Poll: New GW CEO

[taylorton147]

no that games workshop has a new CEO ( going by this of course http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/138546-Games-Workshop-Appoints-Company-Veteran-Kevin-Rountree-as-New-CEO) do you actually think changes that the customer will want will come about, or make the same mistakes like the last one, like axing jobs at a 25% profit fall because they are losing customers fast.

I love GW growing up, it was relaxing and took the edge of life. but the price rise just made it impossible for a student to carry on. So I hope some major changes come this year and maybe i can get back to the hobby

 

[Queen Michael]

I'm just hoping that this guy brings more Gaunt's Ghosts novels in print again.

 

[laggyteabag]

All I really care about is if this guy can stop giving licences to shovelware developers. I mean, there must've been a pretty large line of developers who were interested in working with the 40K universe, so why in the hell did they give it to the devs of Ride to Hell: Retribution of all people? AND WHY DO THEY KEEP ON MAKING iOS AND ANDROID GAMES?!

Sure we have that MMO game on the way, and that is cool and all, but then we also have that 40K chess game coming out, which was certainly a weird use of the licence, but the real question is, where is the Dawn of War 3 and the Space Marine 2? What the hell is Relic doing and why do they (presumably) not have the rights to make 40K games anymore? They did good before, let them carry on!

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I'm just hoping that this guy brings more Gaunt's Ghosts novels in print again.

That's just Black Library being assholes. Everything has to be online, and special editions now. If you want to keep up on the Horus Heresy novels, you have to read their eBooks which they only offer 200 or so as a limited edition, or wait ten months until they get released in an overpriced hardcover omnibus. For a story that might be shit anyways because there's only four or five writers for Black Library who are worth a damn anyways.

The Warmaster came out this year though, and the new Anthology Sabbat Crusade apparently also includes an appendix featuring all the writings from Abnett's out of print Sabbat Worlds Crusade sourcebook.

 

[Queen Michael]

I'm just hoping that this guy brings more Gaunt's Ghosts novels in print again.

That's just Black Library being assholes. Everything has to be online, and special editions now. If you want to keep up on the Horus Heresy novels, you have to read their eBooks which they only offer 200 or so as a limited edition, or wait ten months until they get released in an overpriced hardcover omnibus. For a story that might be shit anyways because there's only four or five writers for Black Library who are worth a damn anyways.

Makes me glad that I haven't started reading the Horus Heresy series yet.

 

[Ieyke]

Well, Tom Kirby was a fucking nutball.
All I can say with any certainty is that he wasn't the one you want in charge.
As for the new guy, well, a lot of times a new CEO will just be someone promoted up who was just like the last guy....so that's not promising.
But theoretically it's unlikely they choose someone as screwy as Kirby...sooo....*mild optimism*?

Even if he's more sane, that doesn't mean more business sense, less greed, or any such things.

They're going to start releasing paperback Codices again, the last couple and next couple Codices have all suddenly had very minimal numbers of new units/models, ForgeWorld has dropped the prices on a unit or two....
There's really no telling what this means in the bigger picture, but it certainly seems like things are working a bit differently.
*shrug*

I just want living Codices and roughly a 33% price drop across the board. THEN I might have the time and money to keep up with the game again.

-

I'd say there are only ~3 BL writers worth a damn.
Aaron Dembski-Bowden
Dan Abnett
Nick Kyme

Can't think of any others that impress me/haven't found a way to piss me off.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I'd say there are only ~3 BL writers worth a damn.
Aaron Dembski-Bowden
Dan Abnett
Nick Kyme

Can't think of any others that impress me/haven't found a way to piss me off.

I really don't like Nick Kyme, but whatever. I have enjoyed stuff by Chris Wraight, and if you go back waay back, Ian Watson's work in the early days of Black Library is brilliantly weird, if you're into the stranger aspects of 40K.

 

[Ieyke]

All I know is that Kyme is the 3rd best Ultramarines writer after ADB and Abnett, and seemingly a good Salamanders writer.
What he's done beyond that, I dunno.

 

[taylorton147]

i mean they can't keep going the way they are going though, profits are still dropping despite having axed jobs. also doesn't look like they got that much business over christmas either

 

[Aulleas123]

The corporate management treats the hobby like a car salesman or typical retailer would, just getting people to make some initial purchases then not support the full aspects of the hobby. I remember one of the best aspects of Games Workshop was going to little events at the individual stores, such as mini-tournaments and campaigns where customers could sign up and participate for merchandise and other prizes. It was the community that GW stores used to build among hobbyists and veteran gamers when they didn't focus on every profit margin that made GW worth going to.

Now, there are no store-run events, there are no veteran activities, resulting in no community. Why would I go to a hobby store where I am treated like an average customer when instead I could be treated like a member of the hobby community? Ultimately, many other hobbyists agreed with me and stopped purchasing GW products, enough to make a 25% loss in profits. I don't think that it's always price, but I wouldn't be surprised if that turned off a lot of hobbyists. I blame their store community model, or the lack thereof.

 

[Muspelheim]

Don't worry, sport! I'll make sure we keep selling them space dollies at a reasonable price! Trust me, I worked at Mattel for seven years, I'll handle the complicated stuff!

...Is how I imagine it'll be.

 

[Zipa]

All I really care about is if this guy can stop giving licences to shovelware developers. I mean, there must've been a pretty large line of developers who were interested in working with the 40K universe, so why in the hell did they give it to the devs of Ride to Hell: Retribution of all people? AND WHY DO THEY KEEP ON MAKING iOS AND ANDROID GAMES?!

Sure we have that MMO game on the way, and that is cool and all, but then we also have that 40K chess game coming out, which was certainly a weird use of the licence, but the real question is, where is the Dawn of War 3 and the Space Marine 2? What the hell is Relic doing and why do they (presumably) not have the rights to make 40K games anymore? They did good before, let them carry on!

Relic were a THQ developer so the license likely went down with THQ. Sega who bought Relic would likely have to get a new license from GW.

 

[Thaluikhain]

It was the community that GW stores used to build among hobbyists and veteran gamers when they didn't focus on every profit margin that made GW worth going to.

Now, there are no store-run events, there are no veteran activities, resulting in no community. Why would I go to a hobby store where I am treated like an average customer when instead I could be treated like a member of the hobby community? Ultimately, many other hobbyists agreed with me and stopped purchasing GW products, enough to make a 25% loss in profits. I don't think that it's always price, but I wouldn't be surprised if that turned off a lot of hobbyists. I blame their store community model, or the lack thereof.

Wasn't that for me, the price is annoying, but seemingly giving up caring about the fluff was. Back in the day, you could buy WD for the fiction they'd stick in, they gradually got rid of that and replaced backstory with "this is the most epicest/scariest/awesomest thing evah!" for everything. The technical qualities of the models may have improved, but they are really silly nowdays.

The HE had chariots for many years. They also had chariots pulled by lions, cause that's somewhat cooler. But now they have chariots pulled by giant eagles that fly around, which invalidates the old chariots which have been part of the fluff for ages. They've had archers for ages, now they have archers that use bows and arrows that are made of fire.

 

[Aulleas123]

snip

Wasn't that for me, the price is annoying, but seemingly giving up caring about the fluff was. Back in the day, you could buy WD for the fiction they'd stick in, they gradually got rid of that and replaced backstory with "this is the most epicest/scariest/awesomest thing evah!" for everything. The technical qualities of the models may have improved, but they are really silly nowdays.

The HE had chariots for many years. They also had chariots pulled by lions, cause that's somewhat cooler. But now they have chariots pulled by giant eagles that fly around, which invalidates the old chariots which have been part of the fluff for ages. They've had archers for ages, now they have archers that use bows and arrows that are made of fire.

That's also very true! I hear that they're getting ready to launch a new system which will lead to the dissolving of entire armies which people have played for years. In addition, they're adding on new fluff that basically is sold as "THIS LOOKS AWESOME! BUY THIS NOW!!!" and disregarding the stuff that makes sense, like lion drawn chariots.

 

[Vivi22]

As soon as you see a story about a "company veteran," becoming CEO you know nothing will change. Especially when that guy's been the chief operating officer for the last six years.

 

[Dango]

GW? I've been waiting for this moment!

Spoiler

Out father's wish will finally be realized!

 

[Tiger King]

I haven't bought the overpriced models in many years but I do enjoy the books occasionally, that is when something half decent gets published.

I can't see much improvement happening anytime soon price wise though. In fact I am inclined to expect a price hike.

What's that saying?
Meet the new boss same as the old boss?

 

[Gennadios]

Well, I hadn't been at the GW store for about 5 months. Just checked the prices and it doesn't look like any sweeping changes were made. Armies are as small and expensive as they've always been.

I think it's too early to tell. Either GW will start incorporating some of the better policies of their competitors, or they'll keep doing what they've always been doing.

Only difference I've seen so far is more licensed properties, but the quality hasn't been all that great. Seems like they're just handing out licenses to whoever has the cash, which doesn't show a respect or desire to preserve the integrity of the property. Not a good sign.

 

[Mangod]

Internally promoted company veteran? Yeah, I really doubt there'll be any major changes in how the company is run. It'll likely be the same old routine for another year. I mean, the latest release (far as I know), is the End Times Nagash stuff, which I can't even tell what it is. Is it an expansion? A codex? 9th Ed?

*sigh* I am so glad I jumped ship to Infinity. At least it's playable without selling your children to the shoe factory.

 

[taylorton147]

OH conquest(40k card game) is actually really fun and for like £20 comes with a decent amount of stuff. incase any of you were wondering