Paul Sawyer wrote:It's time I share what's been happening with me and my family these last few months.
I fell ill during set-up at the big Salute show in London earlier this year and have been pretty much out of action since then. This has led to me having to step out of my role at Warlord to concentrate 100% on my health.
Ever since falling ill I've tried to keep a low profile whilst coming to terms - this is partly down to going from working all hours to not being able to work at all but also the ever-changing way my health has been on a daily basis from day one after I left hospital in London. It's been a 'fun' time!
At first the medics had thought I had suffered a stroke during Salute set-up but after the first rounds of tests that was discounted. Following weeks of hospital stays and tests, I was diagnosed with stage 4 Glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive and deadly forms of brain cancer.
I have received treatment in an attempt to shrink the tumour but I face the harsh reality that I will not beat this cancer and the truth is that I have around 12 months left to live before the tumour has it's way with my puny brain. I will know the results of the all important brain scan I had this week in a couple of weeks.
Working alongside many of you and gaming with more has been an absolute pleasure. I wish I could turn back time and do more of the gaming and less of the working so I pass this same message onto each of you - make the most of your time while you have it!
I know that in time I will leave with a heart full of gratitude and a wealth of fond memories. I wish you all nothing but the best and please rest assured that I shall be spending my remaining months surrounded by the love of my beautiful family, whilst looking forward to becoming a Grandad for the first time in December - once again outnumbered by yet another little girl, but one who I absolutely cannot wait to meet.
Whilst I write this with a proud yet sorrowful heart I know I will still see many of you in my remaining months be they in person, over video call or in a game or two.
Onwards and upwards!
Cheers,
Paul
John Stallard wrote:I have some sad news for Warlord fans. Warlord's co-founder, the mighty Paul Sawyer, collapsed earlier this year at the Salute show in London and has remained gravely ill for the last four months. Many of our loyal customers have been asking about him. I regret to say Paul will not be well enough to return to work. However, he remains cheerful and is surrounded by his loving family.
Paul and I set up Warlord Games over seventeen years ago, forming a dynamic team that has made tabletop historical gaming accessible to thousands of new hobbyists. His cheery and blokey approach to getting stuff done formed the "Warlord voice" for all these years.
He is hoping to be well enough to attend our Open Day later this month on the 21st September, where I am sure he will be delighted to meet and greet old friends, both customers and staff.
He was the best partner to set up a company with, always in high spirits and working like a trooper – he will be sorely missed around the Warlord offices.
Paul was a huge part of GW when I was young. When I contacted Warlord about covering some Judge Dredd products for the channel Paul himself responded and I was, honestly, more than a little star struck.
Paul Sawyer wrote:It's time I share what's been happening with me and my family these last few months.
I fell ill during set-up at the big Salute show in London earlier this year and have been pretty much out of action since then. This has led to me having to step out of my role at Warlord to concentrate 100% on my health.
Ever since falling ill I've tried to keep a low profile whilst coming to terms - this is partly down to going from working all hours to not being able to work at all but also the ever-changing way my health has been on a daily basis from day one after I left hospital in London. It's been a 'fun' time!
At first the medics had thought I had suffered a stroke during Salute set-up but after the first rounds of tests that was discounted. Following weeks of hospital stays and tests, I was diagnosed with stage 4 Glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive and deadly forms of brain cancer.
I have received treatment in an attempt to shrink the tumour but I face the harsh reality that I will not beat this cancer and the truth is that I have around 12 months left to live before the tumour has it's way with my puny brain. I will know the results of the all important brain scan I had this week in a couple of weeks.
Working alongside many of you and gaming with more has been an absolute pleasure. I wish I could turn back time and do more of the gaming and less of the working so I pass this same message onto each of you - make the most of your time while you have it!
I know that in time I will leave with a heart full of gratitude and a wealth of fond memories. I wish you all nothing but the best and please rest assured that I shall be spending my remaining months surrounded by the love of my beautiful family, whilst looking forward to becoming a Grandad for the first time in December - once again outnumbered by yet another little girl, but one who I absolutely cannot wait to meet.
Whilst I write this with a proud yet sorrowful heart I know I will still see many of you in my remaining months be they in person, over video call or in a game or two.
God, that's heartbreaking. A much-loved icon of my earliest wargaming years. I hope he has as much time with his family and the new grandbaby as he can get.
This is terribly sad news for him and his family. Wishing him all the best and a big hope that they can treat his cancer and he can beat it!
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Bonegrinder wrote: White Dwarf was at it's best when he was at the helm, and it's a big blow to the wargaming industry now he's had to step away from it.
My copies of WD from then are - not in the best of condition for the number of times they were read and reread over the time and years. Certainly was an awesome time for the magazine back then!
To this day I don't know what makes a butty a butty but I certainly know what makes a White Scar and what makes a good magazine. I hope he gets as much good times as possible before the end.
Longstrider wrote: To this day I don't know what makes a butty a butty but I certainly know what makes a White Scar and what makes a good magazine. I hope he gets as much good times as possible before the end.
To this point, could someone on the other side of the pond explain what a Bacon Butty is? I recall them frequently being referenced in WD but never knew exactly what they were?
Seems the sort of thing that should be had to pay tribute to the Fat Bloke
Longstrider wrote: To this day I don't know what makes a butty a butty but I certainly know what makes a White Scar and what makes a good magazine. I hope he gets as much good times as possible before the end.
To this point, could someone on the other side of the pond explain what a Bacon Butty is? I recall them frequently being referenced in WD but never knew exactly what they were?
Seems the sort of thing that should be had to pay tribute to the Fat Bloke
No idea here. I imagine them as a mass-produced breakfast sandwich kind of like an egg mcmuffin, but with just bacon? And you get them at the gas station?
Terrible news to a person who has made this hobby one of the best.
I wish him and his family all the strength and 'togetherness' to get through the limited time they have ahead.
Longstrider wrote: To this day I don't know what makes a butty a butty but I certainly know what makes a White Scar and what makes a good magazine. I hope he gets as much good times as possible before the end.
To this point, could someone on the other side of the pond explain what a Bacon Butty is? I recall them frequently being referenced in WD but never knew exactly what they were?
Seems the sort of thing that should be had to pay tribute to the Fat Bloke
No idea here. I imagine them as a mass-produced breakfast sandwich kind of like an egg mcmuffin, but with just bacon? And you get them at the gas station?
A Bacon Butty isn't a specific product by any one firm. It's a generic term used to describe two slices of bread, with butter on the inside of both halves and then cooked bacon slices between.
Bacon Butty often gets used when its slices of bread
Bacon Bap often gets used when its a roll instead of break slices.
And honestly I've not really seen them at 'gas stations' but rather at country shows from vendors and in your general cafe, pubs, roadside food vendors and the like.
Longstrider wrote: To this day I don't know what makes a butty a butty but I certainly know what makes a White Scar and what makes a good magazine. I hope he gets as much good times as possible before the end.
To this point, could someone on the other side of the pond explain what a Bacon Butty is? I recall them frequently being referenced in WD but never knew exactly what they were?
Seems the sort of thing that should be had to pay tribute to the Fat Bloke
No idea here. I imagine them as a mass-produced breakfast sandwich kind of like an egg mcmuffin, but with just bacon? And you get them at the gas station?
A Bacon Butty isn't a specific product by any one firm. It's a generic term used to describe two slices of bread, with butter on the inside of both halves and then cooked bacon slices between.
Bacon Butty often gets used when its slices of bread
Bacon Bap often gets used when its a roll instead of break slices.
And honestly I've not really seen them at 'gas stations' but rather at country shows from vendors and in your general cafe, pubs, roadside food vendors and the like.
I think it is acceptable to call a sandwich made with a bap a butty, but I think you give the general trend.
Bap does open up a whole cornucopia of regional names for bread rolls. I'm a bap person or sometimes bun, but there are many others- cob, barm cake etc...
Edit: for those across the pond, sauces are also acceptable on a bacon butty, most notably red or brown (tomato ketchup or.. well, brown sauce). I am also partial to adding excess bacon grease from the pan.
UK bacon is typically back bacon, streaky bacon is uncommon and more of a specialty item. We like to eat more of the flesh than fat.
This reminds me that the canteen at the hospital I work at does a good bacon butty and I will join those having one in Mr Sawyer's honour later this week.
Really sad to hear about Paul. A legend of the scene and had a hugely positive impact on millions of people over the years. I know getting a diagnosis like this is truly awful, but I hope that he knows that he has had a global impact on his time in the hobby and will be well remembered.
He's been listing a lot on facebook marketplace for a few months now, but this explains why. There's lots of hidden, rare, and unseen gems in what he's listing, and I imagine the money would really help him and his family out.
I really appreciate the clarification on the butty. It DOES seem silly, but quite clearly a number of us have shared strong memories of him talking them up. I'm not much of a back bacon fan but I'll have one and wish Paul the best.
Incredibly sad to hear this. I hope him and his family can make the best of the time available. Met him at Games Day while he was editor once and he was a lovely guy.
Very sad to hear this. Paul and the rest of the WD crew from that era are something of celebrities within the Wargaming hobby, the time when you would sit and re-read the magazine over and over and you felt like you got to know them personally. I did actually get to meet him very briefly on the Warlord stand at Salute and actually froze a bit/was star-struck - which is kind of funny for a middle-aged man to do, but I think shows how important and impactful Paul and the other guys in the magazine were back then.
He seems like a genuinely nice man and with such an infectious enthusiasm for the hobby. Thoughts with him and his family.
Back in the day when he took a chance on a bunch of fanboys he only knew via a mutual friend to fill out the writer count for the Index Astartes series, my Emperor's Children first draft was not up to par - I'd never written professionally before, or really much of anything besides fanfic that I can see looking back had a long way to go. That was a big series with no doubt a lot of plates in the air at the office that all had to come in on time, frankly it'd likely have saved him a lot of hassle to send a kindly-worded 'thanks for your effort' and hand it to someone with experience writing for work, but he laid out what I needed to fix - supporting but not sugar-coating - and gave me the time to rewrite from the ground up. At the time I was just relieved I hadn't blown my chance, but I can see now he'd have weighed that against the very real possibility it'd turn into a problem he'd have to waste time solving later when deadlines were looming closer, and he went out on a limb because he knew what it'd mean to some kid to see their name in WD.
That was my only interaction with him (besides getting a Games Day programme signed, which was beforehand), but I think back on it any time I'm rereading an old issue from when he was at the helm. Top bloke.
It was Paul that gave me my first proper start in games writing, first with the Citadel Journal/BFG Magazine and then with White Dwarf. We have stayed in contact and done the odd project together over the years.
He is, as they say, a Top Bloke.
I do, however, think that he will be gratified to learn that, amongst all the messages of well-wishing, there is a discussion going on about bacon butties...
Real heartbreaking news, and I really feel for Paul and his family. My own father had a inoperable and fatal cancer, so I really do understand just how devastating a diagnosis like that is. I really hope he can enjoy as much of the time he has left as possible, and I really, really hope his family, and everyone who gets to spend time with him now, lets him know how much he is loved and appreciated.
His time at White Dwarf is one of the foundational memories of my wargaming, and I wish I could personally let him know how much he was appreciated.
This is terrible news as WD from the 90s is iconic and he has and still does bring a lot of joy to fans who still read those magazines.
I've just seen on his Facebook that he's considering opening a just giving/go fund me page. It's probably more worthwhile selling his FB market models on eBay too as his name alone should get a better price. I'd rather own a model once owned by Paul than buy it from a shop.
For years at Bugman's Bar in Warhammer World, regulars of that establishment ordered the 'Fat Boy Burger', named after Paul Sawyer who designed this gastronomic treat. It stayed on the menu, named as such a few years after he'd left GW for Warlord.
He's right though, things like this happen and then you regret not playing more games.
Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote: Also, if memory serves? Part of the team that brought us the very first Tale of Four Gamers.
Correct! I think I have that issue of WD still. That was my first real introduction to Paul when I was getting into the hobby. He bought beastmen back when the whole army was pretty much metal and spent his leftover pound on a bacon "baguette". This was likely because we don't have butties in the states and the US editor changed it to baguette rather than try to explain to us yanks what a butty is.
My friends and I did a "Tale of Three Gamers" when we did our first escalation league with our first dedicated Warhammer table.
I also remember that despite having the most expensive army of the four, he bought metal bits (an Ork Boarboy spear, I believe?) to convert his leader while everyone else was getting plastic troop builders and stretching their pence as far as it would go.
Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote: Fun fact? £50.00 a month back then is the equivalent of £94.03 today, according to the Bank of England.
They did £50 the first month, then £25 a month for the next four months, for a £150 army. A solid setup, I think, as we all like to splurge on getting started, then slow-grow a bit later (assuming we can resist dropping half an entire paycheck on the whole project on a half-baked impulse.)
On this side of the pond, my group enjoyed the humor and collecting strategies, but joked about how it seemed like they were able to all four go to four different store opening sales every month.
But of all the armies, Fat Bloke's Beastmen caught my eye and interest the most, with Richard Gunson's Bretonnians a close second.
Warlord Games wrote:Further to our recent post about our co-founder Paul Sawyer’s health, his wonderful and loving family have asked us to share this fundraising link https://bit.ly/3Xztrgq on his behalf. Please give generously if you are able – Paul is a legend of the wargaming industry and a truly excellent human being, and as a community, we look after our own.
Many thanks,
John Stallard, Warlord Games co-founder and CEO
Proceeds go to charity and it is a limited time. If you knew him or wish to honor him, this is a pretty cool way to do it. (And help the charity he choose.)
Proceeds go to charity and it is a limited time. If you knew him or wish to honor him, this is a pretty cool way to do it. (And help the charity he choose.)
I saw the thread/OP when it was posted and recognized the name but didn't realize until your post that he was the "Fat Bloke" I'd read about in White Dwarf back in the day. It's sad regardless but a bit more personal for me (or at least as personal as it could be having never interacted with let alone met him).
Comment in that thread, as this won’t be a One Man Job, Spesh if we go the local Dakka Pagga route.
And who knows? If this works, could become an annual free-for-all punch up!
Also open to groups and game systems I don’t personally take part in. Spesh if there’s someone from Warlord Game interested in getting involved.
And some music, I trust Paul Sawyer won’t take exception to, for added attention? And indeed a track I trust might set the “all friendly” atmosphere I’d hope this nascent, just in my head for now, project might engender?
I still think my title edit suggestion is better - primarily because 'gravely ill' in the new context is a rather unfortunate pun and the title of this thread is among the search results which announce his condition and thus reads veeeeery differently.
Fat Bloke is legendary for me (as for many others) thanks to his sterling run on White Dwarf in the late 90s and early 2000s. I still regularly reread those issues.
The first one I ever bought (as opposed to borrowing back issues from a mate at school) was 218, with the Digganob release, the Sanctuary 101 battle report of Sisters vs 2nd ed Necrons, and the first Tale of Four Gamers article. Arguably it was the first "true" Fat Bloke White Dwarf--the one where the quality noticeably improved after the wobbly half-dozen issues preceding it. Not least because it had proper maps for the battle reports again, and a return to sensible layouts with readable text on white backgrounds!
I'm just some rando in Australia who never met him, but my condolences to him and his family. Including his Noise Familiar and her faithful Chaos Hound, as he once cheekily referred to his then-small daughter and her cuddly toy puppy in one of the Tale of Four Gamers articles.
I know someone who knew someone who died of the same condition. It was not a pleasant thing for anyone involved. But having the love and support of their family made all the difference.
SirDonlad wrote: I still think my title edit suggestion is better - primarily because 'gravely ill' in the new context is a rather unfortunate pun and the title of this thread is among the search results which announce his condition and thus reads veeeeery differently.
Um. That's strange. I have the opposite reaction to the thread title vs your suggested title.
"Gravely ill" means the health situation is very serious, with a high risk of death. Nothing punny about it. Sadly, the actual medical situation here is even worse than 'high risk', but nonetheless it's a well-worn phrase that seems appropriate in this context.
On the other hand, to me, saying "mortally wounded at the battle of Salute" would sound flippant and disrespectful. It would be making a joke out of something that shouldn't be joked about. Except by Paul himself, should he wish to, of course.
You could say he was "mortally wounded" if he had sustained a light injury, such as a cut or a broken toe or something.
I really don't want to start an Internet Fight (this is hardly the thread for it) but I am curious about whether anyone else reads the thread titles the way I do, vs the way Sir Donlad does. Call it professional curiosity due to my day job in writing-related fields. The phrases might read differently in different English-speaking countries, for instance.
SirDonlad wrote: I still think my title edit suggestion is better - primarily because 'gravely ill' in the new context is a rather unfortunate pun and the title of this thread is among the search results which announce his condition and thus reads veeeeery differently.
Um. That's strange. I have the opposite reaction to the thread title vs your suggested title.
"Gravely ill" means the health situation is very serious, with a high risk of death. Nothing punny about it. Sadly, the actual medical situation here is even worse than 'high risk', but nonetheless it's a well-worn phrase that seems appropriate in this context.
On the other hand, to me, saying "mortally wounded at the battle of Salute" would sound flippant and disrespectful. It would be making a joke out of something that shouldn't be joked about. Except by Paul himself, should he wish to, of course.
You could say he was "mortally wounded" if he had sustained a light injury, such as a cut or a broken toe or something.
I really don't want to start an Internet Fight (this is hardly the thread for it) but I am curious about whether anyone else reads the thread titles the way I do, vs the way Sir Donlad does. Call it professional curiosity due to my day job in writing-related fields. The phrases might read differently in different English-speaking countries, for instance.
It is with great regret that we must announce that co-founder of Warlord Games Paul Sawyer passed away on the evening of 27th March 2025, following a long battle with brain cancer.
Paul was a man of enormous character, and he fought tooth and nail to the end, always in good spirits. He was a true friend to us all. That he passed surrounded by the love of his family is a blessing.
We offer our sincerest condolences to Paul's family - his wife Julie, his daughters Catherine & Holly, and his granddaughter Aurora-Rose, whom he was fortunate enough to be able to meet before his passing.
Paul was not a man to be made a fuss of, he'd perhaps not even thank us for writing this short dedication. We believe it would be his wish that we carry on unabated. We shall strive to continue to shape Warlord Games upon the immensely strong foundations he put in place.
We raise our collective glass to the late, great man. He will be sorely missed.
RIP Paul Sawyer. Thank you for making sure the fun of the hobby was always at the forefront.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Message from the family to those who donated to the GoFundMe:
"To all that knew and loved Paul, it’s with a truly broken heart that we must share the news that our beloved husband and father passed away on the evening of March 27th surrounded by the immense love of his family. From the very beginning of his diagnosis, he showed nothing short of heroism with his bravery and strength and that carried through right until the end. We are truly devastated and will feel his loss forever. We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the kindness that has been shared with Dad and to us as a family during this cruel battle. May he finally rest peacefully. All our love, Julie, Catherine and Holly "
What a blow, to his family and the company.
On a personal level, his editorials were a formative part of my early gaming years and I’ll always remember his boisterous style and obvious passion for the hobby.
Found this from one of his earliest issues as editor.
Text:
A TALE OF FOUR GAMERS This month sees the beginning of a new series that we are going to be running in White Dwarf. Games Workshop gave four guys from around the company £50 and let them loose to collect an army. The articles will follow them as they collect their forces, from buying, to painting, to playing. Roy Barber, Richard Gunson, Richard Hobson and Paul Sawyer all rose to the challenge and we'll be keeping track of how their armies develop over the next few issues of White Dwarf. Left: Paul pretends to order from Mail Order but we know he's ringing the local pizza house! Right: Richard Hobson raids the Mail Order racks for Wood Elves.
A very sad day. Someone at the forefront of the hobby and his tenure as WD editor was what helped form my appreciation of this daft little hobby we share.
At least now he is at peace, dealing with cancer is an awful thing, not just for the patient but their friends and family too.
Some months on now from the passing of Paul, and at time of writing still no mention in White Dwarf.
I understand it's probably a super-busy job but would have thought a little cut-out in the news section would not have been asking too much for someone that was a central name of the magazine for so many years.
If you ever wanted a perfect example of the change from a smaller company for and by hobbyists, to corporate behemoth, this is probably it.
Whilst I understand the sentiment, not sure criticising a magazine on behalf of someone few if any of us ever met, let alone were friends with, feels right.
I met him a couple of times actually over the years, although only when he worked for Warlord. Felt like I knew him much better of course as he was editor for quite some time, and you got to feel you knew them as so much of the character came through via the articles and battle reports.
I don't think it's out of place at all to say that there should have been some mention? Not everyone keeps up with social media and might not have heard. So perhaps leave the White Knight act at the door just this once?
Commissar von Toussaint wrote: Wow just saw this. Very sad. One of my favorite features was the Tale of Four Gamers, which was actually honest about combat value vs monetary cost.
Rest in peace.
Speaking of, Paul Sawyer's rebuilt Beastmen army is up on eBay.
A whole story there. He had sold off the original to a friend, including the Herdstone. That friend later sold off the army again. Paul was talking to him about how he wanted to rebuild the army and the friend still had the original Herdstone sitting around because it was too big to ship with the original army, so the rebuilt version had the original Herdstone from the article and is included in the auction.
Speaking of, Paul Sawyer's rebuilt Beastmen army is up on eBay.
A whole story there. He had sold off the original to a friend, including the Herdstone. That friend later sold off the army again. Paul was talking to him about how he wanted to rebuild the army and the friend still had the original Herdstone sitting around because it was too big to ship with the original army, so the rebuilt version had the original Herdstone from the article and is included in the auction.
My understanding from Reddit is that some of those Beastman models originally belonged to Dave Taylor, editor of Australian White Dwarf during Fat Bloke's run, and a legend in his own lifetime much like Paul because of it (at least down under). I think that's why some of the models have green trim on the bases while others have brown.
Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote: Whilst I understand the sentiment, not sure criticising a magazine on behalf of someone few if any of us ever met, let alone were friends with, feels right.
Just feels a bit crass.
From what I understand people working in the Nottingham 'lead Belt' regularly hang out, play together, drink together whatever, whichever company they currently work for.
I don't think it's out of line to ask GW or White Dwarf to recognize the loss of one of their great contributors.
Apparently you don't like me citing GW's opinion on older White Dwarf. Have a direct quote:
'The past 40 years of White Dwarf are an incredible triumph and provide a mass of wonderful examples of what's great and why, but you can always do it better. Nostalgia's not what it used to be, as the old joke goes, and looking back you can see that with White Dwarf. Fond as we all might be of our own favourites, the real triumphs aren't in the past, they're where we are now: the Ultimate Warhammer Magazine' (White Dwarf May 2017, pg.144)
Now, obviously that opinion is wrong and insulting to Sawyer's time as editor, given the quality of the post-2016 re-boot(s); but it is GW's published opinion.
As I also stated, we wouldn't have expected to see anything regarding Sawyers passing in White Dwarf yet given their lead times; however if we do, well... we've seen their opinion already...
Apparently you don't like me citing GW's opinion on older White Dwarf. Have a direct quote:
'The past 40 years of White Dwarf are an incredible triumph and provide a mass of wonderful examples of what's great and why, but you can always do it better. Nostalgia's not what it used to be, as the old joke goes, and looking back you can see that with White Dwarf. Fond as we all might be of our own favourites, the real triumphs aren't in the past, they're where we are now: the Ultimate Warhammer Magazine' (White Dwarf May 2017, pg.144)
Now, obviously that opinion is wrong and insulting to Sawyer's time as editor, given the quality of the post-2016 re-boot(s); but it is GW's published opinion.
As I also stated, we wouldn't have expected to see anything regarding Sawyers passing in White Dwarf yet given their lead times; however if we do, well... we've seen their opinion already...
I mean, that opinion is from eight years ago, under a different editorial team. The issue 500 retrospective was definitely a lot more respectful of the past
Platuan4th wrote: Speaking of, Paul Sawyer's rebuilt Beastmen army is up on eBay.
So this has me thinking about the romance and gaming thread, because trying to explain who Paul Sawyer was and why buying his army is so important would be something of a challenge.
My wife would allow it simply on my say-so, but also because she knows that when she orders a truckload of books, I will be in no position to object.
I hope they get proper use. It's nice to see them finding a new home, and I hope the new owner brings them out often. It would be cool to play against!
Apparently you don't like me citing GW's opinion on older White Dwarf. Have a direct quote:
'The past 40 years of White Dwarf are an incredible triumph and provide a mass of wonderful examples of what's great and why, but you can always do it better. Nostalgia's not what it used to be, as the old joke goes, and looking back you can see that with White Dwarf. Fond as we all might be of our own favourites, the real triumphs aren't in the past, they're where we are now: the Ultimate Warhammer Magazine' (White Dwarf May 2017, pg.144)
Now, obviously that opinion is wrong and insulting to Sawyer's time as editor, given the quality of the post-2016 re-boot(s); but it is GW's published opinion.
As I also stated, we wouldn't have expected to see anything regarding Sawyers passing in White Dwarf yet given their lead times; however if we do, well... we've seen their opinion already...
JFC, it's an editorial from 8 years ago when GW were completely controlled by their marketing team and does not specifically mentioned Paul Sawyer at all. It's a massive stretch to assume it's some vendetta against a particular past editor or anything other than a blatant piece of PR spin to try to convince people to continue buying the current magazine.
We have no idea if there will be a tribute to Paul Sawyer in an upcoming WD. The print lead times are usually around 3 months so it may be that it appears in an upcoming issue. For all we know they asked the family and they said no. It's utterly bizarre to try to turn this into some anti-GW thing.
It sucks, but I guess they have to draw a line as otherwise people would call them out for missing other people that have recently passed. We've recently lost Brian ancell and Colin Dixion as well and I don't think they made mention of it.
Whilst putting a small note in white dwarf would be nice, the print times is probably too long. In this day and age, the best thing would be to pop a nice small article up on WarCom but I guess if they do it for one, they'd have to do it for everyone and we are at an age and time where every week we'd have an article now and it would start to look like more like the obituaries than a warhammer advertising page.
The lead times will be long for the major articles and other pieces but they absolutely have the ability to add 'stop press'-esque cutouts into the mag. Or at least, every other magazine I know of does.
Regarding other ex-staff passing away, Richard Halliwell did get a mention in the mag. Really, we are not talking about more than a small number of names here - this isn't Classic Rock magazine, which needs a whole Obituaries section. And especially in the case of Paul, someone that edited the magazine for a long period of time and during a period of great transformation for GW.
The guys writing now for WD will themselves be former staff one day in the future. The work they do means something to people, it will do to them, I think it's important that that can be remembered. And so I'm surprised and disheartened that they haven't done so.
Pacific wrote: The lead times will be long for the major articles and other pieces but they absolutely have the ability to add 'stop press'-esque cutouts into the mag. Or at least, every other magazine I know of does.
Regarding other ex-staff passing away, Richard Halliwell did get a mention in the mag. Really, we are not talking about more than a small number of names here - this isn't Classic Rock magazine, which needs a whole Obituaries section. And especially in the case of Paul, someone that edited the magazine for a long period of time and during a period of great transformation for GW.
The guys writing now for WD will themselves be former staff one day in the future. The work they do means something to people, it will do to them, I think it's important that that can be remembered. And so I'm surprised and disheartened that they haven't done so.
The staff at WD are lucky to get their surnames printed in the magazine. In a world where codexes go uncredited and staff interviewed on the community page are addressed purely by their first name, a culture of anonymity reigns at GW.
Pacific wrote:Regarding other ex-staff passing away, Richard Halliwell did get a mention in the mag.
With a wrong photo...
Shakalooloo wrote:The staff at WD are lucky to get their surnames printed in the magazine. In a world where codexes go uncredited and staff interviewed on the community page are addressed purely by their first name, a culture of anonymity reigns at GW.
We also live in a world of 'social' media where people may find it not that pleasant to be in the spotlight and getting harrassed by completely strangers.
We also live in a world of 'social' media where people may find it not that pleasant to be in the spotlight and getting harrassed by completely strangers.
I believe that was one of the reasons they stopped putting an author on codex/battletomes.
Though I think the absolute worst was the authors of the kids books who got insane hatemail from writing them.
It doesn't take many people either to cause problems online; hound people and worse.
The flipside is GW also saw people like Duncan build a name for themselves and then strike out on their own; on a personal level they likely feel fine about it and are happy he's doing well; but on a company level the firm has to consider if they want to be basically promoting and investing into people who then vanish. Of course they've also learned that "faceless hands" don't get the attention nor views in videos either.
cancer.
I guess I'll probably live to see all these figures from my youth become ill. A grievous blow.
