Former Epic Games Business Development Manager Aleksey Savchenko suggests that Amazon should tank Games Workshop and Warhammer with wokeness so that the company’s stock price will tank and then buy the company on the cheap.
A screenshot from Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II: Retribution (2011), Relic Entertainment
Savchenko shared his idea on X, “you know, if I was Amazon, I would continue applying pressure with TV series for lore changes, dismantle [Games Workshop] relationships with the fanbase, drop their price and just buy them penny on a dollars. And then launch TV. Faithful to lore. Just saying.”
Alexsey Savchenko on X
Savchenko’s comments come in the wake of Games Workshop retconning their Adeptus Custodes faction with a new female Custodian and then gaslighting Warhammer hobbyists and enthusiasts by claiming it was not a retcon and that there had always been female Custodes.
The retcon arrives in the upcoming Codex: Adeptus Custodes that goes on sale to the public later this month. However, excerpts from the Codex revealed a new female Custodian. One reads, “Custodian Calladayce Taorvalia Kesh stood upon the bridge of a Cobra-class destroyer. Named Vigilant Flame, the warship belonged to the mighty Battlefleet Solar. She lingered in the shadows at the back of the bridge, positioned at a spot where she could observe the actions of every crew member be they in the instrumentation pits, at the armament shrines or — in the case of Shipmaster Lethwyck — stood ramrod straight before his command throne.”
An excerpt from a Codex: Adeptus Custodes (2024), Black Library
Another states, “Kesh was warned before anyone else aboard, sensing a sudden empyric energy spike coupled with the surge of overpressure and sharp temperature drop that presaged a teleport strike. Her guardian spear was levelled and armed before the first cry of alarm or howl of a klaxon rang through the bridge.”
An excerpt from a Warhammer codex
The official Warhammer social media account not only confirmed the excerpts, but gaslit hobbyists and enthusiasts writing on X, “Since the first of the Ten Thousand were created, there have always been female Custodians.”
Warhammer on X
READ: Warhammer 40K Fan Site Attacks Players As “Bigots” For Disliking Female Adeptus Custodes Retcon
Previous lore as shared by former World of Warcraft Team Lead Mark Kern makes it clear the Adeptus Custodes were an all-male organization.
An excerpt from the Rogue Trader rules in 1987 states, “The Adeptus Custodes is the Emperor’s inner guard, the members of which are privileged in being permitted to serve upon the Emperor, attending to his needs, receiving and recording his directions. These men never leave Earth and only rarely leave the Imperial Palace – an endless, black hive of forbidden technology and subterranean passages delving deep within the bowels of the planet.”
Warhammer 40k is a grimdark sci-fi tabletop game that is the #1 miniature gaming IP in the world.
The Adeptus Custodes are the Emperor’s inner guard and much stronger, better in every way than space marines.
Introduced in the Rogue Trader rules in 1987 as MEN from the VERY… pic.twitter.com/oeTlARrPuf
— Grummz (@Grummz) April 15, 2024
Kern also shared excerpts from the 2017 and 2018 Adeptus Custodes Codexes that refer to them as the Brotherhood of Demigods and make it clear they were recruited from the sons of nobles.
One excerpt reads, “It is known that all Custodians begin their lives as the infant sons of the noble houses of Terra. It is a mark of incredible prestige to surrender one’s child to this most glorious of callings within the Imperium, and many notable clans amongst the Terran aristocracy have willingly given up almost entire generations of newborn sons to earn it.”
In the 7th and 8th edition of the official Custodes codexes, they are repeatedly referred to as the BROTHERHOOD of Demigods, recruited from the SONS of nobles.
*2017 and 2018
(Con’t) pic.twitter.com/CORWSbjYay
— Grummz (@Grummz) April 15, 2024
This retcon and the subsequent gaslighting resulted in numerous Warhammer players, hobbyists, and enthusiasts announcing that they have cancelled their Warhammer+ subscriptions and will boycott Games Workshop going forward.
One shared a screenshot of him canceling his Warhammer+ subscription and wrote, “Kiss my ass GW. Not another penny.”
Kiss my ass GW. Not another penny. pic.twitter.com/e2AKktlxD2
— Brother ‘Bulwark’ Grimm 🇬🇧🏴 (@GrimmDark1) April 14, 2024
A rumor detailed that the retcon was done at the behest of Amazon MGM Studios for the company’s upcoming live-action series based in the Warhammer 40,000 world. The rumor, which was shared to 4Chan by an anonymous user stated, “Female custodes are only going to be mentioned in the codex. No new sculpts or characters after the fact. Social media department jumped the gun and tried to put out fires with the wrong hose.”
The alleged leaker adds, “Intent is to push female custodes character in Amazon show without it ‘breaking lore’ because Amazon execs wanted a woman in power armor and wouldn’t settle for [Sisters of Battle]. People involved in the show are pissed because they’ve been moving ahead on Eisenhorn. Talks of inserting said female custodes into Eisenhorn story with Cavill threatening to walk away from the project. Small stock drop today, but GW figures it can ride it out if it stays mum on the subject. They really need better social media employees.”
“Cavill will be in an article due to ‘heading to GW to work on the new series’ this week or next,” the leaker added. “If he leaves, it’ll be a noticeable hit to the share price, meaning the show is dead (good ending) or Amazon is calling the shots (bad ending [not black Chogorians but similar scenario]) You can trust me, my dad works at Nintendo.”
Screenshot of alleged Warhammer 40K leak
READ: Games Workshop CFO Sells Two-Thirds Of Her Shares Amid Growing Warhammer Boycott
Not only did this retcon and subsequent gaslighting result in a boycott, but the company’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Rachel Tongue reportedly sold two-thirds of her stake in the company worth approximately $865,000 as the boycott began.
The Business Desk reported that Tongue “reduced her stake in the Nottingham-based company by two-thirds, after the share sale at an average price of £94.893 per share.”
A screenshot from Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Anniversary Edition (2011), Relic Entertainment
Not only did Tongue sell her stake in the company, but back in January, Games Workshop CEO Kevin Rountree shared in the company’s 2023-24 Half-Yearly Report in January that Tongue was stepping down from her role as CFO and would exit the company in 2025.
He said, “Also, after 27 years with the Group and nine years on the board, Rachel Tongue has informed the board that she does not propose to offer herself for re-election as chief financial officer at the next AGM in September 2024. Rachel will continue in her role, working as an integral part of my team to ensure a smooth transfer of responsibilities to her successor. Rachel is amazing and she will be missed enormously.”
Rountree added, “Rachel will step down from the board at the 2024 AGM and will leave the Group in January 2025. We will be commencing a search for her successor immediately.”
Since the retcon and subsequent gaslighting, Games Workshop has seen its stock decline around 5%. However, over the past year the stock has remained flat. The stock has seen tremendous growth over the past 5 years increasing over 116%.
Key art for Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector (2021), Black Lab Games
What do you make of Savchenko’s suggestion? Do you think investors have used this tactic on other companies in the past?
That would be 4D chess indeed.