrinkle, in my opinion.

 

though piracy as a problem is overstated, additionally. Insert the Gaben quote about it being a service problem here.

Edited June 18 by SvenIronhand

[sarabando]

i dont see GW every releasing their own printed minis, they simply have better and cheaper ways of making minis. They are moving away from caste resin so this also seems like a step backwards. HOWEVER they are big on licencing their IP and i could see them partnering with creators who would get strict rules on what they can create and what they cant and then getting a shiny "official GW licenced file" badge etc. 

 

For example Red warden minis could do legion specific shoulder pads for saturnine termies easily while GW probably wont, or really obscure helmets from the old art. 

 

but realistically i see them going after the platforms that host the files. driving them underground onto telegram etc and pushing the community who wants this side of the hobby away further and further. 

 

 

[NovemberIX]

It's one of those things where I see ways GW could monetize home 3d printing but wouldn't until they're forced to. I'm sure if we breakdown their profits, the majority comes from the high margin plastic. They're not gonna want to cut off their nose no matter how much it could improve end user experience.

 

But, If they get forced into it, I can see it being a very vertically integrated siloed experience. You'd probably rent some sort of limited proprietary format STL license that can only be used with an online membership supported GW Slicer that will only send to a GW printer (available in Single Character sized, Vehicle sized, and Center Piece sized) that uses GW resin. If there are somehow downloadable STL's, they will probably only come pre-supported so you can't digital kitbash. Then in about 3 weeks someone will come up with a converter and the cat'll be outta the bag. 

 

If they do decide to do something customer-centric, I could see something more like a video game character builder where you have a choice of parts and poses to build out your custom characters and send that to a program that'll convert it to a 3d STL model. Maybe use a sales model that sells individual parts and pieces for unlock and use so you can mix and match to your hearts content for both game legal, and display only models.

[Xenith]

The actual cost of the raw material is negligible, GW will claim the costs are for IP development, model design etc, as a result, whether GW makes and packs them, or you print at home, the saving is on the packaging and shelf space - for official GW STL's, you'd be likely paying 90-100% of the cost of the actual models for the convenience of being able to print them on demand. Just look at the price difference between digital and physical versions of games. 

 

GW also would not want you printing at home, because most people are pretty amateur at it. If your print fails, and you've wasted your one-time print code, you'll blame GW. Too much headache. 

 

As has been said, GW is probably looking long and hard at print on demand for stuff like shoulderpads, resin characters, weapons, etc so they can minimise inventory, however there is still the fact that they have pride in and promote a physical FW shop in Lenton where you can buy their FW products - the marketing aspect. Though they can still print and keep stock.  

Edited yesterday at 10:16 AM by Xenith

[Grotsmasha]

On 6/18/2026 at 10:01 AM, SvenIronhand said:

Is there a means for one to do DRM with STLs? That’s the wrinkle, in my opinion.

 

though piracy as a problem is overstated, additionally. Insert the Gaben quote about it being a service problem here.

 

Yes, they could put DRM into the files, but AFAIK, there'd be no way to stop people using them, but they'd be able to tell who leaked the files.

DRM would make sense in a licensed physical vendor type situation.

14 hours ago, Xenith said:

GW also would not want you printing at home, because most people are pretty amateur at it. If your print fails, and you've wasted your one-time print code, you'll blame GW. Too much headache. 

 

That and scale, it would be too easy to adjust the scale of the models for advantage.

[SvenIronhand]

21 minutes ago, Grotsmasha said:

Yes, they could put DRM into the files, but AFAIK, there'd be no way to stop people using them, but they'd be able to tell who leaked the files.

DRM would make sense in a licensed physical vendor type situation.

14 hours ago, Xenith said:

My kingdom for an informative rating.