Fantasy Flight and GW part ways

[Defenestratus]

This... this is *EXTREMELY* *SUPREMELY* *ENRAGINGLY* terrible IMO.
https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2016/9/9/a-new-path-forward/

I don't know why GW just didn't get FF to make their rules for them while GW focused on the models. But alas...

[Mr Mystery]

Given GW's recent change in output, I'm wondering if this is them just taking it all back in-house.

No point getting commission from a competitor when you keep all the munneh for yourself.

No idea if that's possible though - I know precious little about general licensing agreements, let alone the ins and outs of this specific one.

Though second reading....it's 50/50 whether this was GW or FFG's choice. The license is coming to an end, so could be either party. GW not offering it for renewal, or FFG choosing not to renew it.

All depends on how much business the GW license brought FFG's way compared to it's other stuff.

[Defenestratus]

Well, lets take a look at it this way

1) FFG has the lucasfilm/Disney license for Star Wars now.
2) FFG has been given *EXTREME* leeway with regards to creating new Star Wars IP. They made up a whole new capital ship class for X-wing and its now official Star Wars canon and might show up in a new movie.
3) Given the relative pain it is to deal with GW's licensing (they have ultimate up/down veto power on any release) and the relative profit margins that they have with Star Wars versus the meager earnings with GW properties - it was likely a very "dollars and cents" decision to not renew the license for FFG.

[Asymmetrical Xeno]

I'm not sure how I feel about it in the grand scheme of things. I liked that FFG actually went into the backround of some of the obscure alien races and even gave some of them some rather nice artwork, and I doubt that's something games workshop will pick up on at all. I can't see them updating any of these RPG's either sad but I suppose we'll have to see - they are making lots of changes this year so it's hard to predict what they might do next.

[Mr Mystery]

I reckon the roleplay will come back in-house.

After all, one of them started off as a GW production, then switched to FFG quite quickly when they first got the license.

But as I said, all we can really do idly speculate - unless someone can prove the know the T&Cs of the license agreement.