As title says,
Hobby Center Kashiwa
Hobby Center Kichizyouzi
Hobby Center Ikebukuro
Hobby Center Oomiya
Hobby Center Machida
will be closed in Aug./Sep.
Those are official shop in Japan.

There is two more left.
Hobby Center Zinboucho(Headquarter)
Hobby Center Nakano
will not be closed.

Too many shops for too small(amount) people.
And if we buy at hobby center,we must pay double.Unreasonable. I always buy from UK.

But Hobby center Machida was first place I learn miniature game.
Bit sad. But We'll going on. There are other places to play games.

And at hobby center,I cant play Warmachine/Hordes/Malifaux/Infinity/Freebooter's Fate.......
So,other place is better. I know.

Maybe most of folks who are reading this is unaffected.
Anyway,this is most recent news from GW Japan.

Saw this one coming a mile away. There were just way too many shops all over and the local pricing have been giving GW a bad image for quite some time.

There is two more left.
Hobby Center Zinboucho(Headquarter)
Hobby Center Nakano
will not be closed.

At least the one I played around in will still be there. Makes me wonder if China's new branches will follow suit after a few years...

Wow, this is bad news.

Jimbocho and Nakano are the only shops I've been too. To be honest, I love Games Workshop products and systems but I hate the way the company is run. What I would really love to find is a shop that sells miniatures but is not connected with GW in any way. My hope of seeing the hobby spread in this country is pretty much ruined with this news.

Sir Motor, do you know any non-GW shops that have gaming tables in the Tokyo area?

It was a given, when I came to this country I was happy to learn that I could still use my beloved toys. But then learning the prices I lost interest buying local and started ordering on-line. Almost double the price it´s too much, I prefer to pay for the venue when I play (a couple times a year) rather than suffer the huge mark up.

M.

This is sad. The people who worked there were really nice and ran great events.

Kichijouji was right next to my girlfriend's house. Stopped by often.

When I return to Japan I wonder if they'l be any 40k going on still?

It seems that GW's strategy to choke off international internet sales and compel local players to go the the official shop and buy at highly inflated prices is a failure, then.

How will Japanese based players get models?

Sixtus wrote:Saw this one coming a mile away. There were just way too many shops all over and the local pricing have been giving GW a bad image for quite some time.

Indeed. Local pricing are very very bad thing.

AesSedai wrote:Wow, this is bad news.

Jimbocho and Nakano are the only shops I've been too. To be honest, I love Games Workshop products and systems but I hate the way the company is run. What I would really love to find is a shop that sells miniatures but is not connected with GW in any way. My hope of seeing the hobby spread in this country is pretty much ruined with this news.

Sir Motor, do you know any non-GW shops that have gaming tables in the Tokyo area?

Sad news indeed.

And I know some place non-GW shop which have gaming Tables in Tokyo area.

Yellow Submarine Akihabara TRPG shop
http://www.yellowsubmarine.co.jp/shop/shop-059.htm
Also have GW-Products.
I play there almost monthly. Not best but playable.

HobbySpace Mr.Field
http://ameblo.jp/hobbyspacemrfield/entry-10921035726.html
Never been there. But I heard there is good place.

B2F Games
http://b2fgames.com/index.php?topic=shop
For NON-GW game.
I play warmachine/hordes there weekly. Nice place.
Well stocked Privateer Press Products. Some Malifaux/Anima/Freebooter's Fate.

I hope see you guys around.

Five stores closed is a bad thing... it means that the entire market is not working with the prices they have.

When will they understand that they have to decrease the costs !?!?

I'm sorry for you guys :(

Shigate ga nai.

It was to be expected from GW, but still sad news.

Sir Motor, could you please add those stores to the dakka Store Finder. Just follow that link and click 'add a new store'. That way, anyone who wants to find a hobby shop in Japan when they are on vacation there will be able to do so.

GW has a long history of opening stores and then closing them. However, I am surprised about these closings because employees in the US were told the Japanese shops were very successful. They had only a small amount of space and limited stock, but did gang-buster business. Also the sheer scale of the closings is surprising.

Last year GW tried to make its business appear to be more successful by cutting lots of staff. I guess the only thing left to do is close stores.

I got to be honest. I did not know they War gamed in Japan at all. It's nice to hear, but sad your centers are closeing down.

I visited Yellow Submarine once or twice; I have to admit the biggest reason for me to go to Akiba was for GoGo Curry, miss that place. :(

Asia was one of GW strongest-growing markets in the last years, Black Dragon.
Japan seems to be sucked dry, time to move to the next country.

Seems like the new GW strategy is showing results

That's too bad. I've been to the Machida store a couple of times. I didn't want it to close, but the last few months it was looking pretty dire.

Hey, Sir Motor, you mentioned Infinity. Do you know anyone in Japan who plays?

It's interesting that just at a time when GW has made draconian policy changes to its previews and new release shipping in order to drive as many people as possible to their stores, they decide to close a bunch more stores.

And of course, not coincidentally, GW just activated a Japanese language website a couple weeks ago. I guess they figure they can save money by getting most of their Japanese customers to buy from the GW website and save rent on all those stores. But how do they plan to recruit new customers when their shops are their best advertising? Are there a lot of independent shops that carry GW product there as there are in many other countries or did GW just shoot themselves in the foot again?

KOS wrote:When will they understand that they have to decrease the costs !?!?

When it's way too late to make a difference.

BrassScorpion wrote:But how do they plan to recruit new customers when their shops are their best advertising?

Doesn't matter how good at advertising they are when they're advertising insane prices like the OP suggested. People aren't going to shop in stores no matter how much GW tries to force you to when you're being asked to pay twice what the rest of the world does.

Someone else said the store are always packed in Japan, so while I understand the usual negativity here, just bashing GW over their prices doesn't really add to the conversation. Clearly if the stores are always packed in Japan, someone there is buying GW product.

but apparently not enough product, since they had to close almost every store in the country...

It's interesting that just at a time when GW has made draconian policy changes to its previews and new release shipping in order to drive as many people as possible to their stores, they decide to close a bunch more stores.

I believe it is called joined up thinking.

Sorry for you guys in Japan.

Can't help thinking GW should just get out of retail and let others sell their wares.

Uh oh, sales are down! What do we do?

Step 1: Raise prices
Step 2: Close Hobby Centres (in this case it's especially strange as it seems like Japanese Hobby Centres were actually rather successful)
Step 3: ????
Step 4: Growth for the GW Hobby (TM)!

*sigh* I want to like GW. I really do. But I just don't understand them at all. What are they going to do when there are no hobby centers left to close, a single box of Space Marines costs $100 (which means, of course, it'll cost $170 AUD or more, because Australians are apparently rolling in dough and make twice as much money as everyone else in the Western world, am I right??), and their sales are still decreasing?


Actually, I know what they'll do. Raise the price of a box of Space Marines to $110.

Frankly, if the Hobby Centres are so expensive to run (as Mark Well's letter about Australia indicate), they ought to just shut down all of the US ones at the very least, since I don't know a single person who plays at a GW store regularly. Of course, that means that the six people who do play at them might set foot in an independent store and discover that other games exist. Can't have that, now, can we?

1.) Close all internet marketing.
2.) Close all internet sales to the South.
3.) Make local stores the only source for products and information.
4.) Then close the stores 4 weeks later.

Someone in the GW management must really hate his company
Seriously, this is worse than anyone could have made up a revenge campaign.
GW must have kicked Mark Well's kitten when he was a child.

Once again, I cannot stop laughing how native some people are. GW products are scheduled to failue in Asia countries no matter. It is a matter of time. Why? Physical space is essential especailly in Japan. it is hard to have an area os 4x6. Storage is always a problem, especially at home. The Japanese anime figures are far more exciting and interesting that these GW gothic junks. There is still no toy to match to those Bandai or Yamoto Macross figures in this WORLD! People in Far East look at these miniatures as joys, not as collections. Most will not play more than $1 per figure. Only those hardcore GW fanboys with no knowledge of what are games are availabe still love them.

Once again, I cannot stop laughing how native some people are.

Care to re-read this sentence?

One thing to keep in mind is the stores in japan are generally closer due to their train system and geographic setup, than it would be in the US.

It's hard to gain a foothold in japan for various reasons, but it seems the GW product is spreading, it's just unfortunate they didn't think long term when placing shops.

Machida to Ikebukuro to Akihabara is roughly a couple of hours by train and costs about 1,000 yen. So yes, the shops are fairly close together.

OTOH, the gap between them covers half the greater Tokyo megalopolis with a population of 31 million people. Perhaps the two shops left will get even more crowded than before.

Avatar 720 wrote:

Once again, I cannot stop laughing how native some people are.

Care to re-read this sentence?

Maybe the entire paragraph.... with a spell checker.

Lordhat wrote:

Avatar 720 wrote:

Once again, I cannot stop laughing how native some people are.

Care to re-read this sentence?

Maybe the entire paragraph.... with a spell checker.

I didn't actually read past the sentence I quoted, but yeah, that's a good idea.

BrassScorpion wrote:Someone else said the store are always packed in Japan, so while I understand the usual negativity here, just bashing GW over their prices doesn't really add to the conversation. Clearly if the stores are always packed in Japan, someone there is buying GW product.

Uh... Machida was always dead. Even on weekends. Not all GW stores are packed.

wilder wrote:Once again, I cannot stop laughing how native some people are. GW products are scheduled to failue in Asia countries no matter. It is a matter of time. Why? Physical space is essential especailly in Japan. it is hard to have an area os 4x6. Storage is always a problem, especially at home. The Japanese anime figures are far more exciting and interesting that these GW gothic junks. There is still no toy to match to those Bandai or Yamoto Macross figures in this WORLD! People in Far East look at these miniatures as joys, not as collections. Most will not play more than $1 per figure. Only those hardcore GW fanboys with no knowledge of what are games are availabe still love them.

Why would you laugh at how native someone is?

This isn't a really accurate assessment though. Yes, storage space is a big problem in Japan. Yes, Japanese model kits are usually very good. But finding a 4x6 space is not impossible, and I met plenty of Japanese people who liked GW's models. The issue is more likely to be finding a variety of people to play with when GW's models in Japan are so expensive. They're expensive compared to other miniatures, they're expensive compared to GW's miniatures in other countries, and they're expensive compared to other entertainment options available in Japan. But Japanese people will happily pay more than $1 per figure- I'm sure some people's figurine/gunpla collections would be astounding.

But when I can buy a fully articulated and detailed Master Grade Gundam kit in a Yodobashi camera for 3500 yen and a static, monopose Wraithlord costs 6100 yen, it's hard to see the appeal.

But when I can buy a fully articulated and detailed Master Grade Gundam kit in a Yodobashi camera for 3500 yen and a static, monopose Wraithlord costs 6100 yen, it's hard to see the appeal.

Ah, but you see, the Gundam is just a Gundam, but the Wraithlord is among the finest toy soldiers in the world! 6100 yen (almost 80 USD for those who haven't been to Japan in a while) is a steal for a miniature of such exceptional quality!



....Five posts on this forum and I think three of them are nothing but sarcastic jabs at GW.

Wow, I am shocked to learn there was more than one hobby center in Japan at all. I lived in Yokohama-Tokyo from 2007-2009, and my wife worked near the Zinbocho (or "Jimbocho") store, and sometimes I'd pop in there to take a look around when I was in the neighborhood. Here's hoping that the closures don't hurt the hobby and cause the players there more headaches.

JOHIRA wrote:

wilder wrote:Once again, I cannot stop laughing how native some people are.

Why would you laugh at how native someone is?

Come on guys, he obviously meant naïve, not native. Give him a break. And the space/storage thing is indeed an issue in average Japanese dwellings.

Hey when you guys are referring to 4x6 are you talking foot or meters? I'm having trouble imaging 4x6 foot floorspace, but meters makes a little more sense.

-MightyG

wildger wrote:Once again, I cannot stop laughing how native some people are. GW products are scheduled to failue in Asia countries no matter. It is a matter of time. Why? Physical space is essential especailly in Japan. it is hard to have an area os 4x6. Storage is always a problem, especially at home. The Japanese anime figures are far more exciting and interesting that these GW gothic junks. There is still no toy to match to those Bandai or Yamoto Macross figures in this WORLD! People in Far East look at these miniatures as joys, not as collections. Most will not play more than $1 per figure. Only those hardcore GW fanboys with no knowledge of what are games are availabe still love them.

Oh, No.... Not another one of those.....


Automatically Appended Next Post:
To the Topic at hand,


Does this count as a profit?

wildger wrote:Once again, I cannot stop laughing how native some people are. GW products are scheduled to failue in Asia countries no matter. It is a matter of time. Why? Physical space is essential especailly in Japan. it is hard to have an area os 4x6. Storage is always a problem, especially at home. The Japanese anime figures are far more exciting and interesting that these GW gothic junks. There is still no toy to match to those Bandai or Yamoto Macross figures in this WORLD! People in Far East look at these miniatures as joys, not as collections. Most will not play more than $1 per figure. Only those hardcore GW fanboys with no knowledge of what are games are availabe still love them.

Physical space. Indeed.
But we do play. We do stock.
Problem is price. When compare to Gundum thing....
Anyway,I don care anime figure. I dont like it.

agnosto wrote:I visited Yellow Submarine once or twice; I have to admit the biggest reason for me to go to Akiba was for GoGo Curry, miss that place. :(

Nice place indeed.

spaceelf wrote:GW has a long history of opening stores and then closing them. However, I am surprised about these closings because employees in the US were told the Japanese shops were very successful. They had only a small amount of space and limited stock, but did gang-buster business. Also the sheer scale of the closings is surprising.


Last year GW tried to make its business appear to be more successful by cutting lots of staff. I guess the only thing left to do is close stores.

Really? I cant believe. I think there was only little success.

JOHIRA wrote:That's too bad. I've been to the Machida store a couple of times. I didn't want it to close, but the last few months it was looking pretty dire.

Hey, Sir Motor, you mentioned Infinity. Do you know anyone in Japan who plays?

Me. I (am going to) play Infinity. I'm now translating rule book for who cant read English.

Kilkrazy wrote:Machida to Ikebukuro to Akihabara is roughly a couple of hours by train and costs about 1,000 yen. So yes, the shops are fairly close together.

OTOH, the gap between them covers half the greater Tokyo megalopolis with a population of 31 million people. Perhaps the two shops left will get even more crowded than before.

Too close in deed. Too Close.

JOHIRA wrote:

BrassScorpion wrote:Someone else said the store are always packed in Japan, so while I understand the usual negativity here, just bashing GW over their prices doesn't really add to the conversation. Clearly if the stores are always packed in Japan, someone there is buying GW product.

Uh... Machida was always dead. Even on weekends. Not all GW stores are packed.

wilder wrote:Once again, I cannot stop laughing how native some people are. GW products are scheduled to failue in Asia countries no matter. It is a matter of time. Why? Physical space is essential especailly in Japan. it is hard to have an area os 4x6. Storage is always a problem, especially at home. The Japanese anime figures are far more exciting and interesting that these GW gothic junks. There is still no toy to match to those Bandai or Yamoto Macross figures in this WORLD! People in Far East look at these miniatures as joys, not as collections. Most will not play more than $1 per figure. Only those hardcore GW fanboys with no knowledge of what are games are availabe still love them.

Why would you laugh at how native someone is?

This isn't a really accurate assessment though. Yes, storage space is a big problem in Japan. Yes, Japanese model kits are usually very good. But finding a 4x6 space is not impossible, and I met plenty of Japanese people who liked GW's models. The issue is more likely to be finding a variety of people to play with when GW's models in Japan are so expensive. They're expensive compared to other miniatures, they're expensive compared to GW's miniatures in other countries, and they're expensive compared to other entertainment options available in Japan. But Japanese people will happily pay more than $1 per figure- I'm sure some people's figurine/gunpla collections would be astounding.

But when I can buy a fully articulated and detailed Master Grade Gundam kit in a Yodobashi camera for 3500 yen and a static, monopose Wraithlord costs 6100 yen, it's hard to see the appeal.

I rarely see store is packed.
Reason?
1. Too less player.
Yes.

2.Word banning
We,experience player,use some English based word. Like "Wounds". But In hobby center,we cant use it. We must call it "Ki-du"(Translated version "wounds"). We cant play in English.Even a word.

3.Color banning
You painted slann(lizardmen big toad-like wizard) in gold? No place to play.

4.No big game
Over 1500 pts? Play other place. You cant play.

5.Give way,veterans!
Veterans cant play there without reservation.

Who want to play hobby center?

Sir Motor wrote:
2.Word banning
We,experience player,use some English based word. Like "Wounds". But In hobby center,we cant use it. We must call it "Ki-du"(Translated version "wounds"). We cant play in English.Even a word.

3.Color banning
You painted slann(lizardmen big toad-like wizard) in gold? No place to play.

4.No big game
Over 1500 pts? Play other place. You cant play.

5.Give way,veterans!
Veterans cant play there without reservation.

Who want to play hobby center?

2. WHAT?

3. What?

4. WHAT?

5. WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!

You're saying that the GW Hobby Centers in Japan actually have restrictions like this? That's completely over the top. Next thing they'll be asking players who lost the game to commit seppuku afterwards.

And I though the whole 'say something slightly disparaging about GW in one of their Hobby Centers and get kicked out' thing was bad. Man, we've got it easy.

Number 3 scares me the most.

Holy gak. Color banning? "No, you can't paint your Dark Eldar that way! YOU'RE DOING THE HOBBY WRONG! GTFO!"

I've been to the Nakano store a half dozen times. Every single time the place was dead. Recently, they got a new manager who gave me a very strong "come on guy, just leave so I don't have to interact with a foreigner" vibe. The previous guy was much better. Also, the Nakano store, for those who don't know is located in a place called Nakano broadway. Other than Akihabara, I have never seen a more geek-centric space. Unfortunately, they decided to rent the the furthest corner the get almost no geek traffic. I mean, there is even another tabletop wargaming store in the same mall with a better location.

Hold on a second here.

First, before you start blasting GW on this, maybe some facts need to come out.

Are GW products sold at a higher cost anywhere else in the country?

What's the cost of rent and labor in Japan? The prices might have been high to try and make ends meet. What about import taxes?

Australians constantly complain about GW prices, but everything over there seems to cost more, mostly due to the price of running a retail business. High minimum wage etc. Do a google search on it.

I'm always amazed at the sense of entitlement people have regarding GW products. Even if GW lowered prices so that a box of marines were 5 dollars and a land raider 10, people would still whine.

Just to point out something.....GW closed off internet sales to he south to try and help retail stores out. The OP did not support his store, and ordered from the UK. The store closed. Proof that GW was right.

Where GW was wrong was in understanding the mindset of the people.....

General Hobbs wrote:

Hold on a second here.

First, before you start blasting GW on this, maybe some facts need to come out.

Are GW products sold at a higher cost anywhere else in the country?

What's the cost of rent and labor in Japan? The prices might have been high to try and make ends meet. What about import taxes?

Australians constantly complain about GW prices, but everything over there seems to cost more, mostly due to the price of running a retail business. High minimum wage etc. Do a google search on it.

I'm always amazed at the sense of entitlement people have regarding GW products. Even if GW lowered prices so that a box of marines were 5 dollars and a land raider 10, people would still whine.

Just to point out something.....GW closed off internet sales to he south to try and help retail stores out. The OP did not support his store, and ordered from the UK. The store closed. Proof that GW was right.

Where GW was wrong was in understanding the mindset of the people.....

Actually from what the OP said, the stores closed AFTER the embargo was placed. So, now that the people in Japan could no longer buy GW products at more affordable price, why would they go to their local GW centers? Especially with the restrictions placed on the players.

So, this is not proof that GW was correct in placing the embargo. If anything, it may be proof that their embargo is actually hurting their own business.

Anyway, who's blasting GW over closing their own stores? Good for them - maybe they'll be able to make better quality stores elsewhere, especially if the GW hobby in Japan can be taken care of by other internet retailers and local hobby stores.

The only 'blasting' I can see were the absolutely insane restrictions placed on players at the GW centers.

Sir Motor wrote:2.Word banning
We,experience player,use some English based word. Like "Wounds". But In hobby center,we cant use it. We must call it "Ki-du"(Translated version "wounds"). We cant play in English.Even a word.

Holy cow! Really? That's crazy. I wish I had actually played a game so I could see that.

3.Color banning
You painted slann(lizardmen big toad-like wizard) in gold? No place to play.

Wow, that's even crazier.

JOHIRA wrote:

Sir Motor wrote:2.Word banning
We, experience player, use some English based word. Like "Wounds". But In hobby centre, we can’t use it. We must call it "Ki-du"(Translated version "wounds"). We can’t play in English. Even a word.

Holy cow! Really? That's crazy. I wish I had actually played a game so I could see that.

3.Color banning
You painted slann(lizardmen big toad-like wizard) in gold? No place to play.

Wow, that's even crazier.

2.
Our flgs is run by foreigners and they are always taking to each other in um. I don’t know what the language is.... It’s not Japanese or Chinese though.

3.
I’m guessing that is because it resembles Buddha?

Actually from what the OP said, the stores closed AFTER the embargo was placed. So, now that the people in Japan could no longer buy GW products at more affordable price, why would they go to their local GW centers? Especially with the restrictions placed on the players.

So, this is not proof that GW was correct in placing the embargo. If anything, it may be proof that their embargo is actually hurting their own business.

Anyway, who's blasting GW over closing their own stores? Good for them - maybe they'll be able to make better quality stores elsewhere, especially if the GW hobby in Japan can be taken care of by other internet retailers and local hobby stores.

The only 'blasting' I can see were the absolutely insane restrictions placed on players at the GW centers.

The embargo is too recent to have affected the stores. What you are saying makes no sense. Buying cheaply from the UK helps keep the stores...which are now selling no product....open. The OP clearly states he did not shop at the store but bought from the UK...nothing to do with the embargo.

GW was right.

Ledabot wrote:

JOHIRA wrote:

Sir Motor wrote:2.Word banning
We, experience player, use some English based word. Like "Wounds". But In hobby centre, we can’t use it. We must call it "Ki-du"(Translated version "wounds"). We can’t play in English. Even a word.

Holy cow! Really? That's crazy. I wish I had actually played a game so I could see that.

3.Color banning
You painted slann(lizardmen big toad-like wizard) in gold? No place to play.

Wow, that's even crazier.

2.
Our flgs is run by foreigners and they are always taking to each other in um. I don’t know what the language is.... It’s not Japanese or Chinese though.

3.
I’m guessing that is because it resembles Buddha?

2. Your point has very little to do with anything. I've never heard of this kind of thing happening. Hell, Japanese seem to love appropriating English (and occasionally French) words and using them freely. Of course, I don't have first-hand experience as I don't speak much Japanese so if a place told me I couldn't use English words, well... I wouldn't've understood them anyway.

3. Naw, the overwhelming majority of Japan is, in my experience, pretty secular and really has no sense of blasphemy, so to speak. Even if I'm mistaken, I'm fairly certain 99% of Japanese would not care one iota if some pewter (well, now FINECAST(TM) Resin, which is the awesomest thing ever!111) frog was painted gold and vaguely looked like a Buddha. It sounds like the managers of that GW store were just gakheads.

General Hobbs wrote:

...

Anyway, who's blasting GW over closing their own stores? Good for them - maybe they'll be able to make better quality stores elsewhere, especially if the GW hobby in Japan can be taken care of by other internet retailers and local hobby stores.

The only 'blasting' I can see were the absolutely insane restrictions placed on players at the GW centers.

The embargo is too recent to have affected the stores. What you are saying makes no sense. Buying cheaply from the UK helps keep the stores...which are now selling no product....open. The OP clearly states he did not shop at the store but bought from the UK...nothing to do with the embargo.

GW was right.

*cough*

Sir Motor wrote:I rarely see store is packed.
Reason?
1. Too less player.
Yes.

2.Word banning
We,experience player,use some English based word. Like "Wounds". But In hobby center,we cant use it. We must call it "Ki-du"(Translated version "wounds"). We cant play in English.Even a word.

3.Color banning
You painted slann(lizardmen big toad-like wizard) in gold? No place to play.

4.No big game
Over 1500 pts? Play other place. You cant play.

5.Give way,veterans!
Veterans cant play there without reservation.

Who want to play hobby center?

Sir Motor wrote:2.Word banning
We,experience player,use some English based word. Like "Wounds". But In hobby center,we cant use it. We must call it "Ki-du"(Translated version "wounds"). We cant play in English.Even a word.

3.Color banning
You painted slann(lizardmen big toad-like wizard) in gold? No place to play.

5.Give way,veterans!
Veterans cant play there without reservation.

Who want to play hobby center?

I was asked to stop playing in my not FLGS in Osaka because my army is full of non GW miniatures (tho it was not an GW official store in any way) that "could confuse japanese players" so these three restrictions do not surprise me at all if we take them together. After all we don´t want our future drones deviating from official fluff lest they find there is a world out there that doesn´t revolve around GW.

Still I don´t think it´s GW Japan policy, looks more like something local to preserve the "harmony" of the manager AKA I don´t want to bother with things out of the manual so blanket ban on everything save for the main target that it´s to target newbies.

M.

Buzzsaw wrote:

General Hobbs wrote:

...

Anyway, who's blasting GW over closing their own stores? Good for them - maybe they'll be able to make better quality stores elsewhere, especially if the GW hobby in Japan can be taken care of by other internet retailers and local hobby stores.

The only 'blasting' I can see were the absolutely insane restrictions placed on players at the GW centers.

The embargo is too recent to have affected the stores. What you are saying makes no sense. Buying cheaply from the UK helps keep the stores...which are now selling no product....open. The OP clearly states he did not shop at the store but bought from the UK...nothing to do with the embargo.

GW was right.

*cough*

Sir Motor wrote:I rarely see store is packed.
Reason?
1. Too less player.
Yes.

2.Word banning
We,experience player,use some English based word. Like "Wounds". But In hobby center,we cant use it. We must call it "Ki-du"(Translated version "wounds"). We cant play in English.Even a word.

3.Color banning
You painted slann(lizardmen big toad-like wizard) in gold? No place to play.

4.No big game
Over 1500 pts? Play other place. You cant play.

5.Give way,veterans!
Veterans cant play there without reservation.

Who want to play hobby center?

Haha! So we're both wrong. Nothing to do with the embargo - just GW Japan being too restrictive in their centers!

heritics must be punished you see.

Hobbs...honestly, should I care? Is GW a charity or a business, because when people complain about prices you guys come out of the woodwork screaming "BUSINESS!", but here you are blaming us for GW's failure, saying that the stores closed because we're not giving them enough money.

Here's a very simple question: why aren't people buying from the stores then? And what could GW do to fix this? So far their answer to falling sales and dead stores is to raise prices and place an embargo on the southern hemisphere. It doesn't seem like either one worked.

Sidstyler wrote:Hobbs...honestly, should I care? Is GW a charity or a business, because when people complain about prices you guys come out of the woodwork screaming "BUSINESS!", but here you are blaming us for GW's failure, saying that the stores closed because we're not giving them enough money.

Here's a very simple question: why aren't people buying from the stores then? And what could GW do to fix this? So far their answer to falling sales and dead stores is to raise prices and place an embargo on the southern hemisphere. It doesn't seem like either one worked.

OK...let's step back a second, because you must be unfamiliar with what happened. Nor did you seem to read my first post.

GW stores cost money to run. So do regular brick and mortar stores.

In other countries besides the US and UK it may cost more money to run those stores. So GW has to protect the stores by selling according to the economic market and by stopping out of the country mail order stores from undercutting their prices. We know this was happening.

This is why the ban was made on internet retailers selling to certain parts of the world.

Now, I did not say this was happening in Japan, but I would like to know if the cost of doing business was more than in the US or UK. I would suspect the answer to be yes.

My point then is, if so, then GW was correct in that buying from out of the country hurts the local game stores, whether GW or independant.

So yes, I am blaming YOU for putting the stores out of business. That being said, perhaps GW should recognize this and not have stores anywhere but where product can be sold without having a non-world competitive price. I'm sure many hobbyists and hobby stores in Australia etc would not mind GW no longer having a retail presence or selling their stuff via retailers there. You could always buy from the UK or US and invite your friends over to play and paint and have tournaments in your basement or apartment.

General Hobbs wrote:

Sidstyler wrote:Hobbs...honestly, should I care? Is GW a charity or a business, because when people complain about prices you guys come out of the woodwork screaming "BUSINESS!", but here you are blaming us for GW's failure, saying that the stores closed because we're not giving them enough money.

Here's a very simple question: why aren't people buying from the stores then? And what could GW do to fix this? So far their answer to falling sales and dead stores is to raise prices and place an embargo on the southern hemisphere. It doesn't seem like either one worked.

OK...let's step back a second, because you must be unfamiliar with what happened. Nor did you seem to read my first post.

GW stores cost money to run. So do regular brick and mortar stores.

In other countries besides the US and UK it may cost more money to run those stores. So GW has to protect the stores by selling according to the economic market and by stopping out of the country mail order stores from undercutting their prices. We know this was happening.

Well, this is what we were told what was happening. From GW.

This is why the ban was made on internet retailers selling to certain parts of the world.

Now, I did not say this was happening in Japan, but I would like to know if the cost of doing business was more than in the US or UK. I would suspect the answer to be yes.

My point then is, if so, then GW was correct in that buying from out of the country hurts the local game stores, whether GW or independant.

So yes, I am blaming YOU for putting the stores out of business. That being said, perhaps GW should recognize this and not have stores anywhere but where product can be sold without having a non-world competitive price. I'm sure many hobbyists and hobby stores in Australia etc would not mind GW no longer having a retail presence or selling their stuff via retailers there. You could always buy from the UK or US and invite your friends over to play and paint and have tournaments in your basement or apartment.

The problem here: There is no where in the world that GW can sell their product without having a 'non-world competitive price'. The only places they can do that now is in places now affected by the embargo. And do you know why people were buying from online retailers in those areas?

Because of GW's price disparities.

Yup. GW went and made 2 wrongs to try and make a right. But, instead of simply buying at the retail price in their areas, they won't buy anything now.

Really, the only place where GW could keep their Hobby centers would be in the U.K., and even then you have Wayland, Maelstrom, Dark Sphere, etc., who all sell GW products at cheaper prices than at hobby centers.

Colour and word bannings?

You can't say "wound"? WTF?

This requires further explanation.

In Japanese there is a native word which means wound. However the veteran players were using the English word "wound" when playing.

I don't know what the Japanese rules use.

And the colour ban KK? What are they about.

Maybe you're right, maybe they do have to charge more because it costs them more to operate in other countries. Still doesn't change the fact that they're asking for ludicrous amounts of money for little plastic men, and that the full retail price is more than what most people are willing to pay. They can go on insisting that their prices are reasonable or that they have to charge what they do, and they can go on closing stores because that's not enough to convince people to shop there.

Like it's been said though, it sounds like these stores had other problems besides ridiculous prices.

The Giant Toad has signifacance in Toaism.
and Naruto

Does anyone paint their flying magetoad gold anyway?

If Japan's religious scene is what I think it's like, then painting a Slann like the Buddha is not the craziest they've done to a religious figure, and I doubt anyone would care.

Forgive my ignorance above.

I haven’t seen any GW stores in NZ. We have stocklisters though. The products I get are the same value as they would be if I ordered them online.

And if they get Wrathlords over there at 6100yen, that’s only $5 NZ more than our ones. I fell like we could be in a bad price region too.

If prices in stores are being undercut by buying from the site, why dont they just increase the sites prices for the country to match?

To be honest I am surprised we haven't seen more stores closing at a quicker rate across the globe.

Look at Thorntons recently. They've closed/closing over 170 shops in the UK (although they are trying to make them franchises). Loads of companies are realising they don't need so many shops to sell their product and running stores is a huge outlay.

I am sure GW would do just fine if they slashed half of their shops and let independents take their place. They would still sell shed loads of GW from the net/indy stores. They are competing with themselves and it just doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

Sidstyler wrote:Maybe you're right, maybe they do have to charge more because it costs them more to operate in other countries. Still doesn't change the fact that they're asking for ludicrous amounts of money for little plastic men, and that the full retail price is more than what most people are willing to pay. They can go on insisting that their prices are reasonable or that they have to charge what they do, and they can go on closing stores because that's not enough to convince people to shop there.

Like it's been said though, it sounds like these stores had other problems besides ridiculous prices.

What are they supposed to do, give the figures away for free? GW's not a charity, they have to make money.

It is this sense of entitlement that is ruining the world. If you can't afford to to be in the hobby, go play chess.

This is hilarious!

GW increases prices, disables plpayers buying from online sources...

Closes stores after restrictions on game size, paint schemes and language...

I can understand smaller games being faster, etc... but with such small games, who needs to buy more models?

Words cannot express... and there is not yet a triple facepalm meme...

General Hobbs wrote:What are they supposed to do, give the figures away for free? GW's not a charity, they have to make money.

Don't matter how many times you white-clad defenders say it, that's still not a real argument.

I propose GW close all their stores down. This would then bring the cost of their mini's back down to reality (a few $/£ cheaper).

Seriously.

No other games company has this amount of shops and is probably the reason why we keep getting price rises.

Inflation goes up = wage rise = we get sucker punched.

I happily buy lots of GW and generally don't moan but this is the only reason why we pay so much. For a crap load of stores most of us don't use.

'Cept that's not the only reason their prices go up. Sometimes they just go up because they can. Kirby even said as much in the last (was it the last?) end-of-year statement.

But yeah, their stores and the overheads caused by the stores are what's shattering their bottom line (among other things).

Ledabot wrote:

JOHIRA wrote:

Sir Motor wrote:2.Word banning
We, experience player, use some English based word. Like "Wounds". But In hobby centre, we can’t use it. We must call it "Ki-du"(Translated version "wounds"). We can’t play in English. Even a word.

Holy cow! Really? That's crazy. I wish I had actually played a game so I could see that.

3.Color banning
You painted slann(lizardmen big toad-like wizard) in gold? No place to play.

Wow, that's even crazier.

2.
Our flgs is run by foreigners and they are always taking to each other in um. I don’t know what the language is.... It’s not Japanese or Chinese though.

3.
I’m guessing that is because it resembles Buddha?

2.Korean?
3.Nope. Reason was fluff. as long as I heard.

Miguelsan wrote:

Sir Motor wrote:2.Word banning
We,experience player,use some English based word. Like "Wounds". But In hobby center,we cant use it. We must call it "Ki-du"(Translated version "wounds"). We cant play in English.Even a word.

3.Color banning
You painted slann(lizardmen big toad-like wizard) in gold? No place to play.

5.Give way,veterans!
Veterans cant play there without reservation.

Who want to play hobby center?

I was asked to stop playing in my not FLGS in Osaka because my army is full of non GW miniatures (tho it was not an GW official store in any way) that "could confuse japanese players" so these three restrictions do not surprise me at all if we take them together. After all we don´t want our future drones deviating from official fluff lest they find there is a world out there that doesn´t revolve around GW.

Still I don´t think it´s GW Japan policy, looks more like something local to preserve the "harmony" of the manager AKA I don´t want to bother with things out of the manual so blanket ban on everything save for the main target that it´s to target newbies.

M.

You had bad experience it seems.
I'll explain about "BAN" later.

H.B.M.C. wrote:Colour and word bannings?

You can't say "wound"? WTF?

This requires further explanation.

What killlazy said is right. Sorry for my bad English :p

Swordwind wrote:If Japan's religious scene is what I think it's like, then painting a Slann like the Buddha is not the craziest they've done to a religious figure, and I doubt anyone would care.

Indeed. We mostly see religion as "good fluff".
Like this.
"Bible? Nice book! Lets make game/manga/anime from it! Hmm....What about busty holy angels fight tentacles?"


About banning.
We were told its "world-wide" policy.
Also,there is "Code of Iron"
1.There is only one society. Help newbies.

2.Bring measure,template,rulebook,dice.

3.Do not to be bystander.You may not watch other people playing.

4.Do not use maliciously converted model.
( Maybe,Slann is violating this?)

5.You must prime in black/white at least for playing.(so no grey/shiny-metal)

6.No violence.

I was told this is "World-Wide" policy.
And there is English version of "Code of Iron"
Hey,anyone have seen "Code of Iron" in your GW official shop?

Well I guess from a UK perspective, GW shops would at the least encourage helping beginners and bringing rulebooks, dice etc. Not sure about 'enforce' - I don't imagine GW stores in the UK go as far as to actively prevent someone from going in the store because they forgot their dice or something.

But as for the rest - definitely not worldwide policy, I'm sure. If GW did enforce a policy of no bare plastic models in their stores, then they would soon be fairly empty places to be.

And as far as I know, there isn't a documented Code of Conduct policy or anything like that (but don't take my word for it - I haven't stepped foot in a GW store for some time now)

Since this is a thread about the the closure of 71% of Japanese GW's, I'd really appreciate it if we could focus the discussion on Japan.

How can GW expand their exposure in the Japanese market now that they are dramatically reducing their presence here?

If I was GW I make a huge (by Japanese standards) flagship store in Akihabara and close down every other shop. I would concentrate efforts on making that shop the face of GW in Japan. Akihabara is the biggest hub of geeks in the world. The WORLD. A good many of them are gundam/airplane/doll/car/historical modellers. There are modeling supply shops that are enormous, well stocked, and rammed with customers. Jimbocho, really? Tabletop games popular with all that bookstore foot traffic? Why the hell would you open 7 shops without having a truly solid foundation in a new market.

Anyplace outside of the UK confuses and scares GW and their employees, that why they always set up shops in East Middle of Nowhere

I don't understand how GW intend to market themselves in Japan now. If the free rules and codex PDFs are being replaced with expensive books it prevents people from downloading stuff to have a try.

Kilkrazy wrote:I don't understand how GW intend to market themselves in Japan now. If the free rules and codex PDFs are being replaced with expensive books it prevents people from downloading stuff to have a try.

Man... if GW decided to go with just free rules and codex PDFs overall - a la Infinity or Malifaux - I'd be willing to bet we'd see an influx of players.

To be on topic - 'World Wide Policy'? 'Code of Iron'?

Really, no bystanders?

And what's defined as a 'maliciously converted model'?

And... black/white primer only for playing purposes?

This is... I don't... I can't tell if this is true, or if this is some extremely elaborate prank being pulled by our Japanese Dakkanauts.

Sir Motor wrote:

Ledabot wrote:

JOHIRA wrote:

Sir Motor wrote:2.Word banning
We, experience player, use some English based word. Like "Wounds". But In hobby centre, we can’t use it. We must call it "Ki-du"(Translated version "wounds"). We can’t play in English. Even a word.

Holy cow! Really? That's crazy. I wish I had actually played a game so I could see that.

3.Color banning
You painted slann(lizardmen big toad-like wizard) in gold? No place to play.

Wow, that's even crazier.

2.
Our flgs is run by foreigners and they are always taking to each other in um. I don’t know what the language is.... It’s not Japanese or Chinese though.

3.
I’m guessing that is because it resembles Buddha?

2.Korean?
3.Nope. Reason was fluff. as long as I heard.

Miguelsan wrote:

Sir Motor wrote:2.Word banning
We,experience player,use some English based word. Like "Wounds". But In hobby center,we cant use it. We must call it "Ki-du"(Translated version "wounds"). We cant play in English.Even a word.

3.Color banning
You painted slann(lizardmen big toad-like wizard) in gold? No place to play.

5.Give way,veterans!
Veterans cant play there without reservation.

Who want to play hobby center?

I was asked to stop playing in my not FLGS in Osaka because my army is full of non GW miniatures (tho it was not an GW official store in any way) that "could confuse japanese players" so these three restrictions do not surprise me at all if we take them together. After all we don´t want our future drones deviating from official fluff lest they find there is a world out there that doesn´t revolve around GW.

Still I don´t think it´s GW Japan policy, looks more like something local to preserve the "harmony" of the manager AKA I don´t want to bother with things out of the manual so blanket ban on everything save for the main target that it´s to target newbies.

M.

You had bad experience it seems.
I'll explain about "BAN" later.

H.B.M.C. wrote:Colour and word bannings?

You can't say "wound"? WTF?

This requires further explanation.

What killlazy said is right. Sorry for my bad English :p

Swordwind wrote:If Japan's religious scene is what I think it's like, then painting a Slann like the Buddha is not the craziest they've done to a religious figure, and I doubt anyone would care.

Indeed. We mostly see religion as "good fluff".
Like this.
"Bible? Nice book! Lets make game/manga/anime from it! Hmm....What about busty holy angels fight tentacles?"


About banning.
We were told its "world-wide" policy.
Also,there is "Code of Iron"
1.There is only one society. Help newbies.

2.Bring measure,template,rulebook,dice.

3.Do not to be bystander.You may not watch other people playing.

4.Do not use maliciously converted model.
( Maybe,Slann is violating this?)

5.You must prime in black/white at least for playing.(so no grey/shiny-metal)

6.No violence.

I was told this is "World-Wide" policy.
And there is English version of "Code of Iron"
Hey,anyone have seen "Code of Iron" in your GW official shop?

There is no such thing. You've been lied to.

Never heard of it, until you mentioned it. THATS how world wide it is.

Tell me more about the busty angels fighting tenticles....


I'm interested in that.

General Hobbs wrote:

Sidstyler wrote:Maybe you're right, maybe they do have to charge more because it costs them more to operate in other countries. Still doesn't change the fact that they're asking for ludicrous amounts of money for little plastic men, and that the full retail price is more than what most people are willing to pay. They can go on insisting that their prices are reasonable or that they have to charge what they do, and they can go on closing stores because that's not enough to convince people to shop there.

Like it's been said though, it sounds like these stores had other problems besides ridiculous prices.

What are they supposed to do, give the figures away for free? GW's not a charity, they have to make money.

It is this sense of entitlement that is ruining the world. If you can't afford to to be in the hobby, go play chess.

And if they want to make money they can do it just like every other fething business makes money: sell their products at a price I'm willing to pay, or barring that, come up with some other way to get me into their store, like a sale or a BOGO promotion, or something, because clearly what they're doing now isn't good enough to get traffic, is it? You tell me GW's not a charity but they sure as feth act like one if they expect me to buy from their stores and willingly pay more money for the same product just out of the goodness of my heart, and it doesn't help when people like you give people like me crap online and keep using the word "entitlement" ad nauseam, seemingly without any idea what the feth it really means if you think I'm acting "entitled" in any god-damned way in this thread.

Yeah, I agree. GW is ruining their business because they're acting like they're entitled to my money. They should stop doing that and start being a real business, acting like they're actually interested in selling their product instead of acting like a charity and expect people to give without getting anything in return.

gr1m_dan wrote:I happily buy lots of GW and generally don't moan but this is the only reason why we pay so much. For a crap load of stores most of us don't use.

Yeah, it's what I like to call the "hobby tax".

AesSedai wrote:Why the hell would you open 7 shops without having a truly solid foundation in a new market.

That's what I wanna know, it sounds really stupid and short-sighted for a monolithic multi-million pound corporation to piss away money like that. They spent money opening seven stores, but apparently didn't do much research in the area before the fact to find out if these stores would actually be profitable. So this is why GW needs our money so badly, so they can afford to spread stores in a selected area like a shotgun blast and just cross their fingers that one of them will be profitable, and if not then they'll just close them all and try again somewhere else! lol

AesSedai wrote:I would concentrate efforts on making that shop the face of GW in Japan. Akihabara is the biggest hub of geeks in the world. The WORLD. A good many of them are gundam/airplane/doll/car/historical modellers. There are modeling supply shops that are enormous, well stocked, and rammed with customers.

I dunno, maybe they saw all that competition and got scared? But then again they haven't been afraid to open up shop in other areas that already have an independent retailer present in an attempt to force them out of business. Personally I don't see GW being too popular with a crowd who already have access to some of the best, most detailed kits in the world. I like the new Dark Eldar and maybe one or two other things GW has done, but as far as quality goes they don't even hold a candle to Kotobukiya, for example. I imagine opening up a store there and being shunned by the so-called "biggest geeks in the WORLD" would be pretty humbling.

1.There is only one society. Help newbies.

2.Bring measure,template,rulebook,dice.

3.Do not to be bystander.You may not watch other people playing.

4.Do not use maliciously converted model.
( Maybe,Slann is violating this?)

5.You must prime in black/white at least for playing.(so no grey/shiny-metal)

6.No violence.

1. Sounds...weird? Is that supposed to be like "There is no other hobby than the GW Hobby"? As for "help newbies" I thought that was the staff's job, to harass and pressure new blood into spending entire paychecks on Space Marines the minute they walk in the door.

2. Reasonable enough, this should be a requirement really.

3. Uh...that sounds like it would hurt GW more than anything. People playing in the store is like advertising for them isn't it, wouldn't you want people to come in your store and see the game being played?

4. ...kinda makes sense? Depends on GW's idea of "malicious". Sculpting dicks on all your models obviously wouldn't fly.

5. I'm guessing you mean no unpainted models, basically? Sounds about right for a GW store. Although there is such a thing as grey primer, but I guess since GW doesn't make one they just assume it doesn't exist.

6. No violence! Let us play our WAR GAMES in peace! But yeah kind of a no-brainer I guess.

Some of this stuff sounds like standard policy at GW stores, but the "color bans" and other nonsense is unique to Japan I think.

Sir Motor wrote:"Bible? Nice book! Lets make game/manga/anime from it! Hmm....What about busty holy angels fight tentacles?"

Awesome line, sir.

3.Do not to be bystander.You may not watch other people playing.

I used to do this somewhat in the Machida store, and nothing was ever said to me. But then, nothing was ever said to me at all. I sometimes felt like the players were a little uncomfortable with me being there. I assumed maybe they were shy, but maybe they were afraid of being told off for encouraging me to watch?

And there is English version of "Code of Iron"
Hey,anyone have seen "Code of Iron" in your GW official shop?

I've never heard of anything like that in the US.

The ban on watching GW games being played is so crazy, it might turn out global GW strategy within a year.
Guess with all those restrictions, in Japan, it is not called "The Hobby" but "The Penal Camp"

Just be grateful it was Iron Hand.
Could so easily have gone in the other direction where play took place in the style of one of those crazy Japanese tv game shows!

Those little crocodile clips clamped onto the scrotum and 240v sent through the wire if you roll snakes' eyes.

Roll to Wound, but the dice are in a bucket of scorpions.

I know I'm late to the party for complaining, but GW must still think it's 2007 based on the difference between their UK and Japan prices.

Does anyone remember when GW started putting the six-language packaging on figures so we can find out what year their international office thinks it is?

I'm sure that's part of the problem.

The Japanese economy has had about a decade of static or falling prices (deflation) while the UK economy has had about 30% inflation in the same time.

However, the Yen has been stronger than ever against the £ for a couple of years.

GW's twin policies of "ignore currency exchange rates" and "raise prices faster than inflation" means they are trying to sell massively overpriced models in Japan.

Kilkrazy wrote:GW's twin policies of "ignore currency exchange rates" and "raise prices faster than inflation" means they are trying to sell massively overpriced models in Japan.

In Japan?

Well, it's horrendous for the Japanese. And Australians. And New Zealanders. And the South Americans.


It's merely awful for the rest of us.

Well, it's awful for those who for whatever reason still choose to buy GW products. I'm quite happy with Spartan Games and Privateer Press, and am looking into expanding my collection with other manufacturers. I just don't know what to play next... KoW? Infinity? Get back into Battletech?

I seriously don't understand GW. It's like they don't care one iota about long term viability, just "How can we increase profits this year?" without a care as to how it may effect profits next year or five years from now. They don't seem to understand the word "sustainability".

Interesting point
Always being told that Hasegawa prices are so horrendus becaus ethe pound is so much weaker againt the Yen than a few years ago.

If so GW products should be much cheaper in Japan?

Both can't be right
wait... am also being told that Hasegawa are the Ferrari's of the modelworld so maybe they both are correct.

Taking the Dark Eldar warrior box as the sample data point, GW's Pound Sterling to Japanese Yen exchange rate is 1 to 216.

The first source that I found said that the exchange rate wasn't that high since 2007, but according to Google Finance just now the exchange rate for July 25, 2008 was 214 Yen to the Pound. The current exchange rate's about 127 according to the same source, and hasn't been above 165 since 2008.

So, allowing for the rounding of prices to nice even numbers, the problem with the prices is just that they appear to be based on an almost three year old exchange rate. (Assuming that GW doesn't inflate the prices any to make its Japanese customers pay extra for living on an island. )

Edit: I wrote 161 for the exchange rate earlier. I was completely misreading the Google Finance page. My fault, not Google's.

BrassScorpion wrote: just bashing GW over their prices doesn't really add to the conversation.

Like those guys have anything meaningful to add to the conversation.

Like those guys have anything meaningful to add to the conversation

*ahem*

"Code of Iron" what a funny name. Number 3 is the best of the lot, I guess GW is trying to bring fast food industry antics to the (thunder) HOOOOBBY (/thunder)

1. Enter the shop.
2. Buy whatever the staff is pushing today.
3. Be kicked out of the shop.
4. ???
5. GW profits and you wonder where the Warlock goes in your Ork army.

Number 4 is also fun, what does malicious means? Common sense would say that it is modelling for advantage or using non GW parts, but going back to silly point number 3, it could very well mean anything the shop manager does not like.

Being a customer with a huge sense of "entitlement" that likes buying little soldiers it´s me not GW or any other company the one that gets to choose what figure goes into my army. I´ll concede that any official (or not) shop can tell me that I can´t play in their premises but then they better not hold their breath waiting for me to make a purchase there.

M.

Worglock wrote:

BrassScorpion wrote: just bashing GW over their prices doesn't really add to the conversation.

Like those guys have anything meaningful to add to the conversation.

Added a lot more than you fething did just now.

"Bashing" GW over prices is the conversation, because I have trouble thinking of any other reason why GW would have to close five stores all at once. It's obvious they weren't profitable enough or they would still be open. Why weren't they profitable? They didn't sell enough product. Why didn't they sell enough product? Because it supposedly cost the Japanese twice as much to buy locally as opposed to ordering online. Apparently the prices were unreasonable or else people would be buying from the store instead.

I really don't get what the hell else we're supposed to talk about here if not GW's backwards-ass business practices. Should we be praising them for this instead? "Yay, good job! You're banning people from buying online, and then closing stores so they have nowhere to buy product at all!"

Paying double UK prices is nuts anywhere, but in Japan GW faces more competition than it does anywhere else in the world, so without the option to buy online now that we're under embargo, GW might as well give up and abandon the market altogether. All that money they must have spent on the new Japanese homepage will be for nothing. I used to buy from Maelstrom but I would sooner eat my own head than pay the absurd prices charged by the handful of remaining retailers in the country.

The convoluted, labyrinthine plots of some anime, barely held together by slender threads of reason stretched taut to breaking point, make more sense than GW policies.

Too bad they are closing, but it's not the end of the world. What does a room at the local bunkasenta run in Tokyo? It can't be that hard to find a place to play. We manage to get by without a G.W store here in Aichi just fine. The mail order ban has made a lot of guys mad. Mostly us gaijin. Most of the Japanese gamers in these parts had already switched to Warmahordes a long time ago and don't care!

Sidstyler wrote

Personally I don't see GW being too popular with a crowd who already have access to some of the best, most detailed kits in the world.

I see your point there. But, you should consider that GW has some real strong points in the Japanese market. I don't know if its fair to compare Kotobukiya to GW.

1) GW has a game system. As far as I know Kotobukiya makes pretty things to assemble, paint, and look at. GW systems offer so much more to immerse the hobbyist. If GW supported a massive league scene or tournaments in Japan out of a single game center they could further distinguish the GW HOBBY TM. f

2) Warhammer is foreign and Gothic. Japanese people love robots, it is known. However, you shouldn't underestimate the appeal of the Gothic in the Japanese market. There is a lot of interest in it among the youth. Look at youth fashion and anime.

Mr. Konrad wrote

We manage to get by without a G.W store here in Aichi just fine.

Welcome to dakka. Are you one of those Yokaiichi gamers? If so, great--I have been planning to contact your group before the next time I'm in your area. It would be cool to get in some games while I'm in the area. I come out that way a few times a year.

Yeah, you've got a good point with number 2 there.

solkan wrote:Taking the Dark Eldar warrior box as the sample data point, GW's Pound Sterling to Japanese Yen exchange rate is 1 to 216.

The first source that I found said that the exchange rate wasn't that high since 2007, but according to Google Finance just now the exchange rate for July 25, 2008 was 214 Yen to the Pound. The current exchange rate's 161.21 according to the same source, and hasn't been above 165 since 2008.

So, allowing for the rounding of prices to nice even numbers, the problem with the prices is just that they appear to be based on an almost three year old exchange rate. (Assuming that GW doesn't inflate the prices any to make its Japanese customers pay extra for living on an island. )

There's something wrong with Google Finance. Today's rate is 127 yen to the pound and it hasn't been above 140 for months or a year. I follow the rate quite closely as I have to manage conversion of my cash between yen and pound.

Back in the summer of 2008 it was about 210-ish and declined rapidly since then thanks to the global financial crisis.

I never trust Google Finance, there are way better conversion calculators out there, e.g. the EZB/ECB one.

When you cant sell your stuff in Japan, considering it is one of the most, if not the most dense populated countries in the world, combined with a good income level, you are in deep $!%$·!·$!·.

Then again, we are talking about a company that does everything humanly possible to drive its customers away, i actually think that the design team and R&D people at GW deserve some sort of industry price/recognition, it can not be an easy job to keep GW afloat with the management they have. There is a reason their prices have increased almost 50% since 2005 and their sales only 20%+, i wonder when are they going to get the message.

Also, some one mentioned, if they sold their minis at $5 people would still complain, i for one doubt it, what i am sure of is that at the rate they are going, sooner rather than later people are not going to know what they are for...

Kilkrazy wrote:

solkan wrote:Taking the Dark Eldar warrior box as the sample data point, GW's Pound Sterling to Japanese Yen exchange rate is 1 to 216.

The first source that I found said that the exchange rate wasn't that high since 2007, but according to Google Finance just now the exchange rate for July 25, 2008 was 214 Yen to the Pound. The current exchange rate's 161.21 according to the same source, and hasn't been above 165 since 2008.

So, allowing for the rounding of prices to nice even numbers, the problem with the prices is just that they appear to be based on an almost three year old exchange rate. (Assuming that GW doesn't inflate the prices any to make its Japanese customers pay extra for living on an island. )

There's something wrong with Google Finance. Today's rate is 127 yen to the pound and it hasn't been above 140 for months or a year. I follow the rate quite closely as I have to manage conversion of my cash between yen and pound.

Back in the summer of 2008 it was about 210-ish and declined rapidly since then thanks to the global financial crisis.

Nah, the 1.61 figure was wrong because I was reading the wrong part of the page. Instead of reading the nice big bold letters on the top, I was looking at the Dollar to yen rate and forgetting I was checking UK to Japan prices.

I've got a question for all our Japanese Dakkanauts:

Just how popular is Infinity over in the land of the rising sun? If GW games - grimdark and gothic, skulls on everything - is sort of popular, how well does a game with a much bright palette and anime-infused nature do?

I have to wonder if those unfortunate disasters played a role in GW's decisions as well; maybe that was the last straw for those shops or they figured that the market wouldn't be enough for the near future (especially at those outrageous in-store prices).

Sucks to have these stores closed but at least there was a new one opened up at Shanghai IIRC.

Hey infinite array, I think it's really a question of exposure. Corvus Belli is tiny. There presence in Japan is virtually nil at this point. But, there are encouraging signs.

Sir Motor wrote:

Me. I (am going to) play Infinity. I'm now translating rule book for who cant read English.

I plan to get into multiple factions myself.

Without more Japanese cheerleaders leading the vanguard I just don't see it blowing up.

Duncan_Idaho wrote:Shigate ga nai.

It was to be expected from GW, but still sad news.

Why expected? GW does not run commercials. How will they promote their game systems in Japan in the future?
Seems not logical to me.

Wuestenflux wrote:

How will they promote their game systems in Japan in the future?

My guess is: inadequately.

Definition of "fight a rearguard action"

"To try very hard to prevent something from happening when it is probably too late to prevent it."

Poorly planned, poorly implemented.

AesSedai wrote:

Sidstyler wrote

Personally I don't see GW being too popular with a crowd who already have access to some of the best, most detailed kits in the world.

I see your point there. But, you should consider that GW has some real strong points in the Japanese market. I don't know if its fair to compare Kotobukiya to GW.

1) GW has a game system. As far as I know Kotobukiya makes pretty things to assemble, paint, and look at. GW systems offer so much more to immerse the hobbyist. If GW supported a massive league scene or tournaments in Japan out of a single game center they could further distinguish the GW HOBBY TM. f

2) Warhammer is foreign and Gothic. Japanese people love robots, it is known. However, you shouldn't underestimate the appeal of the Gothic in the Japanese market. There is a lot of interest in it among the youth. Look at youth fashion and anime.

Mr. Konrad wrote

We manage to get by without a G.W store here in Aichi just fine.

Welcome to dakka. Are you one of those Yokaiichi gamers? If so, great--I have been planning to contact your group before the next time I'm in your area. It would be cool to get in some games while I'm in the area. I come out that way a few times a year.

Point 2) is a good observation. Some of the Japanese guys I've played with were like, "I used to (stilll) build Gundam models, but GW miniatures are so different." Anime stuff appeals to non-Japanese geeks, why not the other way around? Though the youth interest in "goth" seems to manifest itself in junior high school girls dressing like Pippi Longstocking in mourning and drawing comics of sad girls with eye patches.
I play in Nagoya mostly. We have a regular monthly game day there, 40K FB, Warmahordes, this and that. I have not been down to the Yokkachi game day in quite a few years now, but I hear it is still going strong. Check out Nagoyahammer.com, all the local gaijin game geeks post there.

Just mentioned price disparities in Japan on another forum
(we cop it from the likes of Hasegawa to the extent that many modelshops are no longer ordering stock from them apparently)

It was said that the difference could be down to the high import taxes Japan pays.
Is this correct please?

I don't know, CBB. I always understood Japan to have high import taxes based on the product, not a general thing. Foreign rice has high tariffs. Foreign chocolate and chips don't seem to. Beer (both domestic and foreign) seems to be highly taxed because of it's malt content. Imported spirits on the other hand seem to be barely taxed at all.

I haven't done extensive research on this, but most Japanese model shops have sci-fi models from western companies. There is always a tiny section with at least a few Star Wars models and a Batmobile or two. I went to one hobby shop in Yokohama that had tons of imported WWI/WWII plastic figures (maybe Airfix?). I never did a rigorous price check on all of these but I don't recall them being unusually expensive. That suggests to me that there isn't a tariff on foreign models in general.

Wow and I thought we had it bad in the UK seen as over the past few years most products have increased in price by approximately 50%!!! My condolenses to the Japanese gamers out there!

The tokyo area actually seemed to have a decent following last time I lived there, which was in 2006/2007. We played either at Jinbouchou or in the Yellow Submarine in Chiba. We also played at the civic center in Chiba sometimes. Both places were able to get tables, and we brought our own terrain. An Outrider seemed like he was always present at all the events.

I'll check things out when I visit this coming week. I do know, though, that Warmachine has begun to become popular.