Student research spotlight: Studying the business of Warhammer
What does a tabletop fantasy game have to do with information studies? For Purdue undergraduate Devaney Mosier, the answer is: quite a lot.
Mosier, a junior majoring in design studies, is conducting a research project through Purdue Libraries that examines how Games Workshop—the company behind Warhammer—builds a business by selling game information.
Warhammer is a tabletop miniature wargame in which players collect, paint, and battle with highly detailed figures using official rulebooks and faction guides. What began in the 1970s as a small mail-order operation has grown into a company valued at approximately £6 billion (about $8 billion USD) with a global fan base and retail presence.
Rather than focusing on the miniatures themselves, Mosier’s research asks a different question: How does a company make a business out of selling rules, updates, and content? Working with Libraries faculty mentor and Clinical Assistant Professor Neal Baker, Mosier analyzes how Games Workshop monetizes information across time.
Her project compares:
- The Citadel Journal (1994–2002), a print magazine that shared experimental rules and fan-driven content.
- Warhammer TV, a modern subscription-based streaming service offering exclusive tutorials and shows.
By examining both models, Mosier explores how subscription-based access, serialized content, and fan participation transform game rules and lore into revenue-generating information products.
The project sits at the intersection of information studies, business strategy, and game culture. Mosier applies concepts such as participatory culture, subscription models, and information gatekeeping to understand how fans interact with—and add value to—the Warhammer ecosystem.
Mosier and Baker recently co-presented their work at the Indiana Library Federation Annual Meeting, and she will present her findings at Purdue’s Spring Undergraduate Research Expo. Through this project, Mosier demonstrates how undergraduate research at Purdue Libraries can connect classroom learning with real-world industries—showing that even in a universe of tabletop battles, information is at the center of the game.