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Does 3D printing threaten GW & the future of 40K? In recent years GW business decisions seem awfully questionable. This year especially. While normally I would be excited about the overabundance of releases & new content I can't help but question whether or not it is directly related to the increasing availability of 3D printing technology. I know this is a controversial subject, but it would be great if it could remain constructive.

As an outside observer, I cannot help to think that GW is having a going out of sale party with the frequency of releases, dataslates, chopping core codices into supplements for additional profit etc. All of it comes off as attempting to squeeze as much profit from the consumer as possible before the miniature bubble explodes. While most 3D printers currently yield inferior quality to that of GW, what of 3D printers in 5-10 years time? Here is something produced by one of our own members just recently:



Sure the quality isn't as perfect as GW products, but 5-10 years from now? How can such technology not have a "massive" impact on the miniature market especially with the outrageous price increases as of late?

Yeah, there is no other way for miniature manufacturers but to face the fact that they are all going under! After all, that is exactly what happened to all book publishers when the paper printer was invented.

3d printing isn't going to be a threat for the foreseeable future. Even if 3d printers that the average person can afford eventually match the detail of real miniatures it would be extremely unlikely for it to be cheaper than injection-molded plastic for making full armies of miniatures. High-end 3d printers will be appealing for a few dedicated hobbyists who love the potential to make custom models, but most people will still buy boxes of space marines.

The most likely reason for GW's recent behavior isn't concerns about 5-10 years from now, it's concerns about 5-10 months from now. GW's sales volume and market share are declining, taking GW's profits and stock price with them. And they can't really grow through producing superior products because their game is a hopeless mess and their management has no clue what to do with the successful IP they were handed. Meanwhile cost cutting and general attempts to manage their way out of the problem with generic business strategies have reached their limits, leaving no more room to improve profits. So they're desperately trying to extract the maximum possible profit from their existing customers before the whole thing falls apart and WOTC buys the IP in the bankruptcy sale.

 Peregrine wrote:
3d printing isn't going to be a threat for the foreseeable future. Even if 3d printers that the average person can afford eventually match the detail of real miniatures it would be extremely unlikely for it to be cheaper than injection-molded plastic for making full armies of miniatures. High-end 3d printers will be appealing for a few dedicated hobbyists who love the potential to make custom models, but most people will still buy boxes of space marines.

The most likely reason for GW's recent behavior isn't concerns about 5-10 years from now, it's concerns about 5-10 months from now. GW's sales volume and market share are declining, taking GW's profits and stock price with them. And they can't really grow through producing superior products because their game is a hopeless mess and their management has no clue what to do with the successful IP they were handed. Meanwhile cost cutting and general attempts to manage their way out of the problem with generic business strategies have reached their limits, leaving no more room to improve profits. So they're desperately trying to extract the maximum possible profit from their existing customers before the whole thing falls apart and WOTC buys the IP in the bankruptcy sale.

While I do agree that GW is on a decline and they should be concerned for their company, I don't think this decline will occur in the next couple of years... After all, they wouldn't be making 7th edition if they're just trying to max profits for the next few months.

 Dalymiddleboro wrote:

 Peregrine wrote:
3d printing isn't going to be a threat for the foreseeable future. Even if 3d printers that the average person can afford eventually match the detail of real miniatures it would be extremely unlikely for it to be cheaper than injection-molded plastic for making full armies of miniatures. High-end 3d printers will be appealing for a few dedicated hobbyists who love the potential to make custom models, but most people will still buy boxes of space marines.

The most likely reason for GW's recent behavior isn't concerns about 5-10 years from now, it's concerns about 5-10 months from now. GW's sales volume and market share are declining, taking GW's profits and stock price with them. And they can't really grow through producing superior products because their game is a hopeless mess and their management has no clue what to do with the successful IP they were handed. Meanwhile cost cutting and general attempts to manage their way out of the problem with generic business strategies have reached their limits, leaving no more room to improve profits. So they're desperately trying to extract the maximum possible profit from their existing customers before the whole thing falls apart and WOTC buys the IP in the bankruptcy sale.

While I do agree that GW is on a decline and they should be concerned for their company, I don't think this decline will occur in the next couple of years... After all, they wouldn't be making 7th edition if they're just trying to max profits for the next few months.

Why wouldn't they be making 7th edition if they wanted to increase profits for the next few months? Oh look, a giant $80 book that pretty much everyone has to buy in order to continue playing! Even if it's a scrapped together piece of crap it'll still make them a bunch of money in the short term...

 rabidguineapig wrote:

 Dalymiddleboro wrote:

 Peregrine wrote:
3d printing isn't going to be a threat for the foreseeable future. Even if 3d printers that the average person can afford eventually match the detail of real miniatures it would be extremely unlikely for it to be cheaper than injection-molded plastic for making full armies of miniatures. High-end 3d printers will be appealing for a few dedicated hobbyists who love the potential to make custom models, but most people will still buy boxes of space marines.

The most likely reason for GW's recent behavior isn't concerns about 5-10 years from now, it's concerns about 5-10 months from now. GW's sales volume and market share are declining, taking GW's profits and stock price with them. And they can't really grow through producing superior products because their game is a hopeless mess and their management has no clue what to do with the successful IP they were handed. Meanwhile cost cutting and general attempts to manage their way out of the problem with generic business strategies have reached their limits, leaving no more room to improve profits. So they're desperately trying to extract the maximum possible profit from their existing customers before the whole thing falls apart and WOTC buys the IP in the bankruptcy sale.

While I do agree that GW is on a decline and they should be concerned for their company, I don't think this decline will occur in the next couple of years... After all, they wouldn't be making 7th edition if they're just trying to max profits for the next few months.

Why wouldn't they be making 7th edition if they wanted to increase profits for the next few months? Oh look, a giant $80 book that pretty much everyone has to buy in order to continue playing! Even if it's a scrapped together piece of crap it'll still make them a bunch of money in the short term...

Because it's a lot of time and labor investment on their end.

I don't really think GW has managed to push out a new edition in the last 6 months or so in response to a bad half year report.

That said the 3d Printing thing comes up every few weeks or so and frankly I don't see GW being in danger because if they're in danger every company that makes toys in danger and those companies that are bigger than GW (like Hasbro or Mattel) will push through legislation to protect themselves which will trickle down to companies like GW who aren't as big.

 ClockworkZion wrote:
I don't really think GW has managed to push out a new edition in the last 6 months or so in response to a bad half year report.

That said the 3d Printing thing comes up every few weeks or so and frankly I don't see GW being in danger because if they're in danger every company that makes toys in danger and those companies that are bigger than GW (like Hasbro or Mattel) will push through legislation to protect themselves which will trickle down to companies like GW who aren't as big.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

 Dalymiddleboro wrote:

 rabidguineapig wrote:

 Dalymiddleboro wrote:

 Peregrine wrote:
3d printing isn't going to be a threat for the foreseeable future. Even if 3d printers that the average person can afford eventually match the detail of real miniatures it would be extremely unlikely for it to be cheaper than injection-molded plastic for making full armies of miniatures. High-end 3d printers will be appealing for a few dedicated hobbyists who love the potential to make custom models, but most people will still buy boxes of space marines.

The most likely reason for GW's recent behavior isn't concerns about 5-10 years from now, it's concerns about 5-10 months from now. GW's sales volume and market share are declining, taking GW's profits and stock price with them. And they can't really grow through producing superior products because their game is a hopeless mess and their management has no clue what to do with the successful IP they were handed. Meanwhile cost cutting and general attempts to manage their way out of the problem with generic business strategies have reached their limits, leaving no more room to improve profits. So they're desperately trying to extract the maximum possible profit from their existing customers before the whole thing falls apart and WOTC buys the IP in the bankruptcy sale.

While I do agree that GW is on a decline and they should be concerned for their company, I don't think this decline will occur in the next couple of years... After all, they wouldn't be making 7th edition if they're just trying to max profits for the next few months.

Why wouldn't they be making 7th edition if they wanted to increase profits for the next few months? Oh look, a giant $80 book that pretty much everyone has to buy in order to continue playing! Even if it's a scrapped together piece of crap it'll still make them a bunch of money in the short term...

Because it's a lot of time and labor investment on their end.

I'm sure it's not nearly enough time or labor to result in a loss of short term profit. If that type of release was something that lost them money in the short term but gained it back over the course of a few years I would agree with you, but a brand new rules edition sells both a new book that a large majority of players will have to buy and brings people back into the hobby (if only for a short period of time) to try the updated rules. They really can't lose anything by releasing a new edition, even if they're going out of business within the next year.

I agree that 3D printers aren't a threat immediately, but if all the new releases point to anything it's that they ARE trying to boost profits right now not built a stable long term game.

It's a shift in business model, just like how file sharing and high speed internet shook up the record and movie industries.

It'll be interesting to see how it plays out success or fail and which companies embrace and eschew this tech. I imagine this as more of a question of distribution methods rather than a direct threat. I think ClockworkZion is on a similar line of thought as I am.

 reiner wrote:
It's a shift in business model, just like how file sharing and high speed internet shook up the record and movie industries.

It'll be interesting to see how it plays out success or fail and which companies embrace and eschew this tech. I imagine this as more of a question of distribution methods rather than a direct threat. I think ClockworkZion is on a similar line of thought as I am.

It's possible that may happen eventually, but that'd require a LOT of people to adopt the technology before it's viable. I see that being a long ways off.

 ClockworkZion wrote:

 reiner wrote:
It's a shift in business model, just like how file sharing and high speed internet shook up the record and movie industries.

It'll be interesting to see how it plays out success or fail and which companies embrace and eschew this tech. I imagine this as more of a question of distribution methods rather than a direct threat. I think ClockworkZion is on a similar line of thought as I am.

It's possible that may happen eventually, but that'd require a LOT of people to adopt the technology before it's viable. I see that being a long ways off.

I agree based on precedence. We're likely seeing the baby steps now and won't see the final model for a while. For example, how long from the advent of compressed audio until iTunes emerged?

Just to be clear , piracy has not harmed the Record industry to a degree that it is defunct.

This will not harm GW in the slightest simply because in 5 to 10 years GW won't be around if it continues at this pace.

It'll most likely be bought out then broken off piecemeals to different companies who work with the IP, specifically HASBRO. They're known for buying companies that are in a slump. This will be no different. They've kept Magic alive the best scenario we can hope for is a buy out by Hasbro. Of course this may mean the closing of all GW stores, or it being sold off as Franchises.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/386957.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/488265.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/577145.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/573271.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/499652.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/549260.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/582355.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/450226.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/572203.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/448482.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/572203.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/428391.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/543303.page

With £d printers to be viable to challenge people like Gw the cost per unit would have to come way down and that will take more than 5-10 years and in that time, its most likely more efficiencies will be generated in conventional moulding processes.

Also there will be the technical knowlage gap and the cost of software to actually run the 3d printer so limited people could use one. This will also have to be brided.

I see 3d printing in having a place in the market and industry as a way of making cheap one off prototypes but i cannot see a buisness case for it being used anywhere near enough to cause issues to people like GW.

Eboosk did not kill off the book industry, just as the home printer did not kill off the paper/print industry

I disagree with your interpretation that GW is having one last big profit squeeze before they shut up shop. If everyone were to give up when things change we'd have very little to show for the last few thousand years of human development.

They will try to adapt, and will look for ways to monetize 3D printing in their own way. You can bet your bottom dollar there's an early 3D printer somewhere in GW HW right now, and they are fiddling with it.

It's hard to say what they will do. Maybe they will stop manufacturing models themselves and they'll sell you the schematics instead, but for quite a high price.

Maybe they will sell you special GW printing materials that they've researched and found to be the best for this type of printing.

Maybe they will have really high end printers in-store, so you can watch your models being made - a bit like those bear factory shops (i.e no more "made in china").

Just some thoughts of my own. I'd definitely agree it's a risky time for them though, if this technology really takes off and they get their strategy wrong they will be doomed.

 Dalymiddleboro wrote:

 rabidguineapig wrote:

 Dalymiddleboro wrote:

 Peregrine wrote:
3d printing isn't going to be a threat for the foreseeable future. Even if 3d printers that the average person can afford eventually match the detail of real miniatures it would be extremely unlikely for it to be cheaper than injection-molded plastic for making full armies of miniatures. High-end 3d printers will be appealing for a few dedicated hobbyists who love the potential to make custom models, but most people will still buy boxes of space marines.

The most likely reason for GW's recent behavior isn't concerns about 5-10 years from now, it's concerns about 5-10 months from now. GW's sales volume and market share are declining, taking GW's profits and stock price with them. And they can't really grow through producing superior products because their game is a hopeless mess and their management has no clue what to do with the successful IP they were handed. Meanwhile cost cutting and general attempts to manage their way out of the problem with generic business strategies have reached their limits, leaving no more room to improve profits. So they're desperately trying to extract the maximum possible profit from their existing customers before the whole thing falls apart and WOTC buys the IP in the bankruptcy sale.

While I do agree that GW is on a decline and they should be concerned for their company, I don't think this decline will occur in the next couple of years... After all, they wouldn't be making 7th edition if they're just trying to max profits for the next few months.

Why wouldn't they be making 7th edition if they wanted to increase profits for the next few months? Oh look, a giant $80 book that pretty much everyone has to buy in order to continue playing! Even if it's a scrapped together piece of crap it'll still make them a bunch of money in the short term...

Because it's a lot of time and labor investment on their end.

Change 12 rules, add 9 more pictures. That'll be $80, please.

Seriously, they know what to change. And it would take one guy 2 days to do it and one editor a week to format it.
Simply adding the words, "Is a type of area terrain" to the ruins section would be earth shaking to some.

Now 3D printing wouldn't cause a direct problem for GW, it does cause several problems indirectly. When the printing process improves it will make it far easier for an individual or start-up companies to create templates for manufacture. These folks would then be able to produce and market very high quality products without having to have the developmental infrastructure that was needed in the past. Being that these small companies are not beholden to investors, they are more nimble and can specialize in smaller aspects of the market and wil lstill generate a profit, which will cut into GW's operations even further.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

cammy wrote:
With £d printers to be viable to challenge people like Gw the cost per unit would have to come way down and that will take more than 5-10 years and in that time, its most likely more efficiencies will be generated in conventional moulding processes.

Also there will be the technical knowlage gap and the cost of software to actually run the 3d printer so limited people could use one. This will also have to be brided.

I see 3d printing in having a place in the market and industry as a way of making cheap one off prototypes but i cannot see a buisness case for it being used anywhere near enough to cause issues to people like GW.

Eboosk did not kill off the book industry, just as the home printer did not kill off the paper/print industry

Waaaaaay off topic and I apologize. But, Is the GBp symbol located on the "3" key in England? If so what's on the 4? This is what's above the 4 in the US "$".

£ is above the 3 $ is above the 4 and on some keyboards ( depends on make) the € is the ctrl+alt function on the 4 key

 Ailaros wrote:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/386957.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/488265.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/577145.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/573271.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/499652.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/549260.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/582355.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/450226.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/572203.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/448482.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/572203.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/428391.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/543303.page

I'm bookmarking this. So tired of the same thread every week.

Is it that time of month again?

Until I can pick up a good quality, 3D Printer for less then $250, and it won't take me a year to print out an entire army for 40K, no. There is no threat. In other words, it'll be a while before it's more economical and time saving to buy a 3D printer, get the data files (unless you are a digital sculptor and proficient in 3D modeling and all the software that goes with it), buy the raw material, and start printing the stuff out. Who has the time to wait 14 hours to print out one Space Marine? Oh, I only need to print out 39 more...

I also like how no one ever seems to discuss in these threads where you will be getting the data files to print these models from. With the way GW's legal department goes after people for even mentioning the word "Space Marine", what do you think they will do to those that try to distribute (sell) these files for their models? Just because you got the files off the web somewhere and NOT from GW does not make it legal. That makes you a software pirate, and you are breaking the law just to play a game of little toy soldiers.

Damn, now I need to get to the store to buy some tampons...

I could see GW perhaps licencing programs for people's printers and riding the tide that way. Gradually cutting way back on producing miniatures and instead designing items for printing as the technology becomes more sophisticated.
They could even start doing rules for some people's dream armies, such as Hrud, Old Ones, etc. putiing out a package with rules and programs to print the miniatures up.

 Ailaros wrote:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/386957.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/488265.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/577145.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/573271.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/499652.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/549260.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/582355.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/450226.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/572203.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/448482.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/572203.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/428391.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/543303.page

Praise be to you!
All those 3d printer threads again and again are starting to get annoying.