Sunday 8 January 2012

Sunday Sermon: Beware the Internets version of reality!!!

  
  

I'm going to be honest, this Sunday Sermon wasn't going to be about what I'm going to write about at first. I was still going to write this sermon, as I'd had a significant heads up about the information a few months back now. I just wasn't sure when Games Workshop was going to publish it's half yearly figures. So what am I talking about today? Well, us! Bloggers, forum dwellers, gamers. Or more specifically how we all form small mutually reinforcing networks. Just as in the big wide world we all tend to gravitate towards people who are similar to ourselves, and who enjoy the same things as we do... so we do with our digital selves, our online persona's. I like most people read mainly blogs by gamers who play certain products, because I'm interested in them, or have a certain take on the hobby. I hesitate to say people like me, because the hobby is only one facet of who we are, but certainly people with similar tastes.

In short those who have similar views to those that I have myself. I try to read hobby blogs that are not necessarily cogent to my own hobbying experience, if for no other reason than they keep me abreast of what's happening in other parts of the hobby I'm not interacting with. I don't just mean 40k and Fantasy blogs either. Nope I try keeping in touch with Flames of War bloggers, historical wargame bloggers and most recently a few blogs about 15mm sci-fi wargames. But I'm not going to lie to you, I read way more blogs about games that I do like and play than those I don't. It's only natural after all. So where am I heading with this rambling monologue? Good question. Well I'm heading towards discussing the state of the Games workshop hobby and Games Workshops business performance... yeah OK I'm sorry!

But hear me out. Over the last few months, lets say 6 to 12 to give it a firmer time frame, there has appeared to be a ground swell of opinion on the Internet. A slow bubbling undercurrent of malcontent with Games Workshop, not just as a business but also as a hobby. I've lost count of how many rants I've read about Finecast, price increases, Warhammer Fantasy 8th Edition, Grey Knight, Dark Lances, size of army required and the drudgery involved in painting them... you name it, I've read it. I have of course relatively famously added my own dissenting voice to the swirling nebulous digital milieu. Is it reality though? Well yes, it's our reality, our view of the hobbying world. But, is it representative of the wider community out there, on the streets buying and playing wargames? I've never been sure it is, just like I've never been sure that the myriad of online voices that put so much stock in the tournament scene are present in the wider community, in the same proportions as they appear to be on the Internet. And I'm going to discuss the reason why I think this.

I personally dedicate a lot of time to producing this blog. It's kept me sane over the last few months, as my desperate search for gainful employment has been fruitless. Would I blog as much as I do if I was in work? The answer to that is a definite no. It's become almost a full time job, albeit one I enjoy very much. If I could get paid for doing this I'd be chuffed to bits, but I can't. Writing a blog like this takes a serious amount of dedication on my part, and I'm sure it's the same for other bloggers out there too. It's a labour of love for us, we're the über geeks, the heavily invested and the diehards. How seriously invested or involved in the hobby do you have to be to write a blog? I'm going to say extremely invested, to the point that for some of us the hobby might have become all consuming. So are we, the blog writers representative of the wider community and hobby? We like to think we are, but I guess we're not.

And this is where Internet dwellers get slowly divorced from the wider reality. If I believed what I read on fellow blogs and message boards was reflective of the wider hobby it would be a very different beast from the one it appears to be to the wider public. Pretty much on a daily basis on the Internet I'm hearing of hobbyists switching their game systems of choice away from Games Workshops core product. I hear tales of woe with regards to the dwindling attendance of Warhammer Fantasy tournaments, and there appears to be some evidence to support that this is indeed the case. But here's the horrible truth everyone... we're the niche within the niche. Most of Games Workshops customers don't care their games are poorly balanced. They don't want to search out new games, better games. I often hear the idea banded around that the Internet will start playing its part in converting new people to the hobby...

Well if that were true I'm sorry Games Workshop would already be dead. Go onto message boards, blog surf. Seriously take a look around the place. Most people on the Internet appear to be disgruntled with some part of their business. Be it piss poor Finecast miniatures, the Grey knights or anyone of the myriad of hobby ailments you care to mention. Seriously the torrent of abuse is phenomenal, as is the vitriol with which much of it is communicated. Even those that seem blindly loyal have of late seemed to voice discontent with the way things are. So here's the question I ask myself, and I've been asking it for months now. Why would anyone join the 'Games Workshop' hobby in the face of such withering criticism if the Internet were important? How is it that so many people appear to be leaving the Games Workshop hobby yet they look like having such a bumper year in profits? I know people are quitting their games, people have told me so. I see them picking up other game systems and loving them, and we're not talking one or two people here. I'm talking hundreds. So what's going on?

Is it really the Golden Age of Gaming? Well yes it is, I do believe all of these things are happening to some extent, possibly even more so than ever before. But, I don't think they're as widespread as us Internet dwellers would believe. Why? Because the facts and figures honestly don't support this narrative claim. What's happening with diehard hobbyists or those who are heavily invested is not born out in Games Workshops own financial figures. So, some seriously hardcore tournament attendees are unhappy with some aspects of both 40k and Warhammer Fanatasy. Well guess what, Games Workshops half year fiscal results tell you just how big a chunk of the market you really are. Here's a hint, not very big! This isn't a surprise to me in any way shape or form. I've seen figures that suggest that what I'd call the hardcore wargamer makes up a very exceedingly small slice of the overall gaming pie. It's just that they make up a far larger proportion of the Internet chatter, and because they're so heavily invested in the hobby are way more likely to be vocal about it.


I'm guessing that by now many of you have had sight of the performance figures. They've been very widely published. Half year pre-tax profits up by 40% to £9.5m, a none too shabby performance in the current economic climate for a niche industry. This on a revenue increase of only 5% to £62.7m. This isn't bad performance at all. So where has this pretty darn good performance come from? Well the two clear places appear to be increased revenue from license fees, thanks to THQ and the Space Marine computer game and increased profit margins on it's line of miniatures. That will be Finecast. Turns out it really is cheap as chips to produce all those miniatures in a polyurethane resin, go figure! From a purely fiscal point of view it has been an undeniable success. So those of you who want to see the back of the stuff, sorry but like I said months ago, I think it's here to stay. Black Library and Forge World have also both started contributing more to the parent company too. They've had bumper half years the both of them.


Obviously the figures as published themselves are only part of the 'truth'. Every company likes to put a positive spin on their figures, to aid their stocks performance on the market. For instance just how much of these pre-tax profits are down to THQ's license fees? We don't know, Games Workshop are wisely refusing to say. How much is down to the increased margin on Finecast? By the looks of things a fair old amount. Have overall unit sales gone down as some have claimed, but yields per unit shot up due to the use of cheaper material? Honestly I don't know as those facts or data weren't released with the figures. But does it matter? Yes and no. But, certainly not in the way that many people would imagine. If Games Workshops individual units sold have actually gone down as some have claimed, yet they have increased turnover then as a rational observer I have to say their business model is in rude health. They have former customers out there who were heavily invested, who might have brought less this year for one reason or another. that gives them potentially quick, or easy wins in growth terms. Get those people back and they'll increase turnover yet again, through simple marketing methods aimed at the already 'converted'.


So it's all looking pretty rosy then? Well yes actually it is. Sure there are some slightly negative stories in there. There has been a quite sharp decline in sales in most of continental Europe's markets. Is this due to unfavourable exchange rates with the Euro? Possibly but Holland and Italy bucked the trend, and given the later's counties quite dodgy economic climate that's a surprise. Obviously there have been dips in overall sales in Australia and New Zealand, but hardly the collapse many have predicted, indeed they've made more money out of Australia this year, even if they are doing smaller volumes. Meanwhile in the USA they continue to grow their business, a lot! The United States remains a market they feel is largely untapped and I'd have to agree. It does seem that things are going well for the Lenton Lane company. Sure some of the growth in pre-tax profits are down to some pretty fortuitous exchange rates right now, nearly £1m of them to be precise. That's obviously out of Games Workshops control and how long that will last is anyone's guess. But the underlying truth remains that fundamentally Games Workshop are getting more out of their core business and also maximising the profitability of their IP, even if it is via partnership ventures.


Interestingly though, even after all those cost cutting exercises Games Workshop's operating costs rose by a fair old chunk this year. That will be inflation for you! So I guess we'll see yet another annual price hike to account for 'adjusted' inflation predictions. My ball park guesstimation figure is that we'll see around about a 7.5% hike in prices. But, we'll see if that actually happens. I'm sure there will be those out there who'll try and come up with conspiracy theories or wild explanations as to what all this means. They will try to make sense of the data in a way that matches up with their world view. I have to be honest I very nearly fell into that trap, and might yet. It'll all be guess work though without the actual key internal figures I'd wager. When the simplest explanation seems the most plausible, Games Workshop have had a very good year, in comparison to their recent past. I know some of you won't believe it and will be sitting there scratching your heads slowly rocking backwards and forwards, muttering things like 'this can't be happening' or 'it's all lies, lies I tell you'. But here's the deal, it is happening. What's more I don't think it's a bad thing.

Here's why. I truly believe that Games Workshop have done a great service to the wargames community and industry over the years. That might get people wanting to spit in my face or do even nastier things to me. I accept that, because a lot of you out there are rightly angry at the company for many reasons which, I won't go into now. However, ask yourselves how many of you started in the hobby because of Games Workshop? I'd wager a good old chunk of you. They recruit people to the hobby, I mean it's all they drill into their store managers, recruit, recruit, recruit! Why? Because they know that not everyone will stick at the hobby, some will walk away. Others will be happy with what they've got and not feel the need to buy stuff ever again. Some will become hardcore hobbyists, that's people like us I'm afraid. People for whom wargaming is their biggest hobby and arguably one of the most important things in their life... OK I'll say it, we're nerds!!!

It's all about the starter baby

Games Workshops business plan isn't designed to retain nerds, geeks or obsessive compulsives. No, it's designed to be a sausage factory, and no that isn't a gay euphemism. Games Workshop work on the principle that new hobbyists will spend more in the short term than long term hobbyists. Long term hobbyists will already have had that initial hit, or spending spike and have pretty much what they need. If they stay happy in the hobby great, but its not necessary for them to do so. But, if they do stay in the hobby, then on an edition change in a game they will encourage them to either have to re-shape what they already own, or buy an entirely new army. In short they know they can't run their business off of this sort of customer. Hence this drive to recruit new hobbyists all the time, this insatiable urge the company has to sell 'core games'. There are new tricks though, they have finally learned it seems that they can try to illicit more cash from their long term customers through supplements like Storm of Magic or standalone games like Dreadfleet, but lets not kid ourselves that this will become the focus of their business, it won't. It's just another fillip to stimulate increased turnover.

No matter what people say, 40k is still massively popular

So what do they do? Well they target every aspect of their core products at new hobbyists. Their paint range is designed to make painting for new hobbyists easy. They even provide easy to build scenery in their stores, hell possibly even the gaming table. Their games themselves are very simplified and easy to learn, nothing too taxing. They make entrance into the hobby far less daunting, they reduce the effort required, and in doing so possibly increase the likelihood that geeks like us will become disgruntled. Lets look at it dispassionately for a second if we can. If they continue to churn out disgruntled gamers at the end of their hobbying process then that's great for us surely? Each one of those gamers is an opportunity for us to grow the wider hobby. It's up to us to ensure they remain gamers and play some of these other great games out there. We need to make sure they don't just quit the hobby altogether, Games Workshop can continue doing their part and it's up to us to make sure we do ours, because other companies now produce the products we require to retain apathy and rage quitters.

So in summing up, what does this all mean? I'm not sure it means anything specific to me, I've always watched Games Workshop in a sense from afar, and I've always tried recruiting people to other game systems. I mean, I still don't like working with Finecast as a painter. Its a horrible substance more akin to the God awful rubbery miniatures you get in board games. Its not a pleasure to paint, although for 'kit bashers' I can see its appeal, note I didn't say converters! I also find using tweezers to pick bits of pink latex moulds out of recesses of Finecast miniatures destroys my will to live. I hate filling in all the air bubbles, and having to re-sculpt missing details, because it's now 'part of the product'. I still can't stand playing Warhammer Fantasy Battle 8th Edition, I hate it, hate it, hate it! In short everything I've said about Games Workshop remains true for me, and many of you I'm sure. I'll continue to play what I'm playing because I'm loving it, and I can see that these games are growing and gaining in popularity. I'm enjoying my hobby, I'm still enjoying blogging and so I'll continue to tell you what I think. My opinions. Because that's all they are, 'opinions' my view on the hobby. I hope I never present anything I say as 'fact', I certainly don't intend to. It's why my favourite phrases are things like 'I believe' or 'in my opinion' and one of the words I use most in my blog and comments on others blogs, right after dichotomy, is anecdotal. Just remember your truth is another mans lie, so don't get caught up in the hype. Enjoy your hobby how you see fit and don't give a flying fudge cake what anyone else says, sure go out and promote the hobby you love, just don't be a dick about it. Peace out!

24 comments:

  1. No matter what complaints I have of GW (and everyone else), they are the ones who got me (and them) into this hobby and hopefully they bring more into this community of ours. In which I agree with this article. One magic player once told me "Everyday someone quits magic, so I like to take the effort and get new players into this game so it doesn't die." In which I say can be the same for 40k and miniature gaming in general.

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  2. @Heavy D6, your friend was absolutely right. I've lost count of the people / friends who have been lost to the hobby as a whole. No matter what hobby it is you'll always need fresh blood. Some hobby's attrition rates are undoubtedly higher than others. Of that there can be no doubt... and I think wargaming has one of the highest.

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  3. Is kitbashing not 'true' converting now, then?

    <_<

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  4. @Von, Nooooo. It never has been either. Simply changing out a Space Marines left arm with power sword for left arm with slightly different power sword is not converting in my eyes. Games Workshops range of miniatures encourages simple arm / weapon swaps with the way they're designed... but I wouldn't kid myself or anyone else that it's converting. Sorry, it's not in my opinion. Now re-shaping that arm and repositioning the legs by cutting notches in them and sculpting with green stuff or whatever to hide the work you've done, now that's converting in my opinion. Actually physically changing the model in front of you, rather than sticking pre-made arms or items onto it.

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  5. PS just to be clear Von, I'm not being snobby about either process. I've seen some awesomely cool kit bashed miniatures over the years... no... I'm just being snobby about using the correct terms for both!!!

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  6. @Frontline - I was also going to rip into you for the seemingly elitist comment about kit-bashing, but you managed to answer that before I'd even written it.

    On-Topic - This is something I have to remind myself of repeatedly. I used to play in a group of about eight people and figured that any opinion that was mutual amongst that group must be roughly the truth. Then I played in a few different clubs and they all stuck to completely different "truths". Then I read things like YTTH and 3++ and my eyes were finally opened to the true breadth of things (not that YTTH is a beacon of enlightened, more like a hive of scum and villainy).

    There's a lot of anger on the internet, and the natural echo chamber it provides makes it so much worse. I see people tell me Grey Knights are unbeatable, that this is unassailable truth, then I beat them like they were any other army. I get told that none can stand against Dark Lance spam, and watch those same Dark Lances deflect off vehicles a whole 50% of the time (wow, it's almost like Str8 vs AV12 isn't a magical death ray).

    I spent about half an hour or so being educated on Friday night about why Eighth sucks so badly no one would want to play it. Then I found out half of my "non-club" gaming group want to play it.

    When it comes to this hobby, nothing is true. Exposing yourself to opposing viewpoints is one of the only ways to keep at least a pretence of balance (and therefore reality). Hey, it's one of the reasons I read this blog o' yours.

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  7. @Ant, yep I've re-read that and it could come off as being snobby but that's not what I mean. I just like people to use the correct terms. Like undercoat and primer... yes there is a difference there too. But I too digress...

    Reality is, there is no reality. Only our individual takes on it. I would not like to present anything I say as fact unless it is unequivocal provable fact. It's interesting you say Dark Lance spam is seen as something evil. I've been told the exact opposite and that Dark Lances suck and are over pointed for what they are. I'd certainly err on that side of the debate, from a maths analysis point of view.

    I try to stay balanced in what I write and say, and I do this by reading blogs that might not be my thing. Or only write about things I don't necessarily play. I also seek out other sources too. But it's never going to be the whole picture and ultimately is all this blog was other peoples regurgitated articles or opinions no one would come here to read it now would they? I certainly wouldn't. lol.

    No this blog is my reality, my spin on things and while I try to keep things balanced and as objective as I can. Ultimately though for someone who loves the hobby as much as I do I'm going to be subjective and I know it. I'm always honest about where I'm coming from though and why I believe what I do, it's for others to make their own minds up. I'm not some cult leader or guru, I'm just some guy dumping his thoughts onto a page at the end of the day. No different to anyone else.

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  8. The THQ effect on GW could be more thank just royalty payments. How many people have got into (or back into) the hobby after playing Space Marine? It's this kind of product synergy ( I think that the term I'm looking for) that I think is the future of GW. Appeal to other markets with other products and you will pull more new hobbyists into your core business.

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  9. @MCT, I think you're right. However, I think they missed a big opportunity with the game itself, the physical box and in particular the manual tot he game. There wasn't really anything in there to advertise the product that inspired it was there? FFG had adverts and stuff in there why not GW? Their marketing department needs a rocket up the ass they really do!!! lol.

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  10. @Frontline - Heh, you see? Two completely different stories we've heard about Dark Lances. In context the weapons are fine, and DE is a great codex (lots of options, very well balanced, unique style).

    "I'm not some cult leader or guru, I'm just some guy dumping his thoughts onto a page at the end of the day. No different to anyone else."

    I'm sorry, I couldn't resist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW8fDw8VzKI

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  11. @Ant, perfect example of differing realities. I happen to think Dark Lances (or glances in some circles) are a bit below par considering their points cost. But that's just me. As for posting links to the Life of Brian... I approve!!! :D One of my favourite films EVER!!! Might watch it again tonight. I need a good laugh.

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  12. Great post.
    I believe GW will continue to grow here in the US.
    Many new 40k players showed up following the release of the Dawn of War on PC.
    There's not an 11 to 19 year old in the US WITHOUT an XBox, so the Space Marine game will draw some more in.
    You're also VERY correct about another thing- GW is targeting quick turnarounds (they're a business....it's what businesses do), and has little interest in 'retaining customers' beyond that initial army purchase.
    *shrug*
    I still believe a good 'black box' release and 6th edition 40k goodness could make us all love them again...maybe myself, included.
    YOU'D BETTER NOT MESS UP MY TAU, GW!
    *ahem*
    The Tournament scene continues to grow by leaps and bounds here, however.
    It just gets bigger and bigger.
    That's how every game rolls here in the US, though- very few people play 'at home,' since they simply don't have the resources (or room!).
    They play at the gamestore, and get sucked into a club (I'm in Ordo Malleus, and our rivals include the Cellar Dwellers and Brothers Grimm).
    The Club offers a regular stream of opponents, support in the form of a forum, and a community to join.
    Before you know it, your attending weekly events.
    These are informal affairs, not to be considered 'hardcore tournaments' by any means.
    I've never attended NOVA, and I have little interest in the GT (too hardcore for my lil' xenos butt), but weekly get-togethers with my club and the occasional trip out to the other clubs are a time-honored tradition.
    It's mostly a social thing here, as the majority of people I game with don't read hobby blogs, believe it or not!
    (which hurts my feelings cuz I should be famous!)
    Without our brick and mortar gamestores (the place I frequent has room for DOZENS of tables), and their weekly events....oh, boy- how sad and lonely our hobby scene would be.
    I definitely feel that this may very well be a big year for GW, either success or fail wise.
    A lot is riding on 6th edition 40k for them...my club has enough members playing FoW now that we're running weekly events for that now.
    Golden Age indeed...now let's see where GW lands when the chips start falling.
    It's gonna be a fun ride, fer sure!

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  13. P.S.- coffee at 5:30 pm...
    Don't you judge me!
    ....my head hurts....
    -_-
    Two hangovers in one week....ugh.

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  14. @Ant Holloway, I did end up watching the life of Brian. good God I love that film so much. I've seen it so many times now you'd think I'd not be amused by it anymore, but right on cue I'll PMSL. Hilarious film.

    @SinSynn, Games Workshop are quite happy to see the back of us hobbyists by the time we hit 17 or 18. After university, or our first failed attempts at getting a career, they might be happy to see us come back in our mid 20's to early 30's. They'll not have changed much and we'll all still recognise the same fluff and miniatures. The rules will be familiar and we might start up again. We'll be like new starters again spending lots of dosh, then they can annoy us all over again and we leave again. I've never 'left' the hobby really as I'm too much of a sad geek. But I have had barren spells where I couldn't get a game and ended up back in the GW fold. I don't want that to ever happen again. I sick of feeling robbed by their cheap ass product and I'm tired of their dull uninspiring games. I've been there and worn the T-shirt with GW. They hold nothing new or exciting for me. We're done. I'll take a look at 6th ed 40k, but I won't be holding my breath.

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  15. @Frontline - Any excuse to whip out the Python is a good excuse.

    @SinSynn & Frontline - I think they want to hang onto us through the heady "First pay-check" and "Student loan" eras, but after that we tend to be more trouble than we're worth.

    We don't buy enough stuff, we waste the Store Manager's time complaining about things they can't fix, we form clubs outside the GW framework that don't do anything to really advertise their product, and we whine loudly on the internet.

    Wait, now I've written that it looks like a decent business plan... /grin.

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  16. @Ant, too right. If they can continue to bring fresh blood in like they have. If that falters then they'll suddenly be in trouble again. Pokemon anyone? All it takes is a new craze or fad and GW could be evacuating the brown stuff all over a moving fan. It's a risky business plan, but that's how you get great short term yields.

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  17. @Frontline - Ah, Pokemon - how I miss and yet loathe thee, in equal measure.

    Yep, it's risky but it's pretty much the only way they can continue to operate at their size. Free money, free time and a group to play with are the big motivating factors for their market, and they know it. Problem is, when we get older other things become more important for our time and money (kids/work/partners) and we break away from our original groups that we played with. It's harder and harder to keep us, even with a perfect product. Similar to long-term MMOs (oh, hai, WoW).

    I'm not entirely sure what model could be adopted at this point to rectify that. There are holes in their current model that can be fixed, to be sure, but I'm not sure there's another model that would suit them. If I think of it, I'll be sure to ring up Mr Wells and offer it to him, at a reasonable price.

    I'm just don't think trying to appease the old-timers is a great plan, leave that to the new boys on the block who want to sell their fancy new games, concentrate on what you're good at - eating kids alive. To quote a great man: "Fans are clingy complaining dipshits who will never, ever be grateful for any concession you make. The moment you shut out their shrill, tremulous voices the happier you will be for it."

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    1. For some reason I seem to have missed this comment Ant. Too busy watching Monty Python. Honestly I think as a games producer I think there business plan works quite well. They produce large scale simplistic games that kids can understand, and there's nothing wrong with that by the way!!! That is not intended as an insult. As I've said this means they bring fresh blood into the hobby. Their store set up though... that's a different story.

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  18. I mostly adree with what has been said both in your great articles on the subject and in the comments, yet I`m not willing to be so forgiving about it. You see, when I started WHFB I wanted to get involved because it was a "grown up thing" -lots of older kids and students played it, so I sold my lego to invest in high elves. I got a good game in which I literally invested weeks and month playing, painting or simply daydreaming about the fluff.

    When I now look at the unbearable sales pitch, listen to the people in the stores or look at those fugly pseudo-he-man terrain, I`m not only up in arms as an old critical grunt, the little boy inside me from way back is up in arms too.

    Everything they do now seems lazily contrieved, yet they still expect their customers to invest the same amount of time and heartbood like they did back when I was young.

    You see, if I buy a game for X-box and it turns out to be quite sh*** I might be angry about the 30 EUR I wasted.
    When my GW-product "insertrandomgrimdarknamehere" turns out to be sh*** I have not only invested something between 10,50 and several thousand EUR, I have also invested hours upon hours to learn the bloody rules, convince friends and family to game with me, read the fluff, build a gaming table, assamble and paint the models etc etc.
    So If they want to go on with this whole "Look at me, I`m the GW-HOBBY! Thou shalt have no gods beside me!" they should better deliver the best damn products possible. If they don`t, they will eventually end up as "yet another toy company.

    Btw. please excuse my bad English, I`m struggeling to inprouve.

    Greetings, Alex aka. Yuggoth

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    1. Yuggoth, firstly don't worry about your English, it's pefectly fine. Secondly, I agree with you. I'm not GW's biggest fan, and unless they change their direction I don't think I ever will be again. They've burnt a lot of bridges with me as a gamer and customer, and they don't look like building any new ones anytime soon it seems. That is a shame because I truly used to love their products. Now, they just seem to be a pale shadow of their former glory, and for me they've lost ground in quality terms to many young up and coming companies.

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    2. Thank you, thats good to hear. I`m totally with you regarding the smaller companies, yet it pains me to give up hope on a system I once loved dearly. And I just hope that those companys don`t stumble in the same pitfalls like it seems to be the case already with Malifaux et al.

      Like you described in another article I guess much of it is due to the kinda incestous buisness GW has become after establishing their huge market dominance. At some point they were bound to believe their own hyperbolical nonsense I guess. That, or they think all their coustomers are utterly braindead :-D (*mustresisturgetowatchbaindeadagain*).
      It kinda reminds me of the church a bit. After they where done converting all the heathens, all was left was pressing ever increasing amounts of money from their "customers" for even bigger pieces of detail cluttered finec.. eh marble ;-)
      I think we need some kind of Martin Luther in the gaming world, nailing new sleek rules on some door in Nottingham....

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    3. Well according to some GW staff I am the herald of doom, bringing the apocalypse or something... why? Apparently because I rationally discuss why I think they're pap and more importantly, I big up others in a way that gets peoples attention apparently. I guess that's a bad thing... for them. So I guess I could be that Martin Luther figure.

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    4. Then considere me subscribed to your heresy good sir! I hope you have got yourself some sassy ex-nun (fallen Sister?) yet? :-D

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    5. Yuggoth I'm always more than happy to have extra follower's. the more the merrier I say!

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