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Made in us
Irked Necron Immortal






I'm actually rather curious as to what will actually happen if the big GW gets bankrupt and liquidated or something.

For so many years, many people have been chorusing how the company has been declining in numerous aspect and is getting out-competed by numerous other tabletop gaming companies. According to some rumors, at this rate, the entire company might as well collapse within less than a decade or so.

So.... what do you think will happen? Will we all be forced to give up on 40k, fantasy, etc and pretty much get the "epic" treatment (haha... not funny) and get squatted? Or will some other company absorb it and run it better?

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Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut





What would happen is that the various products could be auctioned off to others to pay off their bills (I know that I would be looking to snatch the LotR license, or help some other company obtain it).

And it could be that the new owners might treat the properties better.

Or... It could be that some other company could buy the whole slew of licenses, and then run the company even worse.

There are MANY different possibilities,

MB
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut





The Golden Throne

It would suck.

I'd probably give up minis.

I've been burned to many times by the "fly by night" mini games that fold under and no ones else plays them anyway.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/02/02 22:51:48


 
   
Made in us
Hellacious Havoc



The Bridge

somebody would buy it, if companys are stupid enough to keep buying chrysler over and over and over again, then GW will be snatched right up.

Man fears what he does not understand- Anton LaVey 
   
Made in gb
Wrathful Warlord Titan Commander





Ramsden Heath, Essex

And long before that the IP would have been put safely in the hands of a seperate entity entirely owned by the directors formerly of GW.

They'd try to sell it for movies etc first, relaunch the range second and then it would disappear.

Or worse, it would be bought by some American company and blander to within an inch of its existence and a range of soft toys, pre-paints, blind buy blisters and 18" action figures would be head toward a Toys R Us near you.

How do you promote your Hobby? - Legoburner "I run some crappy wargaming website " 
   
Made in us
Krazed Killa Kan





Denver, Colorado

I imagine the IP would get picked up by someone rather quickly. The brand has, if nothing else, a long history, and that would certainly have value.

It could certainly be bad, as notprop suggests, but then again there are many who criticize GW's current leadership and codex writers, so it could even be a good thing. Impossible to say, though.

"Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment." Words to live by. 
   
Made in au
Norn Queen






 Byte wrote:
It would suck.

I'd probably give up minis.

I've been burned to many times by the "fly by night" mini games that fold under and no ones else plays them anyway.


How long has it been since you looked?

I remember over 5 years ago a lot of games came and went, but the market is pretty saturated now with games that don't look like they're going anywhere. Infinity, Malifaux, Warmachine, X-Wing, Flames of War, Mantics games, Spartans games, etc all have obvious staying power.

And while many still opt to play GW games, if GW folded, they'd obviously look for a new game. Not many people keep playing a dead game. There's plenty out there to move to.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/02/02 23:00:39


 
   
Made in us
Winged Kroot Vulture






As others suggested, someone will buy it.

GW is too much of a name for someone to not want it.

I'm back! 
   
Made in us
Battlewagon Driver with Charged Engine





We, the good people of Dakka (and other sites) would create a group that would streamline, balance and publish WHFB and 40K rules for free (possibly using different names).

Then we would play.
   
Made in us
Preceptor




Rochester, NY

Meh, I wouldn't be surprised if the greedy bastards on the board think it's worth more than it actually is and never manage to sell it, instead just randomly sending C&D letters to others for infringement over the next decade or so.

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

- Hanlon's Razor
 
   
Made in us
Shas'ui with Bonding Knife





I think before they go bankrupt they will try to sell themselves off. Which means a burst of activity to try to look like their product is in demand and a valuable brand / IP, etc.

It's crossed my mind that the furor and flurry of activity we've seen the past year *might* be that, but honestly, people have been saying that GW is going to go bust any day now for like 15 years.

 daedalus wrote:

I mean, it's Dakka. I thought snide arguments from emotion were what we did here.


 
   
Made in gb
Lord Commander in a Plush Chair





Beijing

Their crops will wither and their pigs will get stolen.
   
Made in us
Wraith






A great deal of bets will finally be won.

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Made in jp
Fixture of Dakka





Japan

The world will keep on turning and with his mount of cash Kirby buys up Privateer press and company becomes a public company

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Made in us
Dwarf Runelord Banging an Anvil





Way on back in the deep caves

Fanboys will whine in the streets, crying its over, its over, there is no support, my game is dead. Model and figure secondary markets will be flooded from people dumping their armies, prices will bottom out.
After awhile folks will realize their models did not evaporate, and the game can still be played.

Realistically, the company will go into receivership and quite possibly be bought up by another company. At worst case, everything will get auctioned piecemeal, and various owners of parts will do what they will with them.

Trust in Iron and Stone  
   
Made in ie
Calculating Commissar




Frostgrave

More people will play Bolt Action.
   
Made in us
Dwarf Runelord Banging an Anvil





Way on back in the deep caves

YES!!!
The best-case scenario!

Trust in Iron and Stone  
   
Made in au
Norn Queen






 snurl wrote:
Fanboys will whine in the streets, crying its over, its over, there is no support, my game is dead. Model and figure secondary markets will be flooded from people dumping their armies, prices will bottom out.
After awhile folks will realize their models did not evaporate, and the game can still be played.


Outside of small groups, where it's even common for them to not migrate between editions, this doesn't really happen. It's not like it's common to see a game of Confrontation or AT-43 being played, or even GW specialist games, games which were looked fondly back on.
   
Made in us
Myrmidon Officer





NC

 JimOnMars wrote:
We, the good people of Dakka (and other sites) would create a group that would streamline, balance and publish WHFB and 40K rules for free (possibly using different names).

Then we would play.
What's stopping people right now from getting together and agreeing on a rules rewrite and a fandex?
   
Made in gb
Wrathful Warlord Titan Commander





Ramsden Heath, Essex

Nothing, its been done a few times (pancake edition anyone?).

How do you promote your Hobby? - Legoburner "I run some crappy wargaming website " 
   
Made in gb
Insect-Infested Nurgle Chaos Lord






 Howard A Treesong wrote:
Their crops will wither and their pigs will get stolen.




Bravo!


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[DCM]
Moustache-twirling Princeps





Gone-to-ground in the craters of Coventry

 Haight wrote:
I think before they go bankrupt they will try to sell themselves off. Which means a burst of activity to try to look like their product is in demand and a valuable brand / IP, etc.

It's crossed my mind that the furor and flurry of activity we've seen the past year *might* be that, but honestly, people have been saying that GW is going to go bust any day now for like 15 years.
That's what I thought when the codexes came out every month since 40k's 'recent' update. Make the GW rules all up to the same level, and get the buyer activity going again.
There has been talk to prospective buyers hanging around HQ, namely Hasbro. That might just be to do with consultancy work, though. GW's people have been credited for all sorts of things for years.

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Made in fr
Drew_Riggio




Versailles, France

 -Loki- wrote:
Outside of small groups, where it's even common for them to not migrate between editions, this doesn't really happen. It's not like it's common to see a game of Confrontation or AT-43 being played, or even GW specialist games, games which were looked fondly back on.

In my aera, it's currently easier to start a Bloodbow league or Mordheim campaign than a WHFB one.
   
Made in gb
Land Raider Pilot on Cruise Control





Twickenham, London

If 40K stopped production today and not a single new thing was made?

I'd go to The Winchester, have a pint and wait for the whole thing to blow over.

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Made in us
Posts with Authority






Assuming the decade long failure in the OP?

Not much of anything - if GW continues failing for that long they will have been marginalized long before reaching the end.

People would be refusing to pay their prices for broken rules, and gone on to better written games for lower prices, a few at a time.

Other games and companies would fill the niche.

That is kind of the scenario that I expect will play out - and I do not think that Hasbro will swoop in and rescue the IP. GW overvalues their IP, more likely... something else will take its place.

The Auld Grump

Kilkrazy wrote:When I was a young boy all my wargames were narratively based because I played with my toy soldiers and vehicles without the use of any rules.

The reason I bought rules and became a real wargamer was because I wanted a properly thought out structure to govern the action instead of just making things up as I went along.
 
   
Made in gb
Wrathful Warlord Titan Commander





Ramsden Heath, Essex

Hasbro wouldn't be a rescue it would be a disaster!

Cuddly Space Marines and Orks in Happy Meals within 24 months. You have been warned!

How do you promote your Hobby? - Legoburner "I run some crappy wargaming website " 
   
Made in us
Dakka Veteran





Charleston, SC, USA

 Davylove21 wrote:
If 40K stopped production today and not a single new thing was made?

I'd go to The Winchester, have a pint and wait for the whole thing to blow over.


You could probably get old snakehips to play a round with you.

If GW went bankrupt (unlikely) it would free up an even greater amount of market share for many of their already thriving competitors. I'm not very confident that a fan man main rule book would be universally accepted, though it may exist alongside older editions in small groups.

I am confident however that most people would simply just switch to Bolt Action, Warmarhordes, X-Wing, or any number of other great games and carry on their addiction to the hobby. Many of us have already done this.

In terms of buy outs/ IP transfer I'm not qualified for insight on this.
   
Made in us
Posts with Authority






 notprop wrote:
Hasbro wouldn't be a rescue it would be a disaster!

Cuddly Space Marines and Orks in Happy Meals within 24 months. You have been warned!
And it would still be an improvement of Grimnar Claus and his sleigh full of toys.

Hell - the Happy Meals would mean that they are promoting the game outside of the h-h-hobby!

But I do not expect Hasbro to buy the company - Hasbro isn't that stupid.

The Auld Grump

Kilkrazy wrote:When I was a young boy all my wargames were narratively based because I played with my toy soldiers and vehicles without the use of any rules.

The reason I bought rules and became a real wargamer was because I wanted a properly thought out structure to govern the action instead of just making things up as I went along.
 
   
Made in de
Dogged Kum






Litcheur wrote:
 -Loki- wrote:
Outside of small groups, where it's even common for them to not migrate between editions, this doesn't really happen. It's not like it's common to see a game of Confrontation or AT-43 being played, or even GW specialist games, games which were looked fondly back on.

In my aera, it's currently easier to start a Bloodbow league or Mordheim campaign than a WHFB one.


Same here!

Currently playing: Infinity, SW Legion 
   
Made in us
Hellacious Havoc



The Bridge

 notprop wrote:
And long before that the IP would have been put safely in the hands of a seperate entity entirely owned by the directors formerly of GW.

They'd try to sell it for movies etc first, relaunch the range second and then it would disappear.

Or worse, it would be bought by some American company and blander to within an inch of its existence and a range of soft toys, pre-paints, blind buy blisters and 18" action figures would be head toward a Toys R Us near you.


yeah or maybe they could get hustled to a third world country and be marketed as "made in great britain with pride"...*cough* range rover

Man fears what he does not understand- Anton LaVey 
   
 
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