Games Workshop’s Warhammer webstore has already received $6 million USD / £4.9 million GBP in investment building a new IT platform, according to the firm’s half-year report. The report, published on December 10, suggests the platform could go live in the “summer of 2023”, a slip from the planned launch date.
The delay in the webstore launch is “due to needing more time given the complex nature of the project”, according to the report. Kevin Rountree, CEO of Games Workshop, says he is “disappointed with progress to date”, though doesn’t mention how far behind schedule the project is. The target of summer 2023 is provisional.
We don’t have details on what to expect from the webstore overhaul, but the report indicates that GW intends to “remain focused on joined-up customer experiences across all sales channels.” The firm acknowledges the many options that customers have for purchasing Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Age of Sigmar products, which can include stock items available in all Games Workshop stores and most independent retailers, online ordering from GW’s deep back catalogue, and in-store options for purchasing webstore products.
The new webstore isn’t the only technological challenge facing Games Workshop. The firm states that “the complexity of robustly integrating new technology with legacy Games Workshop systems” has caused delays in new warehousing projects, such as the East Midlands Gateway that services Europe and the Memphis facility in the USA.
Indeed, the report gives the impression that GW’s international IT department has its work cut out, going so far as to say that IT systems and infrastructure are “currently holding [Games Workshop] back”. As with many large businesses working with legacy systems, GW is facing challenges that call for an Adeptus Mechanicus tech priest and a good blessing with sanctified oils.
GW’s half-year report is proving to be a treasure trove of news that would make Ork pirate captain Badrukk grin: GW pledged that the Warhammer 40k Amazon film deal won’t cause any damage to its core intellectual property, while also revealing that just 115,000 people are subscribed to its Warhammer+ streaming service. Check back with Wargamer for more Games Workshop news as we get it.
Source: Wargamer
