Latest news with #GamesWorkshop
Gizmodo
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Games Workshop Removes Gendered Language From ‘Horus Heresy' Rulebooks
Games Workshop's ongoing, fraught relationship with conservative elements of its Warhammer fanbase has led to increasing flashpoints whenever the miniatures maker has attempted to diversify the worldbuilding of its beloved tabletop game. But one lingering back-and-forth among fans simmering long before Games Workshop found itself in the crossfires of the culture war has been brought into light again thanks to the latest edition of one of its games: whether or not a female Space Marine could exist. Last week Games Workshop opened pre-orders for the third edition of Horus Heresy, a Warhammer spinoff tabletop game set during the titular civil war, 10,000 years before the ongoing events of Warhammer 40K. Inspired by the beloved book series of the same name, Horus Heresy lets players live out the conflict between the loyal forces of the Imperium of Man and the Traitor Legions that fell to the corruption of Chaos under the sway of Horus Lupercal, the primarch of the Luna Wolves Space Marines who turned against the Emperor. But as reviews and access to the new rulebooks for the latest edition have gotten into players hands, so too have they discovered that Games Workshop has rolled back specific mentions of gender when it comes to the process of creating a Space Marine as described in the lore within the new rulebook. As Wargamer reports, a sidebar section of the new rule book describing the Space Marine creation process titled 'Process of Initiation' no longer explicitly acknowledges the necessity of gender for potential recruits Although, of course, vague—the new rulebook does not go so far as to mention the possibility of female Marines but simply removes any discussion of gender from the process entirely—it stands in stark contrast to the rulebook for the game's second edition released in 2022, which was criticized by progressives at the time for its specific notation that the creation of a Space Marine requires the 'hormonal and biological make-up of the human male,' for its parallels to transphobic language around trans identities. Putting aside the fact that this is a heavily fictionalized process, the creation of a Space Marine has always been a transhumanist idea regardless of any particular gender binary, even if Warhammer's world has, up to this point, kept Space Marines as masculine identities in both the fiction around 40K and the miniatures it offers. The process of elevating a human into a Space Marine relies on chemical, hormonal, and surgical transformation, adding extra organs and increasing the physical density and strength of their bodies to become a superhuman ideal. Even though the science behind it is fiction, there is nothing inherently gendered about it despite what the previous edition stated. If anything, it's easy to see why fans have expressed interest in seeing female Marines or reading allegories of trans identity into them. The question of whether or not female-presenting Space Marines could be possible in Warhammer 40K's setting, then, has been the topic of debate for fans for a long time, well before Horus Heresy's rulebooks clumsily waded in and out of that debate in the last few years. Games Workshop has, outside of that 2022 rulebook, had a hands-off approach to that debate themselves, largely leaving the Space Marines, 40K's most popular faction (and the face of the company, for better or worse), out of its attempts to diversify its storytelling and model offerings. Instead, it's simply been left open to players themselves to come up with their own custom miniatures and headcanons to incorporate female forces into their own imaginings of the Adeptus Astartes. The closest Games Workshop itself arguably came to advancing the matter in an official capacity came last year when it introduced a female member of the Emperor's personal guard, the Adeptus Custodes (a faction that is distinct from, but adjacent to, the Space Marines), for the first time in Warhammer fiction. The addition—alongside a statement from Games Workshop declaring that female Custodes had always existed despite a lack of representation in either the fiction or in physical tabletop product in an official capacity—centered the company as a target of right-wing cultural commentators eager to present the choice as a capitulation to 'wokeness.' It was the latest in a series of recent examples that strained Games Workshop's reconciliation of its own progressive values and ideas as a company with segments of its audience that do not see Warhammer 40K's grim, dark future as the satire of conservative and authoritarian politics that the company has long struggled to communicate the intent of. But the decision to explicitly remove the gendered language from the latest edition of Horus Heresy at least indicates the company's desire to continue making steps to reflect the broader diversity of Warhammer's player base in spite of these struggles with its complicated legacy in the culture war. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Amazon to invest £40 billion in UK over 3 years: govt
Online retail giant Amazon will invest £40 billion ($54 billion) in the UK over the next three years, the government said Tuesday, a boost for Prime Minister Keir Starmer as he struggles to kickstart the who met Amazon CEO Andy Jassy last week, said the announcement "adds another major win to Britain's basket and is a massive vote of confidence in the UK as the best place to do business."It means thousands of new jobs -- real opportunities for people in every corner of the country to build careers, learn new skills, and support their families."Whether it's cutting-edge AI or same-day delivery, this deal shows that our Plan for Change is working -- bringing in investment, driving growth, and putting more money in people's pockets," he added. The £40 billion will be used to build four distribution centres, creating an estimated 4,000 jobs, and to renovate the historic Bray Film Studios, acquired in July 2024. In December, Amazon signed an agreement with Games Workshop, the British company that owns the rights to "Warhammer 40,000", to produce films and TV series based on the futuristic fantasy universe. The project is set to star Henry Cavill, known for his roles in in "Superman" and "The Witcher". The investment also includes part of the £8 billion previously announced in September 2024 for building, operating and maintaining data centres in the UK, aimed at boosting artificial intelligence (AI) computer capacity. The announcement coincides with the publication of the government's "Modern Industrial Strategy", which outlines how the state and high-growth industries will collaborate in the future. 'Right track' It offers a rare piece of good news for the Labour government, which has been buffeted by US tariffs and global conflicts and seen its domestic policy of tax hikes and public investment fail to deliver on its promise of growth. Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will visit Amazon's headquarters in London on Tuesday to mark the announcement. "Our Modern Industrial Strategy will ensure the UK is the best country to invest and do business, and seeing massive international firms like Amazon bank on Britain shows we are on the right track," he said. Amazon already employs more than 75,000 people in over 100 sites across the UK. Jassy said the company was "bringing innovation and job creation to communities throughout England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. "Amazon has been proud to serve our customers in the UK for the past 27 years. Thanks to their support, we've grown to be part of over 100 communities nationwide, from developing drone technology in Darlington to producing world-class entertainment at our studios in Bray," he added. Jassy announced last February that Amazon would invest more than $100 billion this year, primarily to boost its cloud and AI capabilities. Australia was the focus last week, when the US firm announced $13.3 billion over five years for its data centres, the largest technology investment ever made in the country. In June, Amazon also announced major investments in North Carolina ($10 billion) and Pennsylvania ($20 billion), again for data centres and AI projects. Amazon is currently under investigation by the UK Food Regulator, suspected of late payments to food suppliers. If found guilty, Amazon could be fined up to one percent of its annual UK turnover.
Business Times
24-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Amazon to invest £40 billion in UK over three years
[LONDON] Online retail giant Amazon will invest £40 billion (S$69.2 billion) in the UK over the next three years, the government said on Tuesday (Jun 24), a boost for Prime Minister Keir Starmer as he struggles to kickstart the economy. Starmer, who met Amazon chief executive officer Andy Jassy last week, said the announcement 'adds another major win to Britain's basket and is a massive vote of confidence in the UK as the best place to do business. 'It means thousands of new jobs – real opportunities for people in every corner of the country to build careers, learn new skills, and support their families. 'Whether it's cutting-edge AI or same-day delivery, this deal shows that our Plan for Change is working – bringing in investment, driving growth, and putting more money in people's pockets,' he added. The £40 billion will be used to build four distribution centres, creating an estimated 4,000 jobs, and to renovate the historic Bray Film Studios, acquired in July 2024. Last December, Amazon signed an agreement with Games Workshop, the British company that owns the rights to Warhammer 40,000, to produce films and TV series based on the futuristic fantasy universe. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The project is set to star Henry Cavill, known for his roles in in Superman and The Witcher. The investment also includes part of the £8 billion previously announced in September 2024 for building, operating and maintaining data centres in the UK, aimed at boosting artificial intelligence (AI) computer capacity. The announcement coincides with the publication of the government's 'Modern Industrial Strategy', which outlines how the state and high-growth industries will collaborate in the future. 'Right track' It offers a rare piece of good news for the Labour government, which has been buffeted by US tariffs and global conflicts and seen its domestic policy of tax hikes and public investment fail to deliver on its promise of growth. Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will visit Amazon's headquarters in London on Tuesday to mark the announcement. 'Our Modern Industrial Strategy will ensure the UK is the best country to invest and do business, and seeing massive international firms like Amazon bank on Britain shows we are on the right track,' he said. Amazon already employs more than 75,000 people in over 100 sites across the UK. Jassy said the company was 'bringing innovation and job creation to communities throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 'Amazon has been proud to serve our customers in the UK for the past 27 years. Thanks to their support, we have grown to be part of over 100 communities nationwide, from developing drone technology in Darlington to producing world-class entertainment at our studios in Bray,' he added. Jassy announced last February that Amazon would invest more than US$100 billion this year, primarily to boost its cloud and AI capabilities. Australia was the focus last week, when the US firm announced US$13.3 billion over five years for its data centres, the largest technology investment ever made in the country. In June, Amazon also announced major investments in North Carolina (US$10 billion) and Pennsylvania (US$20 billion), again for data centres and AI projects. Amazon is currently under investigation by the UK Food Regulator, suspected of late payments to food suppliers. If found guilty, Amazon could be fined up to one per cent of its annual UK turnover. REUTERS
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Amazon to invest £40 billion in UK over 3 years: govt
Live Events Online retail giant Amazon will invest £40 billion ($54 billion) in the UK over the next three years, the government said Tuesday, a boost for Prime Minister Keir Starmer as he struggles to kickstart the who met Amazon CEO Andy Jassy last week, said the announcement "adds another major win to Britain's basket and is a massive vote of confidence in the UK as the best place to do business."It means thousands of new jobs -- real opportunities for people in every corner of the country to build careers, learn new skills, and support their families."Whether it's cutting-edge AI or same-day delivery, this deal shows that our Plan for Change is working -- bringing in investment, driving growth, and putting more money in people's pockets," he £40 billion will be used to build four distribution centres, creating an estimated 4,000 jobs, and to renovate the historic Bray Film Studios, acquired in July December, Amazon signed an agreement with Games Workshop, the British company that owns the rights to "Warhammer 40,000", to produce films and TV series based on the futuristic fantasy project is set to star Henry Cavill, known for his roles in in "Superman" and "The Witcher".The investment also includes part of the £8 billion previously announced in September 2024 for building, operating and maintaining data centres in the UK, aimed at boosting artificial intelligence (AI) computer announcement coincides with the publication of the government's "Modern Industrial Strategy", which outlines how the state and high-growth industries will collaborate in the offers a rare piece of good news for the Labour government, which has been buffeted by US tariffs and global conflicts and seen its domestic policy of tax hikes and public investment fail to deliver on its promise of and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will visit Amazon's headquarters in London on Tuesday to mark the announcement."Our Modern Industrial Strategy will ensure the UK is the best country to invest and do business, and seeing massive international firms like Amazon bank on Britain shows we are on the right track," he already employs more than 75,000 people in over 100 sites across the said the company was "bringing innovation and job creation to communities throughout England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland."Amazon has been proud to serve our customers in the UK for the past 27 years. Thanks to their support, we've grown to be part of over 100 communities nationwide, from developing drone technology in Darlington to producing world-class entertainment at our studios in Bray," he announced last February that Amazon would invest more than $100 billion this year, primarily to boost its cloud and AI was the focus last week, when the US firm announced $13.3 billion over five years for its data centres, the largest technology investment ever made in the June, Amazon also announced major investments in North Carolina ($10 billion) and Pennsylvania ($20 billion), again for data centres and AI is currently under investigation by the UK Food Regulator, suspected of late payments to food found guilty, Amazon could be fined up to one percent of its annual UK turnover.
Business Times
24-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Amazon to invest £40 billion in UK over three years: government
[LONDON] Online retail giant Amazon will invest £40 billion (S$69.2 billion) in the UK over the next three years, the government said on Tuesday, a boost for Prime Minister Keir Starmer as he struggles to kickstart the economy. Starmer, who met Amazon CEO Andy Jassy last week, said the announcement 'adds another major win to Britain's basket and is a massive vote of confidence in the UK as the best place to do business. 'It means thousands of new jobs - real opportunities for people in every corner of the country to build careers, learn new skills, and support their families. 'Whether it's cutting-edge AI or same-day delivery, this deal shows that our Plan for Change is working - bringing in investment, driving growth, and putting more money in people's pockets,' he added. The £40 billion will be used to build four distribution centres, creating an estimated 4,000 jobs, and to renovate the historic Bray Film Studios, acquired in July 2024. In December, Amazon signed an agreement with Games Workshop, the British company that owns the rights to Warhammer 40,000, to produce films and TV series based on the futuristic fantasy universe. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The project is set to star Henry Cavill, known for his roles in in Superman and The Witcher. The investment also includes part of the £8 billion previously announced in September 2024 for building, operating and maintaining data centres in the UK, aimed at boosting artificial intelligence (AI) computer capacity. The announcement coincides with the publication of the government's 'Modern Industrial Strategy', which outlines how the state and high-growth industries will collaborate in the future. 'Right track' It offers a rare piece of good news for the Labour government, which has been buffeted by US tariffs and global conflicts and seen its domestic policy of tax hikes and public investment fail to deliver on its promise of growth. Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will visit Amazon's headquarters in London on Tuesday to mark the announcement. 'Our Modern Industrial Strategy will ensure the UK is the best country to invest and do business, and seeing massive international firms like Amazon bank on Britain shows we are on the right track,' he said. Amazon already employs more than 75,000 people in over 100 sites across the UK. Jassy said the company was 'bringing innovation and job creation to communities throughout England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. 'Amazon has been proud to serve our customers in the UK for the past 27 years. Thanks to their support, we've grown to be part of over 100 communities nationwide, from developing drone technology in Darlington to producing world-class entertainment at our studios in Bray,' he added. Jassy announced last February that Amazon would invest more than US$100 billion this year, primarily to boost its cloud and AI capabilities. Australia was the focus last week, when the US firm announced US$13.3 billion over five years for its data centres, the largest technology investment ever made in the country. In June, Amazon also announced major investments in North Carolina (US$10 billion) and Pennsylvania (US$20 billion), again for data centres and AI projects. Amazon is currently under investigation by the UK Food Regulator, suspected of late payments to food suppliers. If found guilty, Amazon could be fined up to one per cent of its annual UK turnover. REUTERS
