Miniature painting company Siege Studios has withdrawn its trademark application for the word ‘Warboot’ following a swift and powerful backlash from the United Kingdom’s wargaming community.
The term, used for decades to describe wargaming-focused car boot sales or swap meets, was the subject of a trademark filing and subsequent cease and desist notices sent to long-running community events.
The studio’s owner, James Otero, has since issued a public apology, admitting the attempt was a “poor decision” and confirming the trademark application has been cancelled.
A ‘Warboot’ is a portmanteau of ‘wargaming’ and ‘boot sale’, a familiar concept in the UK where people sell secondhand goods from the boots of their cars. For hobbyists, these events are a cherished opportunity to trade old miniatures, find rare models, and buy or sell armies without the formality of a retail environment.
The controversy ignited when organisers of established, non-profit events began receiving legal notices. Rob McFerran, who runs the Wirral Warboot, and Darren Fleming of the Fife Warboot, were among those who received messages requesting they immediately change their event names. Fleming noted the request felt like a “right slap in the face,” as Siege Studios had attended their event as a guest earlier in the year.
Community response was immediate and fiercely protective of the term. Major UK retailer Element Games posted a defiant message on social media, pointedly using the word ‘warboot’ multiple times. Others provided historical context, such as John Woolley of the Deeside Defenders club, who credited the late Paul Reid of the Manchester Area Wargames Society (MAWS) as being the first to hold such events. Indeed, video promotions for a ‘Warboot’ run by MAWS date back to as far as 2009, demonstrating the term’s long-standing community use.
Faced with mounting pressure, James Otero published an apology video and statement to the Siege Studios Facebook page. He said in the statement;
My intention was only ever to create a national brand of Warboot events in response to the demand I often receive for similar events elsewhere. I am so used to trademarking names and brands in my other companies and from my past work history that I took no real thought about this or the ramifications of doing so for something so community-based.
While some event organisers acknowledged the apology, the incident has left a lingering scar on the studio’s reputation. For many, it served as a cautionary tale about the clash between commerce and community culture. The Warhammer hobby, in particular, is sensitive to issues of intellectual property, with fans often wary of corporate actions that appear to encroach on fan-led activities—a space historically dominated by Games Workshop’s own aggressive legal strategies.
Even with the trademark application withdrawn, the saga highlights the power of a united hobby community and raises questions about who truly owns the language that defines its culture.
