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Re: [GZG] Giving thanks...

From: John Tailby <john_tailby@x...>
Date: Tue, 1 Dec 2009 18:24:57 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: [GZG] Giving thanks...

_______________________________________________
Gzg-l mailing list
Gzg-l@mail.csua.berkeley.edu
http://mail.csua.berkeley.edu:8080/mailman/listinfo/gzg-lI sometimes
feel this forum is full of GW bashers looking for an opportunity to go
off.

GW are "good but expensive", compared to who? last time I looked GW
prices were comparable with wargames foundry and other high end
manufacturers. They are also comparable to other similar games
manufacturers like Privateer Press.

GW sales are falling. Yep that's been in their annual report for some
time. They had a huge growth in sales with their Lord of the Rings game,
but when the movies finished sales of that game went into a steeper than
expected decline.

Blood Bowl and space hulk won't make any significant blip in sales.
Space Hulk is a limited release and BB is a very niche product. Space
marines sell more than the whole of their fantasy games.

Selling to kids.
GW Australia is the most expensive place in the world by currency value
to buy their products. GW unfortunately put a regional distribution
structure in the middle of their supply chain and this adds a lot of
cost at the retail level for no value. it's easily fixed by experienced
gamers who order from a UK mail order site or GW direct often for more
than 25% of the Aus retail price. That really only leaves impulse buys
and people without an internet connection and a paypal or credit card to
sell to.

Also you need to keep attracting younger members both into your club and
your game if you want them to grow or even sustain themselves. People
change, kids find other things that get in their way, academic study,
drinking and girls being common distractions, then marrage and kids
houses etc.

Clubs also attract people by having a committed core of people that want
to play the game inviting others to play. If you don't have this then
the period will die off. Seen it happen in my club in both up and down
cycles.

I like rule updates and big shiny army list books. If there were new
rules for FT 3 and shiny fleet books full of background material,
pictures of ships, and scenario rules I'd be buying them and be inspired
to get more into the canon FT universe and the authentic models as a
result. 

________________________________
From: Tony Wilkinson <twilko@ozemail.com.au>
To: gzg-l@mail.csua.berkeley.edu
Sent: Wed, 2 December, 2009 2:48:09 PM
Subject: Re: [GZG] Giving thanks...

Thoughts on GW,

1) Their stuff is good and way overpriced.

2) They suffer hugely from rules creep, scale creep, power gamers and
just plain creep players (present company excluded.

3) Their sales model works, til now. Having been speaking to a couple of
gameshop owners/managers here in Sydney, Aus, the impression that THEY
are under is that GW sales have been falling for a few years and
dramatically in the last 2 before this year. I have been consistently
told that sales have fallen about 30% in that timeframe. The release of
BloodBowl and Space Hulk will probably turn this around for a while.

4) It seems that they attempts to constantly attract younger players is
now failing. In the couple of clubs here that I have regular dealings
with there are a number of gamers like myself who are introducing their
children to miniature gaming, and they are not going GW. Also when
parents come to these clubs seeking some place safe for their children
to play, the club members are steering them towards games other than GW.
In the club I have most to do with, 40K and WarHammer Fantasy are now
minor games.

5) Anything that lawyers do is expensive! They charge like wounded bulls
and you can bet that a single letter sent from a lawyer cost GW a pretty
penny or two. ;)

Just my two bob's worth.
Tony.

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Gzg-l@mail.csua...berkeley.edu
http://mail.csua.berkeley.edu:8080/mailman/listinfo/gzg-l


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