Pingo Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Ooof. GW relased their half-year report. Earnings way down, profit way down, and their stock just tanked. We may not have them to kick around much longer. Hmm. No dividends per share this time. That's new. They did say ... During the first half, the rapid transition from multi-man stores to one-man stores and the reduction of trading hours across the Group caused disruption in our retail chain. We also experienced some decline in sales through independent stockists. We view these as short-term issues and expect to see growth return in both channels. We continue with our store opening programme (27 stores opened, 20 closed in the period) secure in the knowledge that our one man model allows us to ensure new openings are profitable. ... The annoying thing is they have generally made quality products (the finecast fiasco and certain aesthetic considerations notwithstanding); it's only their prices, their corporate policies, and their draconian and slightly dodgy protection of what they say is their intellectual property which makes them so unsavory to deal with. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Girot Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 (edited) The annoying thing is they have generally made quality products (the finecast fiasco and certain aesthetic considerations notwithstanding); it's only their prices, their corporate policies, and their draconian and slightly dodgy protection of what they say is their intellectual property which makes them so unsavory to deal with. ^This exactly. I'd been a very long time fanatic of 40k and when things got bad it felt like I'd been betrayed by a long time friend. I've consolidated my collection to three armies but can't bring myself to work on them. It really sucks. Edited January 16, 2014 by Girot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nocturne Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 It's one of those times where I really have to seperate the art from the artist (or at least the company, I'm sure the actual sculptors are lovely people). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Inner Geek Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Things must be rough at GW, I've heard they're ditching their monthly catalog... I mean magazine. But don't worry, I sure it's going bi-weekly at nearly the same price but half the size... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nocturne Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 (edited) Things must be rough at GW, I've heard they're ditching their monthly catalog... I mean magazine. But don't worry, I sure it's going bi-weekly at nearly the same price but half the size... Nope, new monthly magazine AND a weekly publication. I hated the last revamp. They used to do some great in depth painting guides but they were replaced with very basic thumbnail photos with no details. EDIT: Some info on the two publications here: http://www.beastsofwar.com/games-workshop/games-workshops-white-dwarf-magazine-changing/ Also some analysis of yesterdays report, because why not: http://www.beastsofwar.com/warhammer-40k/games-workshop-thinking/ Edited January 17, 2014 by Nocturne 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizardMage Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 The article was interesting Nocturne. Several of the comments pointed out a few trends I've seen at local GW stores and the one employee model. The spaces have become quite limited and gaming is very limited, hobby advice is essentially out the window, and it can be extremely hard for them to teach new players when another customer enters. One of their employees pointed out to me that the biggest goal is to eventually push all gaming and hobby portions of the game to third party B&M stores. Still though, I really think the biggest thorn in their side is pricing. You cannot get into WHF, 40K, and LotR at a reasonable price unless the starter sets include the army that you want. Also, I do think it is incredibly stupid to offer your digital products at the exact price as physical product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars Porsenna Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Still though, I really think the biggest thorn in their side is pricing. You cannot get into WHF, 40K, and LotR at a reasonable price unless the starter sets include the army that you want. Also, I do think it is incredibly stupid to offer your digital products at the exact price as physical product. AFAIK they don't. Their 40K codices are around $49.50 in dead tree format. The recently released Tyrranid Codex is $34.99 (see: http://www.blacklibrary.com/games-workshop-digital-editions/Codex) Damon. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizardMage Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Still though, I really think the biggest thorn in their side is pricing. You cannot get into WHF, 40K, and LotR at a reasonable price unless the starter sets include the army that you want. Also, I do think it is incredibly stupid to offer your digital products at the exact price as physical product. AFAIK they don't. Their 40K codices are around $49.50 in dead tree format. The recently released Tyrranid Codex is $34.99 (see: http://www.blacklibrary.com/games-workshop-digital-editions/Codex) Damon. Ah, that's good to some extent. When Lizardmen were updated it was the same on both. Glad to see some change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant_Crunch Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Still though, I really think the biggest thorn in their side is pricing. You cannot get into WHF, 40K, and LotR at a reasonable price unless the starter sets include the army that you want. Also, I do think it is incredibly stupid to offer your digital products at the exact price as physical product. AFAIK they don't. Their 40K codices are around $49.50 in dead tree format. The recently released Tyrranid Codex is $34.99 (see: http://www.blacklibrary.com/games-workshop-digital-editions/Codex) Damon. Granted it has been almost 10 years since I played 40k, but $50 for a codex?!?!?!?! How much is the rulebook going for? I know I paid $50 for the 5th edition book and am sure it's more by now. You're talking at least a $100 dollar entry fee before even buying the miniatures, which themselves are ridiculously priced. No wonder they are losing profit, the cost of entry is too high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars Porsenna Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Rulebook is $74.25. Damon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant_Crunch Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Again, I haven't paid much attention to GW over the past 5 years or so but it seemed that their business model was to maintain a steady stream of new customers buying box sets to start rather than focus on retaining existing players. This pricing scheme seems to fly in the face of logic regarding that strategy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizardMage Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 (edited) Well to be fair, Sarge, it still is and if you do it the GW way it is a good deal. For the $100 starter sets you get two fieldable armies, a small sized rule book with all the rules, dice, rulers, and terrain. The Hobbit starter alone we figured at my office to be well over $300 dollars if they sold it piece meal. The downside to this is that you have a good chance of either a) Not wanting either faction in the starter or B) newbie decides after playing and learning the game they want a different faction after all and now starting the very long road of fieldable army buying. I came into WFB buying the rule book, the lizard codex, and two troop boxes and a saurus old-blood. I wished and still wish they would just make the army boxes themselves mini starters. Edited January 18, 2014 by LizardMage 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpio616 Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 (edited) WTF! Instinctive Behavior: Feed is now cannibalize your own unit?! Edited January 23, 2014 by scorpio616 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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