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Author Topic: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread  (Read 1682947 times)

Offline Modhail

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #390 on: January 20, 2014, 10:16:33 PM »
Having digested everything that has been said about GW after the announcement of the share value drop and financial report, it seems to me that GW's biggest problem these days is trust. People clearly still love their IP and product, or they wouldn't get so bent out of shape over all this. But GW has lost the trust of both consumer and independent retailer. Both groups seem to approach GW with an attitude of  "I wonder how they will screw us over this time?"
Judging by share value, they are now (maybe only temporarily) losing the trust of shareholders as well.

Behind all the gnashing of teeth over pricing, sales restrictions, casting materials and quality, design, lawsuits and such, over the past years, seems to be this basic dissactisfaction:
An increasing segment of customers (and "ex-"customers) no longer trust GW to deliver value for money or even to give consideration to their user experience/satisfaction.
Those consumers that  "evangelise(d)" the brand no longer trust GW to let them preach in peace. The spectre of the C&D is large these days.
Most retailers (at least the ones that I know) no longer trust GW to deal with them fairly or on equal terms, GW is seen as a necessary evil. It's no longer seen as a co-operative relationship, but an exploitative.
Now shareholders seem doubt if GW can give them return on investment, otherwise they would value the shares higher.
GW so far has always dealt with problems through business decisions/actions, rational* measures. But no business-like solutions can fix loss of trust.
I wonder if GW, with it's current company culture and attitude can find a way to fix this problem, or even correctly identify it.
If not, one can only hope that the IP gets picked up by someone who can.

During the recession banks weathered the loss of trust because no one, person or business, can function without them. I don't think GW is that indispensable...


*: Note: rational, as in "generated from the mind", not necessarily sensible or logical....

Offline Chaos Wolf

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #391 on: January 22, 2014, 01:17:31 AM »
I just read elsewhere on the interwebs that GW is closing down several of it's regional HQ's and assigning the responsibility for their operations to other (presumably larger) HQ's. I also read that they were axing several of their armies from the the line of products. Specifically mentioned were Sisters of Battle, Bretonnians, Beastmen, Wood Elves, and Tomb Kings.

I'm not trying to spread rumors, was just curious if anyone here had heard/could substantiate the validity of this?

Offline beefcake

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #392 on: January 22, 2014, 01:27:17 AM »
I think that is more likely to be rumor than anything. Tomb kings was first to receive the new army book for WHFB so I doubt they would axe that. Beastmen has been a standard part of GW for a long time(although it was part of huge bigger chaos force list along with demons). I would be happy if they axed tomb kings and combined it back with vampire counts though. 1 undead force is all you need and I liked how the old undead book allowed you a variety of different general types for the army. But that's just my point of view.


Offline Vermis

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #393 on: January 22, 2014, 04:04:45 AM »
I think axing armies is a rumour too, but I have heard that they're moving certain boxes for each army (or some) to direct order only. With the usual breezy lark of kicking customers and retailers in the backside.

Offline FramFramson

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #394 on: January 22, 2014, 05:48:55 AM »
Axing armies would be the final straw because honestly, they have most of the figures already made and once they go down that route, they literally won't have any product left to sell! I mean there hasn't even been a new Sororitas figure in ages anyway, nor does it look like they plan to make one (I always joke that this is because there's a big NO GURLZ ALOUD sign on the GW HQ), so I'm not even sure how axing the Sisters (for example) would even save money.

I doubt that particular rumour is accurate.


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Offline Mason

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #395 on: January 22, 2014, 08:57:54 AM »
With all this talk about axing armies raising its head, it has made me think of those poor old Squats all over again.... :'( :'( :'(


I never did understand why they would do that then, and it makes even less sense now, when I know there is still a lot of love for them years later.
Bastards!
 >:(

(At least the Squats are alive and well in my sci-fi universe!).

Online OSHIROmodels

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #396 on: January 22, 2014, 09:17:56 AM »
I remember seeing Jes Godwins sketches for the 40k version of Skaven. Rather Necromunda styley  8)

Question is, when they eventually go under will the original moulds be scrapped  ??? They must have literally thousand of old moulds.

cheers

James
cheers

James

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Offline beefcake

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #397 on: January 22, 2014, 09:47:59 AM »
I know, bring back the realm of chaos stuff, zoats, screamer killer, aargh the list could go forever.

Offline Cubs

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #398 on: January 22, 2014, 09:52:41 AM »
If they weren't so sniffy about their IP, GW might have granted a licence for some of the fringe armies to other manufacturers. For a percentage fee, someone else could take the risk and expense and keep the franchise ticking over in full.

I never really understood why 'Chaos' was split into three anyway. I thought it was doing nicely with Warriors, Beastmen and Demons in the same army.
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Offline Modhail

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #399 on: January 22, 2014, 12:15:38 PM »
Question is, when they eventually go under will the original moulds be scrapped  ??? They must have literally thousand of old moulds.

Sadly, I fear we may be up for a disappointment on that point...
Last I heard GW routinely scraps moulds once they stop producing a figure. Apparently the accountants think storing old moulds has a poor return on investment and they are rather fearful of someone snagging a few and casting them...  >:(

Online OSHIROmodels

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #400 on: January 22, 2014, 12:21:02 PM »
Sounds about right  ::)

Never mind eh  :(

cheers

James

Offline Vermis

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #401 on: January 22, 2014, 12:29:03 PM »
(I always joke that this is because there's a big NO GURLZ ALOUD sign on the GW HQ)

Lenton headquarters:



Well, it'll look like that in a few years, anyway. ;)

And in seriousness, it's probably not too far off GW's intended and encouraged demographic anyway, in terms of age and maturity.

With all this talk about axing armies raising its head, it has made me think of those poor old Squats all over again.... :'( :'( :'(

The term I've seen bandied about recently, is 'being squatted'.

Offline Dr. The Viking

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #402 on: January 22, 2014, 12:29:50 PM »
To think that GW would go belly up. Ah, well... probably won't change much.


Thinking about it it's the second time though, right?

There was some economical problems in the mid nineties forcing them to make a public company right?
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Offline Mason

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #403 on: January 22, 2014, 01:11:18 PM »
I never really understood why 'Chaos' was split into three anyway. I thought it was doing nicely with Warriors, Beastmen and Demons in the same army.

To try and get people to buy three armies...and three army books....and three sets of dice....etc...

I was once told by a 40k tournament player (and he knew his stuff as he came either first or second at the UK Grand Tournament that year...) that in order to be a REALLY good tournament player, you needed to have one of every Codex and study them as you need to know EXACTLY what EVERY component of EVERY army can do.

A little too much dedication for my liking, financially and mentally.... o_o o_o o_o

That would certainly seem to fit well with the GW marketing policy though.


Offline Argonor

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #404 on: January 22, 2014, 01:15:57 PM »
I was once told by a 40k tournament player (and he knew his stuff as he came either first or second at the UK Grand Tournament that year...) that in order to be a REALLY good tournament player, you needed to have one of every Codex and study them as you need to know EXACTLY what EVERY component of EVERY army can do.

That's really just an extra-polarization of the maxims 'know thy enemy' and 'knowledge is power'. The Warhamster rules are notorious in their endless posibilty of min-maxing forces to exploit the weaknesses of your opponent.

I know of an example where one guy made an all-flying Eldar army for a friendly(!) game vs Tyranids. His opponent never played again...
Ask at the LAF, and answer shall thy be given!


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