- Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson with Jamie Thomson
A full colour, highly illustrated hardback 288 pages long, A4 (210mm x 297mm) printed on 140gsm gloss art stock, colour printed endpapers and bookmark ribbon
From the back of a van to the London Stock Exchange...
A grey day in 1974. Three games geeks are thinking about sinking everything they have into their dream of starting a games company. They go for it, but in less than a year one of them leaves. The remaining two carry on and end up living out the back of a van as they can't afford to pay rent for both an office and accommodation.
They're living off canned food and takeaways with all their meagre earnings going into the fledgling mail order business. The business grows, and in 1977 they make the decision to open their own shop. It was going to be a proper games shop, as opposed to the small room at the back of an estate agents they had been working out of. It was a damp day in April 1978 and the shop was about to open up for the first time. But would they get any customers? They had no idea whether anyone would turn up at all but when they opened that door on the first day they found...
Ian Livingstone, Steve Jackson and John Peake were the three games geeks who founded Games Workshop in their flat in Shepherd’s Bush. Not being a fan of D&D, John left the company, and Ian and Steve turned Workshop into a fantasy games specialist.
And that's what this book is about. A history of Games Workshop, not just the business narrative but the story of its founders and their journey, along with all the people they picked up along the way.
How did Ian and Steve do it? How did they get to that first Workshop store? What's the story behind Dungeons & Dragons coming to the UK, starting a whole new hobby? How did Games Workshop grow after that? It's now so big that it spans the globe. And along the way they invented an entirely new book publishing genre, too!
Ian Livingstone
Ian Livingstone is one of the founding fathers of the UK games industry. He co-founded iconic games company Games Workshop in 1975 with Steve Jackson, launching Dungeons & Dragons in Europe, Warhammer, White Dwarf and the Games Workshop retail chain. He co-authored The Warlock of Firetop Mountain with Steve Jackson in 1982, the first interactive gamebook in the Fighting Fantasy series which has sold 20 million copies worldwide. He has written 15 titles in the series, including Deathtrap Dungeon, City of Thieves and his new book, The Port of Peril, published by Scholastic in August 2017. Ian designed several board games including Judge Dredd, Legend of Zagor, Battlecars and Boom Town.
In 1995 he oversaw a merger that created Eidos plc where he served as Executive Chairman until 2002. At Eidos he launched global video games franchises including Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Hitman and Deus Ex. He is currently Chairman Sumo-Digital, Chairman Midoki, Chairman PlayMob, Chairman Antstream, Chairman The Secret Police, Chairman Flavourworks, Advisory Board Member of Bossa Studios, Vice Chair of UKIE, and Non-executive director of the National Videogames Foundation. He has received a BAFTA Special Award, Honorary Doctorate of Arts by Bournemouth University, Honorary Doctorate of Technology by Abertay University, Honorary Doctorate of Technology by University of Greenwich, and Develop Legend Award. Appointed OBE in 2006 and CBE in 2013.
Twitter: @ian_livingstone
Steve Jackson
Steve Jackson began his gaming career in 1974 as a freelance journalist with Games & Puzzles magazine. In early 1975, he co-founded Games Workshop with school friends Ian Livingstone and John Peake at their flat in Shepherd’s Bush, West London. They started by publishing a monthly newsletter, Owl & Weasel. And it was through the newsletter that they discovered Dungeons & Dragons. Specialising in Fantasy Role-Playing, Games Workshop grew into a UK wide chain of shops. Inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, Jackson and Livingstone developed interactive books, the first volume of which: ‘The Warlock of Firetop Mountain’ was published in 1982 by Puffin Books. While Fighting Fantasy mainly targeted children, Steve's 'Sorcery!' series was aimed at an older audience. In 2014 Sorcery was successfully converted to an iOS/Android/Steam App by Inkle Studios with over 3m downloads.
After the success of the Fighting Fantasy series, Jackson designed ‘F.I.S.T.’ the first interactive adventure game played on the telephone, and ‘Battlecards’ the first Collectible Card Game. In the mid-1990s Jackson spent two and a half years as editor of the weekly ‘Games Page’ for the London Daily Telegraph. Along with legendary digital game designer Peter Molyneux, He co-founded videogame developer ‘Lionhead Studios’. Steve left Lionhead in 2006 when Microsoft bought the company. Moving into academia at Brunel University, Steve co-founded an MA course in Digital Games Theory and Design MA as Professor of Game Design.
Twitter: @stevejacksonuk
Jamie Thomson
Jamie Thomson is a writer and games developer. He was written novels, game books, computer games, radio plays, comics and TV and film scripts for all sorts of ages. His works have been translated into many languages and sold all over the world. He has 30+ published books to his name. One of his kids novels, Dark Lord: the Teenage Years, won the Roald Dahl Funny Prize.
His career in games and books began when Ian Livingstone hired him in the early '80s to work at Games Workshop. Jamie was brought in as Assistant Editor to Ian, on White Dwarf magazine.
Jamie lives in the dungeons below the Tower of his Dark Master (also known as Ian Livingstone) where he spends every day writing for his evil overlord.
A Glimpse of Chapter 7: Van Morrison
1976. Steve and Ian wake with a start. It's the rain, drumming onto the top of their van, as if a huge Ogre right out of a D&D game was using their roof as a drum-kit (Drums of Thunder, +6). It was another day working in their Uxbridge Road office. And yes, that's right, they lived in a van. Van Morrison, as they called it, where they'd been sleeping for a while now, alongside all the boxes of games and Dungeons and Dragons and stock they couldn't fit into their office. How did it end up like this? Well, a few months earlier, Ian and Steve had been running Games Workshop out of their flat at 15 Bolingbroke Road in Shepherd’s Bush, West London. The converted town house had only one public phone in the hallway that they were using for their mail-order business.
But now they'd got a whole range of entirely new kinds of games. Things were beginning to pick up and it wasn't just Mancala boards and backgammon sets anymore. They'd managed to acquire a 3-year exclusive distribution agreement for the whole of Europe from Tactical Studies Rules (TSR – publishers of Dungeons & Dragons in the US). This was granted when Games Workshop made their first order; for six copies of D&D. They were already publishing their own '70s-style newsletter called Owl and Weasel, a kind of predecessor to White Dwarf, which they quickly adapted to be the mouthpiece of their new product line.
Now the phone was constantly ringing, and gamers often knocked at the door. (Some would call them '70s nerds, but not all of them were, of course. Not to mention that the word nerd wasn't yet in common parlance, but this is where part of the whole 'nerd' thing was born). A recent article in The Spectator magazine called Ian and Steve, ‘Patient Zero for the epidemic of UK geek culture’. Their customers were expecting to find some kind of shop front so they could buy direct. Even the occasional costumed wizard turned up... The landlord was getting increasingly annoyed with people and parcels arriving all day long, let alone the other residents who hadn't banked on living with this kind of entrepreneurial explosion.
They had to get out... Gen Con IX was coming up in the States, the premiere convention for fantasy and science fiction gaming in the world. They had to get there, meet Gary Gygax and the rest of the D&D guys, firm up that vital relationship. To try to sign up all the fledgling US role-playing games companies. It took about 3 months to get to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin for the Con, but they got there in the end. Deals were struck, games were played, beer and burgers consumed, relationships established.
They flew back, inspired and invigorated by it all – except now they needed a new office. They managed to find one in Uxbridge Road, also in the Shepherd's Bush area of London. It was a small room at the back of an estate agent. That's all they could afford and it didn't include an actual flat to live in... So, that's where Van Morrison came in. They slept in the back of Steve’s van! And what about washing and shaving and the rest? Well, they joined a nearby squash club. For several months they lived in the back of a van, ran their business from a tiny room round the back of an estate agents, and became very good at squash by default.
It looks like Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson with Jamie Thomson have not made any updates yet. Check back soon!
These people are helping to fund Dice Men: Games Workshop 1975 to 1985.
Is continuation planned? Next years of history GW 85-?
And when will the book be published?
There are no plans for additional books at this point. We expect the book will be published in 2018, but it depends on when the project reaches its funding target.
Greetings from the Far East! I would like to inquire if there is a fixed last/final day for backers to make a pledge, please?
Hello Chang, unless the funding target is reached early, the final day for pledges will be end of March 2018. Thanks, Ian
I'm not a huge fan of hardback (heavy and expensive). Will there every be a paperback or PDF?
I understand there are no plans for a PDF. I'm told a paperback might come at a later date if the hardback is successful. Hope that helps. Thanks, Ian
Would like an option to buy more than one copy. I have a friend for whom this would make an ideal gift.
That is now possible, thanks
Hi!
In FAQ I read that "We often run 'Read with a Friend' levels that include two books per package to save on postage." - is there any chance to have this in your crowdfunding campaign?
That is now possible, thanks.
Hello, Ian, Are you seeking the fans' perspective from those of us who have fond memories of GW from the early '80s (or even earlier)?
Yes we are! Please send your email address to us via Twitter or Facebook messaging.
Hey, guys. Are you aware that there‘s a book about D&D, Gary Gygax, etc, called „Of Dice And Men“?
Thanks for letting us know. There shouldn't be any confusion between the two books. Different titles and different focus.
Hi,
I'm at Games Day poster pledge level and I'd like to add one additional signed book for a friend. I don't see an option to simply add another book to my pledge. Is there any way this can be done? Thanks!
It is now possible to do this, thanks.
What happens if you don’t meet the funding target? Will you still go ahead with the publishing?
Unfortunately not. Unbound require the book to be fully funded before committing to publishing it.
Hi thanks for the previous answer...if production doesn’t go ahead, I take it all pledges will be refunded?
Hopefully it will :0)
Of course!
Hi thanks for previous answer, if production doesn’t go ahead, I assume all pledges will be refunded?
Hopefully it will publish!
All pledges will be refunded by Unbound if production does not go ahead. However, the project is now 88% funded and we hope it will be 100% funded soon. Thanks for your patience.
Thanks for previous answer, I assume if production doesn’t go ahead all pledges will be refunded?
Of course pledges will be refunded, but we expect the book to be funded.
Hi when is the current deadline for funding? Wasn't it originally end of March? Thanks.
Unbound are happy for the deadline to be extended. We hope that is OK with everybody.
Is funding still open, gentlemen? It appears that it is, but it's obviously past March 2018, so I thought I should check-in to confirm.
Yes, you can still pledge, thanks. Unbound have a policy of keeping their pledge platform open to enable projects to succeed.
Thanks Ian. I've helped spread the word through Google+, Facebook, and some online gaming forums. Hopefully the project will move forward!----it looks like a great read.
Have you given any thought to bulk buying for retailers? In the past we at Black Blade Publishing (old school AD&D 1e publishers) have brought books from Kickstarter authors and other friends who are publishers to GaryCon and the North Texas RPG Con for sale at our booth. We have been able to get those at ~50% off. Is that kind of retailer discount something you'd be able to do either during the funding process or after the book is published?
Allan, thanks for your help in spreading the word. I'm told that Unbound have book distribution partners who they work with for sales following on from their crowdfunded first edition release to the backers. I could ask Unbound to contact you if you wish? Best, Ian.
That would be great, thanks you Ian. You can have them reach out to me at grodog@gmail.com.
I'll ask Unbound to contact you in the near future. Thanks Allan.
That would be great, thank you Ian. You can have them email me at grodog@gmail.com ....allan
Thanks Allan. Ian
I've constantly blogged about it and posted to Facebook. I gave it one last push as it it hit 99% and reached 225 people on FB alone through my Screaming Mob Miniatures page, and watched with joy as the pledges went up. Congratulations!
Thanks for your help Mark. Much appreciated. Great to see the book is finally funded. We are having an editorial meeting tomorrow to review the content!
Funded, huzzah!!!
So what now? Is the book already finished? About when can we expect to read it?
Greetings
It is still in the writing stage. Unbound will be communicating the publishing date.
Hi Ian---I'd be happy for Unbound to contact me about retail sales options, thanks. Also: now that the project is more than 100% funded, do you have any estimates for when Unbound will begin printing and shipping?
The book is still being written. Unbound have not issued a publication date. Thanks.
Can we get an update on how the project will proceed now that Funding has been reached?
The book is in the writing stage. Unbound will be communicating the publishing date.
Ian,
Congratulations on getting funded! Woohoo!
Further to my question a while back about fans contributing, how can I reach you other than Facetube or Twatter? Do you have an e-mail address? One created just to receive messages about this project would do.
Thanks,
Alexander
Please submit questions via this forum, thanks Alexander. Ian
Are there any updates on the status of this? It all appears to have gone silent?
The book is still in the writing stage. Unbound will be communicating the publishing date in due course. Thanks.
Hello guys,
when will there be the next update at the beginning of design and editorial work? Or will be only updated the information status on delivery date?
Greetings from Germany
Hi Alexander
Thanks for getting in touch. We send email updates throughout the publishing process when the project moves on a stage. So there might be a while between emails, but it means we're quietly working in the background.
The next email to look out for is one letting you know when we've received the first finished manuscript from the authors so we can start the editorial process.
I hope this helps!
Unbound Support.
Is there any update at all? It appears to have gone very quiet over the year.
The book is still in the writing stage. Unbound will be communicating the publishing date. Thanks.
Is there any sort of timeline? As it's approaching a year in this stage and Unbound advise its several months from the manuscript being completed?
Hi Joe, the book is still being written. I'm afraid it's a slow process as we are contacting former employees and sourcing more photos. We will update everybody soon. Thanks, Ian
Hello.
3/5/2019. How goes the Project? Thanks.
Hi Antonio, the book is still being written. I'm afraid it's a slow process as we track down and contact our former employees and source more photos. We will update everybody soon. We hope it will be worth the wait! Thanks, Ian
Ian, you may recall Peter Armstrong? Sheffield store and latterly Dalling Road iirc, and a painter par excellence. I can put you in touch with his widow as he sadly passed away two years ago. I can also probably reach all of the original Sheffield staff and management from the time the store opened.
Thanks Mark. So sorry to hear Peter had passed away. It would be great if you could connect me to his widow and the Sheffield staff. My email me is ian.livingstone@gmail.com. We are hoping to get photos as well as stories/anecdotes.
Hi again Ian and Steve---
I just discovered a wonderful blog post about the GW newsletter "Black Sun" at https://awesomeliesblog.wordpress.com/2019/03/18/the-black-sun/
Will Dice Men discuss Black Sun as well as Owl & Weasel in its history? .....allan
Black Sun will definitely get a mention!
Black Sun - Boy that was a great little 'extra'. Anyway, I have reached out to four of the original GW staff from the Sheffield store, and Gilly Armstrong. I've also asked them to cascade to others they may be in contact with from the very early days of the store. Thanks for the fast response Ian.
Thanks Mark.
Ian, Steve,
In the darkest recesses of my loft, I believe I may have some GW and Games day memorabilia; would you be interested in seeing it? greatly looking forward to the book.
Kind regards,
Paul.
We'd be interested in anything from the early days. We have a lot items but not everything of course. Please let me know what you have. Thanks, Ian
Hi - can't see how to reply to Ian's response to my question, but I'll look up what I have and get back to you.
Kind regards,
Paul.
That would be great, thanks. Hi-res photos would be most welcome via email.