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"Secondly, I will review our product range. We believe this is long overdue: it is time for a resetting of the ranges. Not tweaking here and
there but a top down reassessment. I expect to update you further at the half year. We will aim to continue to deliver outstanding
product and customer service, maintain our Group gross margin and continue to improve our Group stock turn. To be absolutely clear I
will not be reducing the RRP of our products: they are premium priced for their premium quality. I will, however, be looking to offer a
broader range of price points. This is exciting and is for the long term, so I'm not promising when you will see a change. We have
already started the brainstorming in our monthly strategic product meetings. It is early days, but I can already foresee some busy times
ahead. "

Not necessarily new ( i'm unaware if it has been posted yet), but a review of the product range could mean nearly anything. It might mean prices, or model amounts in specific box sets. Recently we have been seeing either large, outrageous sets with entire armies in them(Expensive ) And small boxes of 5-10 models( still expensive ) . We all want a drop in prices, despite Games Workshop considering their products as "Premium quality". I cannot argue over the rather large models and their price ( A titan can be what the set price is due to size), but the fact that a small box of Ork boyz is 30$ is worth arguing about. Ideally, these sets of 10 models should rarely go over 20$. More specialized sets such as Necron lychguards(33$ for 5 models), would be slightly more(Maybe 25$) due to their role in the game. With those examples, i feel that the quality of the models should not be what judges their price. It should instead be their role in the game accompanied by the size. We can all agree that Games workshop is high quality, and has been maintained/ improved through the years. But if this quality is so consistent, then why raise the prices on these lesser models? That is the true question. Why should I spend 30$ on a box of 10 models that fits in an army where you need 30+ models for a full Waaaghh? That's 90$+ for infantry alone, and that's not including any HQ, vehicles, etc. With how other companies have been setting prices, Games workshop should really be Lowering their prices. For example, maelstrom's edge is new, yes. But they offer the entire set (A sh** ton of models) for 90$. i don't know if this is for a limited time, or until it grows, but the difference overall is astonishing.

But let me get to the point here, as we all have done plenty of ranting about Prices. I want to know from the community, what does this specifically mean for us wargamers. Do you all think that there will be a drop in prices, or just another wave of prices/ product bundles and minor changes? Will Games Workshop hear our pleas, or continue to send us more models with their current pricing system?

 cman64 wrote:
I want to know from the community, what does this specifically mean for us wargamers. Do you all think that there will be a drop in prices, ...

GW Fincancial Report that you just quoted wrote:...To be absolutely clear I will not be reducing the RRP of our products:...

I would expect it to be repackaging and cutting of underperforming product, with the possibiity of some lower price-point lines (so smaller boxes or a return of an increased blister range) and/or bundle deals.

"RRP of our products: they are premium priced for their premium quality. "

This still don't get a CRITICAL POINT:

Rules are a product. They are far from premium.
If you are not a games company, then you are just another revell or (generous) finemolds model company at best, or a franklin mint at worst.

oh, and for a game, customer service includes faq updates.

My understanding of "Reviewing the product range" means "Killing off Fantasy and replacing it with Age of Sigmar, where we will slowly retire large chunks of the range".

 jonolikespie wrote:
My understanding of "Reviewing the product range" means "Killing off Fantasy and replacing it with Age of Sigmar, where we will slowly retire large chunks of the range".

This plus making the game more and more aimed at kids, and removing all manners of adult content from the game and miniatures

 Trondheim wrote:

 jonolikespie wrote:
My understanding of "Reviewing the product range" means "Killing off Fantasy and replacing it with Age of Sigmar, where we will slowly retire large chunks of the range".

This plus making the game more and more aimed at kids, and removing all manners of adult content from the game and miniatures

Which is a really good idea if you want to expand your target audience. I ran a hobby store. Can you imagine how unpleasant it is to have a conversation with a mother about why little Timmy is painting old school Daemonettes? If you want to appeal to as wide a market as possible, you have to make your line somewhat neutral and non-offensive. Keep the offensive stuff in your 'elite' line... i.e. Forgeworld.

It's impossible to know exactly what Unboundtree meant. He comes off as a bit of a raving lunatic. Anyway, I digress.

Regarding the whole kid friendly thing... This is the biggest crock of BS I've ever heard. It's right up there with "we're not a game company". W40K is the 'grim dark', The 'grim dark' is the spice that makes W40K flavorful. Take that away and you end up with a bland, salt-less cracker. No one wants that.

Can you imagine how unpleasant it is to have a conversation with a mother about why little Timmy is painting old school Daemonettes?

No I cannot. I fail to see how or why this would be "unpleasant" or uncomfortable - I'm not being sarcastic. Perhaps the discomfort is entirely one sided.

 jonolikespie wrote:
My understanding of "Reviewing the product range" means "Killing off Fantasy and replacing it with Age of Sigmar, where we will slowly retire large chunks of the range".

Yeah, that's my understanding as well. We've already seen what happened when they "reviewed" the WHFB range. Next up for "review" is almost certainly the various Tolkien lines.

"Reviewing the product range" really can mean just about anything. Replacing WFB with AoS, for example. There is also the all-but-confirmed replacement of the Hobbit/LotR with Horus Heresy.

And, of course, the possibility that they might decide to ditch the last few metal models they still have, along with most of the failcast, and just tell us to suck it up when they remove those models from the upcoming books.

Let's just change the name of the company to Space Marines R Us and be done with it. M'kay.

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
"Reviewing the product range" really can mean just about anything. Replacing WFB with AoS, for example. There is also the all-but-confirmed replacement of the Hobbit/LotR with Horus Heresy.

And, of course, the possibility that they might decide to ditch the last few metal models they still have, along with most of the failcast, and just tell us to suck it up when they remove those models from the upcoming books.

Right. It can mean a lot of things.

"Reviewing the product range" is something that every company should do regularly. If you have 800 widgets on your shelves that haven't sold in 2 years, stop making them.

80% of my company's sales through 2Q15 were of products that didn't exist 5 years ago and my company is over 100 years old.

Get to getting, or die.

I just hope I can keep my Steel Legion molds

Molds?

It makes sense. Rules are just marketing for widgets, after all, and if widgets aren't selling for whatever reason you need to think about why you're producing them. Getting rid of under-producers like Warhammer Boring and LOTR is a good way of trimming the fat and allowing them to concentrate on profitable parts of the business.

I think that's why Space Marines are so successful, in part, in that while there's a ton of Space Marine kits they're mostly interchangeable and have a fantastic kit-bashing potential, whereas other lines like the Dark Eldar and Eldar do not. Tyranids have an enormous potential for build-a-bug kits, but nobody seems to have followed up on that.

40k is more successful than Fantasy and LOTR, and will be more successful than AoS, because it's sci-fi. Sci-fi is a bigger market than fantasy across the board. Compare sci-fi to fantasy in any medium and it's the same.

GW seem to be raising box prices but including more models for a better deal (Dryads, Skullcrushers).

 cman64 wrote:
"Secondly, I will review our product range. We believe this is long overdue: it is time for a resetting of the ranges. Not tweaking here and
there but a top down reassessment.

Looks like 40k is due to receive the "AoS" treatment. It's been fun. GGNORE

 Breotan wrote:

 cman64 wrote:
"Secondly, I will review our product range. We believe this is long overdue: it is time for a resetting of the ranges. Not tweaking here and
there but a top down reassessment.

Looks like 40k is due to receive the "AoS" treatment. It's been fun. GGNORE

Doubtful!

Ideally, yes. They will be getting rid of LOTR and The Hobbit. I honestly see that as their best option if that is somewhat what they mean as reviewing their product. They could move such kits and sets to Forge World, and I hope they bring in the Horus Heresy. However, that slot may not even be filled. Regardless as to what they may do, I want to thank you all for helping me understand what they meant. Hopefully we get more information on these changes in the future

 Kriswall wrote:

 Trondheim wrote:

 jonolikespie wrote:
My understanding of "Reviewing the product range" means "Killing off Fantasy and replacing it with Age of Sigmar, where we will slowly retire large chunks of the range".

This plus making the game more and more aimed at kids, and removing all manners of adult content from the game and miniatures

Which is a really good idea if you want to expand your target audience. I ran a hobby store. Can you imagine how unpleasant it is to have a conversation with a mother about why little Timmy is painting old school Daemonettes? If you want to appeal to as wide a market as possible, you have to make your line somewhat neutral and non-offensive. Keep the offensive stuff in your 'elite' line... i.e. Forgeworld.

Whilst I agree with you about the demonettes, they were a very small proportion of the whole GW output. The relentless genocidal hyper-violence might in some way be considered a worse thing to deal with.

That aside, making your game appeal to kids is only a good move if you simultaneously retain the loyalty of your adult customers.

Nomeny wrote:
It makes sense. Rules are just marketing for widgets, after all, and if widgets aren't selling for whatever reason you need to think about why you're producing them. Getting rid of under-producers like Warhammer Boring and LOTR is a good way of trimming the fat and allowing them to concentrate on profitable parts of the business.

I think that's why Space Marines are so successful, in part, in that while there's a ton of Space Marine kits they're mostly interchangeable and have a fantastic kit-bashing potential, whereas other lines like the Dark Eldar and Eldar do not. Tyranids have an enormous potential for build-a-bug kits, but nobody seems to have followed up on that.

Alternatively consider if there is a problem with your rules.

Rules are much easier to change than widgets.

It's interesting how aggressively he states that they won't be reducing the RRP of any of their products. It's like they know it's a problem but are making it clear that's off the table in case any shareholder dares to think otherwise - because they want to preserve their perceived premium status at all costs it seems.

It's not the kind of thing someone normally says, kind of like telling people you're not on fire, it's not relevant if you aren't on fire, and a clear sign there's something wrong with you if you are but refuse to acknowledge there's a problem.

I was going to do a joke post, that GW had reviewed all their miniatures, and was replacing each of their armies with space marines.

Then I remembered Age of Sigmar, and the joke did not seem as funny, somehow.

The Auld Grump

It simply means keep reducing costs and keep milking the cow

LA GARDE MEURT, MAIS NE SE REND PAS!

Review Product Range = Kill Fantasy and push Sigmarines, more space marines, let LOTR die, increase prices

Joyboozer wrote:
It's not the kind of thing someone normally says, kind of like telling people you're not on fire, it's not relevant if you aren't on fire, and a clear sign there's something wrong with you if you are but refuse to acknowledge there's a problem.

I think its just directed specifically to us weird people of DakkaDakka and Warseer who pick apart GW's financial statements line, when these statements really aren't expected to be read at all. Its saying 'shut up DakkaDakka, I'm not caving to your incessant whinging: we're profitable, staying profitable, increasingly profitable, deal with it'.

It's true that GW is profitable however the evidence of the past few years is that they have been losing customers and sales at a rate that if continued would put them in the red in another two or three years.

It is natural that management would take steps to address this issue before it becomes a serious problem.

To look at the situation more positively it is an opportunity, because the company is more efficient now than five years ago, so if thehy can expand sales their profit margin will increase rapidly.

Trasvi wrote:

Joyboozer wrote:
It's not the kind of thing someone normally says, kind of like telling people you're not on fire, it's not relevant if you aren't on fire, and a clear sign there's something wrong with you if you are but refuse to acknowledge there's a problem.

I think its just directed specifically to us weird people of DakkaDakka and Warseer who pick apart GW's financial statements line, when these statements really aren't expected to be read at all. Its saying 'shut up DakkaDakka, I'm not caving to your incessant whinging: we're profitable, staying profitable, increasingly profitable, deal with it'.

When has the company ever done anything, in recent years, to show that they care about what the fans either think or feel? Think it's fair to say the internet forum community is probably even further down that list

It would make more sense to review GW corporate, it's very top heavy for a company that is no longer expanding.

Who is being quoted and to when was it said/written?

There is a heck of a difference if it comes from when before AoS was announced or if it was dated to this September '15. If the strategy is brand new it sounds like it will affect 40K too, while if it is old news we now know it is "just" referring to AoS.

@cman64, please give the info required.