Warhammer 40K Speaks Out Against Hate Symbols in Community

Games Workshop has released a statement reaffirming a no tolerance policy against hate groups and symbols after an incident at a Spanish Warhammer 40,000 tournament. Earlier this week, Games Workshop released a lengthy statement clarifying that their community and events had no place for hatred. "If you come to a Games Workshop event or store and behave to the contrary, including wearing the symbols of real-world hate groups, you will be asked to leave," the statement read. "We won't let you participate. We don't want your money. We don't want you in the Warhammer community."

The statement comes after an incident at a Spanish Warhammer 40,000 event in which a participant wore multiple Nazi symbols while playing under a user name that references Adolf Hitler. Instead of throwing the player out of the event, tournament organizers penalized players who refused to play against him.

Warhammer 40,000 has historically had a problem with fascist groups, in part due to the nature of the game's lore. The world of Warhammer 40,000 is a deliberately dark place where there are no "good guys" and every faction has some sort of fatalistic flaw built upon the misery of others. The Imperium of Man, the empire that the popular Space Marines factions serve, is a particularly fascist group that actively engages in xenophobic and oppressive behavior. "The Imperium of Man stands as a cautionary tale of what could happen should the very worst of Humanity's lust for power and extreme, unyielding xenophobia set in,"Games Workshop notes. 
"Like so many aspects of Warhammer 40,000, the Imperium of Man is satirical."

Games Workshop ended their statement reaffirming that their game is meant for everyone. "We believe in and support a community united by shared values of mutual kindness and respect," the statement reads. "Our fantasy settings are grim and dark, but that is not a reflection of who we are or how we feel the real world should be. We will never accept nor condone any form of prejudice, hatred, or abuse in our company, or in the Warhammer hobby." 

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