North Star Now Running Artizan Designs

[Helen]

Hi Guys,

Please checkout this link below about the news:

http://theminiaturespage.com/news/40701/

Helen

[joroas]

Yet another slice of the gaming pie moves to Nottingham, a city surely drowning in lead...................

[Geudens]

Is this a good or a bad thing?

Rudi

[Captain Blood]

I think for Artizan fans, it's probably quite a good thing.
Mike had previewed this on the Yahoo group a couple of weeks ago, with a very sensible explanation along the lines of not having enough time to do the sculpting and run the business. Plus having had a long trade distribution relationship with North Star anyway, this is just one more logical step, and so on.

The good news is that (Mike says) he'll be able to spend a lot more time making and releasing new figures. Obviously don't know the exact business relationship - as in, has he sold the company and brand to North Star? I get the impression not. So it looks like Artizan will continue in more or less its current form in terms of product ranges and development. But the shop window, fulfillment, marketing, and distribution will all be in the hands of North Star.

This is the second or third such tie-up we've seen in the last few weeks...
Definitely feels like there's a bit of a shake-out going on. Whether this is just part of the cycle of independent companies starting and then folding / getting absorbed, or whether it's credit crunch related... Well, difficult to say. But it's looking like a trend.

Next question. Is this kind of consolidation good for the wargames hobby in general? And for consumers?
Bigger companies ought to be able to offer better service, improved marketing and so on. But if we look at the example of the few players who have made it really big, it doesn't give one a whole lot of confidence 

[Drunkendwarf]

Is this a good or a bad thing?

I suppose it is a good thing, I never had any problems when dealing with Northstar. Remember that Great War Miniatures are also represented by Northstar, they never been "independent".
Crusader Miniatures went the same road as Artizan a few months ago.

I don't know if Northstar has had a hand in this but Artizan has a new website which is a pleasure to visit.

The sculpters can spent more time on their core bussiness: scuplting beautifull miniatures!!!
I hope Mike of Artizan will sculpt more miniatures for the Great War in Africa range forBrigade Games.

DJ

edit: Hmm, someone beat me answering this...

[Phil Robinson]

It will be bad news if we have to get Thrilling Tales figures in packs though

[Drunkendwarf]

It will be bad news if we have to get Thrilling Tales figures in packs though

At the moment there is a choice for packs and singles, I think Thrilling Tales must be about singles looking at the variety of miniatures.
Artizan also has a new site which is very user-friendly (for me it is )

http://www.artizandesigns.com/

DJ

[Col.Stone]

Like the new site, and Nick at northstar has alway delivered so this has to be all good

[Orctrader]

Is this a good or a bad thing?

Good.  Outsourced Sales and Logistics so Mike concentrates on the core activity.  Hence there will be more new figures.  Same Business Model as Crusader which works a treat.