Games Workshop is Dead! Long Live Games Workshop!

[Terminal Blue]

I'd like to underscore this great suggestion. I loved Mordheim to pieces. The scale of it was perfectly matched to the scope of its story (competing warbands scavenging a devestated city for Warp McGuffins) and the games were frickin' lightning round fast compared to WH40k battles.

Guess what.

They've pulled the miniature ranges for Mordheim.

..and Necromunda.

..and Battlefleet Gothic.

..and Blood Bowl.

That's what finally did it for me. I don't have time or money to play a full game of 40k, but I loved the specialist games. I've decided at this point that GW don't want my money, and since I would rather gouge out my own eyes than play in one of their stores nowadays there's nothing to stop me from playing their games (using the third party living rule books, made by people who actually gave a shit) using all the exciting, and frankly more artistically pleasing models produced by better companies who do seem to want my money.

 

[matrix3509]

Ever since GW figured out they could force fans to buy a new army every year with their piece of shit codex writers, it was only a matter time until people started leaving. 40k fans are probably the most loyal fans of anything in the universe, and no other company regularly shits on its fans as spitefully as GW.

 

[karloss01]

I've never played a GW game in my life, but reading that article makes me think they certainly deserve to burn. Hell, the whole thing comes off as a letter from an abused lover. Dump their asses; go out into the world and find someone new!

That's the thing, for a long time there was no one else that could compete with them. it's only till recently a bunch of miniature companies have been able to produce a similar quality to that of GW. I would like them the get a kick up the arse and reduce their prices a bit, but I'm fairly sure its not going to happen.

 

[BayouStalker]

GW has a very bad habit of refusing to adapt to the market around themselves, and they seem to think they are still the only wargame on the block. They have extreme competition around them, who have better customer service and interaction with their fanbase, and cheaper start up costs. I have been interested in starting up a WH40k army, but then I keep comparing their entry costs to Privateer Press's own things, and its like night and day. This is also not mentioning the tactics they used at one point to feel out a market, such as giving perks to gaming stores, seeing how well sales do before pulling out the perks and setting up their own shop, crippling the gaming store in the process.

I would like them to still be around, the orks are at least interesting for them, but overall, they have a track record of believing that the market should change for them.

 

[mattaui]

Warhammer Fantasy and 40k are one of the hobbies that, like was mentioned in the article, I loved to get into when I had more time, and I still try to keep up to date and even buy a few new minis for my Space Marines and Lizards now and then. But once I get it all out, paint it up a bit and then reread the rules, I remember how much time it's going to take me to go to the stores, get some practice in on games to learn the new edition, and then the day long tourneys (which is all I really used to do).

It's at that point I mournfully pack everything back up until another year or two later when I get the urge to repeat the process and wonder if this time I'll be able to spare the time, money and effort to get back into it.

I think some faster playing and better organized rules would do wonders for them, but the sheer expense is what's killed a lot of the interest for any of the would be younger players. All the stores around me (of those that haven't outright closed) seem to be primarily tabletop RPG and Magic places with some varied wargaming thrown in, but the dominance I saw for Games Workshop product a decade ago and earlier is just not there anymore, if it's played at all.

About all I can say on a positive note is that my initial investment is at least still functional, as long as I'm willing to shell out about $100 every few years to update the rules, maybe more if I want the new OP unit they introduced with that Codex.

 

[Augustine]

As much as GW would want us to believe that without it there would be no Warhammer, it is simply not true.

GW has long been in decline - not financially perhaps, but as a leader in tabletop hobbies. Warhammer, as a property, deserves someone better then they are.

 

[Vivi22]

After dumping about $6000 USD on Warhammer 40k, I quit. I had a large scale Chaos army at that time, packed it away in storage and forgot I had it for a few years. A hurricane later and over 2/3 of the army was destroyed. I was mad. A few months afterward I moved in with a friend from work who happened to own a gaming store... Aaaand the wallet cried. I almost started up my 40k army again, then WarMachine came out. After that, fuck Games Workshop. Privateer Press all the way for me.

Agreed. I was playing Warhammer for a couple of years with friends, had two armies, spent a lot of time and money, but then I found out about Warmachine and Hordes and a few of us picked it up, and started playing with some friends who also played. Better game balance, more consistent updates, they actually seem to give a rats ass about game balance and, of course, lower cost.

For less than what I spent on either of the starter boxes for my two 40k armies (neither of which actually provided a fully legal army without buying at least one more model to serve as an HQ), I was able to buy the Warmachine rulebook, the Khador starter box, the official faction paints, and the template set for the game. And my army was technically legal (for battle box games anyway, but toss in another $15-20 and I was at a legit 15 point army). And if we want to get really technical, I got most of that for less than the cost of the actual 40k rule book.

I just want to emphasize that again: I had everything I needed to start playing Warmachine for around the same cost as the 40k RULE BOOK. And with 40k you'd still need to spend another $50 on your army Codex, and a solid $150 or so for a legal army. By the time you're actually sitting down and playing 40k your cost to start playing is already three times that of starting Warmachine. And you've still got to deal with Games Workshop releasing a completely new edition every few years, new codices, and keeping to a release schedule which almost guarantees that even if they cared about game balance and wanted to fix things that are broken, it'll be years before it happens. And it also almost never happens.

Games Workshop wants to sell you as many models and books as they can, as often as they can. Privateer Press seems to actually want to have a fun game that people will want to play first, and let the model sales fall out of that. Basically, when I give Privateer Press my money, I feel like they have some respect for me and aren't just trying to get my money by any means necessary.

 

[Shamanic Rhythm]

I personally am cheering with every mile the Games Workshop Hindenburg plummets in altitude. It took every scrap of pocket money and every ounce of leverage I had over my parents just to accumulate a 1000 point army by the time I was 14, and then they changed the fucking rules and made the combination of models I had unfieldable unless I shelled out for more miniatures and paint.

I moved very quickly onto video games at that point, but my brother stuck with it. It's occasionally fun to watch his eyes light up with rage as he describes the Australian price gouging and codex gimping, but I still hope that someday he'll be free.

 

[Zykon TheLich_v1legacy]

As much as GW would want us to believe that without it there would be no Warhammer, it is simply not true.

Considering that about the only original GW designer etc left in the company is Jervis Johnson, I'd say that currently there's more Warhammer outside of GW than there is in.


EDIT:
Also, on a side note, WTF is this with everyone saying their army was suddenly rendered worthless by new codex X? I still use my Rogue Trader Ork and Guard armies in 6th ed, all it requires is a little bit of rearranging the squads.

 

[Warsmith17]

I honestly don't think the miniatures are that great. I did when I played, but looking at them now, especially next to the better quality historical plastics, they look plain silly. The proportions are insane, especially hands on the Imperial Guardsman, they just look grotesque now that I'm used to painting stuff with proper proportions.

 

[RicoADF]

My poison of choice was always Battlefleet Gothic, I liked 40k well enough but BFG was my favourite game by GW.

Naturally they dropped all support for it.

I stopped playing Warhammer due to the insane turn lengths and the frankly insulting prices, I play the odd game of Warmachine now and I've got a new toy spaceship game with models easily as nice as BFG and half the price. My complete fleet will probably run me £200.

May I ask what game is this, Id like to find another BFG like game but can only find mongooses armada, been wanting to find out if the model quality is any good since I display the models more than play them.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

**SNIP**

I also want to say that Privateer Press' models seem to be of better detail and quality, plus all the models I have bought are pewter whereas only a few of the GW models are and the rest are plastic. I had a fully functional large scale Warjack army and spent about half of what I would have if I was going to attempt to have a tournament worthy 40k army. I also enjoy the crossover between the RPG and the Miniatures game. I haven't played or bought new material in a while since I moved to a seemingly anti-hobby town but I remember there was supposed to be rules to transfer an RPG character to the mini's game at some point.

 

[Zontar]

I've personally been playing Heroclix in my post GM gaming life (don't judge me, the comic book store next to my collage has them and my friends like them to). They might not be assembled or painted, but for just playing they are fun, and with the exception of the very rare models are very cheap.

 

[Shinkicker444]

Ugh, everytime I think about trying WH the startup price just makes me cringe. I could do something similar just playing DoW with my friends over skype or something for a far far far far cheaper outlay. Far faster to.

 

[Lotet]

Guess what.

They've pulled the miniature ranges for Mordheim.

..and Necromunda.

..and Battlefleet Gothic.

..and Blood Bowl.

WHAT!? NOOOOOOO!! I wanted to get some Necromunda Redemptionists and a bunch of randoms from the Mordheim set to add some character to my armies!

 

[-Dragmire-]

There was a time I was really interested in tabletop gaming but, at the time, I only knew of Games Workshop owned games. My first trip into a GW store was at first thrilling as I played a simple game while vets taught the basic rules and then crushed when I saw the price tags. Also, I didn't want to paint, just play.

By the time I had heard of other tabletop games, I didn't have the time or money to invest in that hobby as well as friends who were into that sort of thing.

 

[Azahul]

My local store is a mix. Warmachine/Hordes gained a LOT of popularity when it was first released, both with the store and the players. Privateer Press didn't have the bullshit order/retail space restrictions like Games Workshop had and the figures were comparable to GWs but were less than 1/2 the price.

My only complaint about Warmachine is the recent switch to plastic figures. Their whole selling point initially was that their figures were METAL and AFFORDABLE. Then again, their "Play like you got a pair" slogan was a bit ahem.

Heh, I play Minions. I don't think our first plastic model (a plastic War Hog) has even been released yet. And if it has, well, I already own three. So plastic isn't something I've run into much.

And I've always rather liked Page 5, even if those final words could have been phrased better. It expresses some perfectly fine sentiments about sportsmanship and the like.

Anyway, there's still some Warhammer stuff on the shelves at the local store. I've never seen anyone buy it, I've never seen anyone play the game there, and the Warmachine crowd is pretty big. I can't say I'd even notice if Games Workshop collapsed completely. Been a long, long time since I payed any attention to anything they released.

 

[Ubiquitous Duck]

I have to agree with their pricing strategy just being what is biting them on the arse here.

I never had warhammer/games workshop as a main hobby, so it was always this extra thing I would delve into from time to time and build up my army over a long period.

Now, basically all unit boxes are (at least in the UK) around or above £30. This is as much as a brand new PC game, so not considering how fast prices drop from full price, even at this point - I would always go for the computer game. You are just getting SO much more for your money.

So as a casual games workshopper, I quit. There was no way I was spending that much money on so little.

Maybe they thought they could be the Abercrombie & Fitch of miniatures?