From Citadel Colour to Warhammer Colour: Games Workshop’s Latest Rebrand

Games Workshop recently announced that its long-standing Citadel Colour paint line will be renamed Warhammer Colour. While the paints themselves are not changing, the new branding marks another step in the company’s ongoing effort to align everything more closely with the Warhammer name.

For many hobbyists, however, the news feels a bit more meaningful than a simple label update.

A Familiar Name in the Hobby

Citadel paints have been a staple of the miniature painting hobby for decades. Whether someone was painting their first miniature or finishing an entire army, those small paint pots labeled “Citadel Colour” were often part of the process.

Over time, the name became almost second nature in the community. Many players casually referred to them as “GW paints,” but the Citadel brand still carried a certain identity tied to the Warhammer hobby.

Because of that history, hearing that the name is disappearing brings a slight sense of nostalgia. It’s another reminder that the hobby landscape continues to evolve.

Why the Change?

The shift to Warhammer Colour appears to follow a broader branding strategy by Games Workshop. In recent years, the company has gradually shifted away from the broader “Games Workshop” branding and focused more directly on the Warhammer name.

This shift can already be seen in several areas:

• Many Games Workshop retail stores have been rebranded as Warhammer stores.

• The large hobby destination in Texas operates as Warhammer Citadel.

• Logos and packaging across different Warhammer product lines have been updated over time.

By renaming the paint range to Warhammer Colour, Games Workshop is likely trying to make the connection between the paints and the Warhammer hobby more obvious to newcomers.

Was There Ever Confusion?

Interestingly, many people who have worked in hobby stores feel that confusion about Citadel paints was never really an issue.

In most Friendly Local Game Stores (FLGS), the interaction with customers looking for paint tends to be straightforward. Someone asks for paint, they are shown the paint rack, and the conversation usually shifts to practical questions like:

• What miniature are you painting?

• Which colors are you looking for?

• Do you also need primer or supplies?

Very rarely did customers question whether a specific brand of paint could be used for miniatures. In most cases, hobbyists simply picked the colors they needed and started painting.

Because of this, the rebrand feels less like a solution to a problem and more like a marketing decision.

The Retail Headache

For hobby stores, the biggest impact of this change might not be the name itself but the work required behind the scenes.

Rebranding a product line often means updating inventory systems, including:

• Product names

• SKUs

• Shelf labels

• Online listings

Anyone who has handled retail inventory knows that updating these details can be tedious and time-consuming. Store owners will likely be hoping that the barcodes remain unchanged to avoid even more complications.

Not the First Paint Line Shake-Up

Veteran hobbyists may remember another major change to Games Workshop’s paint line years ago, when many colors were renamed with distinctive trademark-friendly titles such as Mephiston Red and Abaddon Black.

Compared to that overhaul, switching from Citadel Colour to Warhammer Colour is relatively minor. The color range and formulas are staying the same, meaning painters won’t need to adjust their techniques or relearn the paint lineup.

Same Paint, Different Label

At the end of the day, the change is purely cosmetic. The paints remain the same products that hobbyists have been using for years to base coat, shade, layer, and highlight their miniatures.

Still, for many long-time painters, the Citadel name carries a lot of memories. It represents countless hours spent painting miniatures, building armies, and enjoying the creative side of the Warhammer hobby.

While the label may now read Warhammer Colour, the role those paints play in the hobby remains exactly the same.