Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hi,
I only have the German version of the GW newsletter, so someone else can post the English version please.

The newsletter describes the new direction that GW wants to take with White Dwarf starting with the July issue.
GW wants to make the White Dwarf the central and first medium for everyone to get first hand information on new GW releases, that's right: before internet forums or sales staff get to know about the stuff. It also wants to put more serious content into the WD like in old times (we know that the WD Codex Sororitas and the new Vampire monster rules are part of this direction). At the same time, the WD will be released several days later than usual, closer to or after the release date of the month. This is another step to regain full control on information flow on new releases, obviously pointed at fighting early leaks.

I will post my comment later.

Translation: We realized people weren't buying our overpriced catalog and are now trying to rectify this by giving people what should have continued to be in it all along.

Still, hardly a reason to complain.

Me, glad I've got my Sub!

Seems out of sync with today's world of social media and readily available information. I finally lapsed my WD subscription to save the money. I'm happy for them if they can make the magazine relevant, but less so if it means I've gotta be shelling out money to keep on top of rules developments.

Also, I know they've taken conscious shifts away from this strategy in the past.

This may get me to renew my subscription...maybe.

Soooooo... rather than wanting to be on the cutting edge of social media, technology and information, they want to go back to the 80's and 90's. Whatever.

I still don't think I'll be buying a WD, and I'm even a Sisters player. There isn't a magazine in the world I'm willing to pay $8 for at this point.

Mr Mystery wrote:Still, hardly a reason to complain.

No, we'll wait the 6 months until this trend stop to do this.


I apologize ahead of time for anything I say that's exceedingly cynical for the rest of the thread, I can't help myself.

For years now I've been hoping GW releases occasional "patches" to their games to rebalance problems as they once did with Chapter Approved.

GW realized nobody played Terminators so they gave them a 5+ save.
GW realized transports had problematic rules so they added access points and fire points.

...and they charged us for it.

I'm not complaining that we were charged for these "patches". I'm complaining now that Chapter Approved is gone.

Here's to this "new" and "relevant" White Dwarf starts having more Chapter-Approved-like articles and less advertisements and "battle reports" where the army-of-the-month autowins (except Tyranids).

I am so pleased to hear this. White Dwarf used to be a great magazine full of great articles and useful information. I look forward to a return to former glory. Thank god GW do listen to people from time to time

I'm good with this. I like rumors as much as the next guy, but I'm really ok with "confirmations" coming when they come.

I also like the idea of buying White Dwarf, I just rarely find that it pays off. It's a good way to support my FLGS without buying more minis I don't need.

While it's a dumb reason to finally improve the magazine, at least they're improving it.

GW seems to flip flop quite considerably.

Creeping Dementia wrote:There isn't a magazine in the world I'm willing to pay $8 for at this point.

I was going to quip about how I give $40 to the Transformers Club yearly for only 6 magazine(OK, OK, comic with interviews and previews) issues and a free membership incentive figure(generally a repainted $13 USD Deluxe size), until I realized that still only $6.66 an issue...

Platuan4th wrote:

Creeping Dementia wrote:There isn't a magazine in the world I'm willing to pay $8 for at this point.

I was going to quip about how I give $40 to the Transformers Club yearly for only 6 issues and a free membership incentive figure(generally a repainted $13 USD Deluxe size), until I realized that still only $6.66 an issue...

I'll pay for things I like. I can't be the only one that pays $8 for a drink.

Platuan4th wrote:Translation: We realized people weren't buying our overpriced catalog and are now trying to rectify this by giving people what should have continued to be in it all along.

Translation: Our IP lawyers told us, they can't make the internet go away, so we decided to ignore it and concentrate on our inhouse print medium as sole information source for everyone. Our main goal to prevent sales staff and customers to learn about our products before the release is almost achieved, even when our second goal to sell products suffers from this

Polonius wrote:

Platuan4th wrote:

Creeping Dementia wrote:There isn't a magazine in the world I'm willing to pay $8 for at this point.

I was going to quip about how I give $40 to the Transformers Club yearly for only 6 issues and a free membership incentive figure(generally a repainted $13 USD Deluxe size), until I realized that still only $6.66 an issue...

I'll pay for things I like. I can't be the only one that pays $8 for a drink.

Me too, I'm not ashamed to admit I occasionally buy White Dwarf.

As for how much I pay for a drink, whitedragon may know better, as last year's Adepticon is the last time I drank but for the life of me, I can't think of what they cost.

My point is, I'm at the point in my life where if $8 can buy me an hours worth of enjoyment... I consider that a pretty decent buy.

Absolutionis wrote:
I'm not complaining that we were charged for these "patches". I'm complaining now that Chapter Approved is gone.

Here's to this "new" and "relevant" White Dwarf starts having more Chapter-Approved-like articles and less advertisements and "battle reports"

I echo this sentiment completely. If White Dwarf contains relevant information, I have no issue ponying up some dough for it.

Creeping Dementia wrote:Soooooo... rather than wanting to be on the cutting edge of social media, technology and information, they want to go back to the 80's and 90's.

Go back? Don't you realise that this newfangled interweb thing is just a fad? Print media is where the future is at!

Also, look out for GW's big summer release: The Games Workshop Kerosene Painting Lantern! When the market drops out of this crazy electricimathingy, GW will be right there on the cutting edge!

Platuan4th wrote:Translation: We realized people weren't buying our overpriced catalog and are now trying to rectify this by giving people what should have continued to be in it all along.

+1 to this. It is a poor attempt to regain customers they have lost. It is at best a marketing scheme packaged with a small consumer benefit. I'll reserve my judgement serveral months from now because chances are this new direction won't last. To little, too late GW.

Kroothawk wrote:

Platuan4th wrote:Translation: We realized people weren't buying our overpriced catalog and are now trying to rectify this by giving people what should have continued to be in it all along.

Translation: Our IP lawyers told us, they can't make the internet go away, so we decided to ignore it and concentrate on our inhouse print medium as sole information source for everyone. Our main goal to prevent sales staff and customers to learn about our products before the release is almost achieved, even when our second goal to sell products suffers from this

Translation: Our senior management is a relic of a bygone age, convinced that it should remain in an evermore adversarial position with the online communities that have sprung up when we aborted our own because we could not make it say precisely what we wanted it to.

We will therefore attempt to stifle communication with the hobbyists yet further and, rather than listen to feedback that might avoid further gak like the poombagor or the fugly monsters of 'storm (in a teacup) of magic' fame, we will just shunt figures out onto our shelves and expect people to leap to attention and buy them like good, obedient drones, despite the fact that many won't even be aware of their existence in time. We will then look shocked when our sales fall yet further and reassure ourselves with a nice cosy price hike.

Hooo-fething-rah.

Further come the lines of division between the company and it's consumer. Nearer drift their online savvy customers to their more approachable rivals.

Bring on the serious competition, lets hope it can save GW from it's self. Or kill it and let something less totally shuttered rise up and take it's share.

I get em free as a perk from my FLGS, so I'm not complaining in the slightest As for them cutting off rumors, we already knew that. Rumors will still find a way out though. They always do.

Wait a minute...

that's right: before internet forums or sales staff get to know about the stuff.

...
At the same time, the WD will be released several days later than usual, closer to or after the release date of the month.

Anyone else seeing the flaw in the plan here...?

The staff won't know what they're selling (supposedly) until after they are released!?

I think White Dwarf in its current form is a dying beast. I don't have any figures, but I'd assume the the poor content of the magazine would result in poor customer retention. It'll be interesting to see the extent of reform that is implemented, and how much is 'buzz'.

Regardless, I'm not above buying an issue if it contains some quality content- but it must be quality.

Won't buy one despite the change. I'll just DL anything relevant either once they've put it on their site or if someone else has done it for them.

i would hope that instead of trying to kill rumors entirly that they would instead look to create them. tell us whats coming early, so the customer base can plan and dream and otherwise build anticipation around the product. it also allows much hype to be done before hand. other companies with a reputation for secrecy do this, a good example is the apple IPAD release. we new it was coming and was all hyped for it months before release, and knew what to expect. if we can do the same thing with (lets face it simaler price bracketing) then i see nothing but good as a result. its not like they have some competing company that makes "battlemace" or something nearly identical yet diffrent and can steal or 1 up their ideas.

on topic. glad to see WD finally getting more relevant. hopefully this will include battle reports that actually make sense and arent clearly staged.

Kroothawk wrote:
GW wants to make the White Dwarf the central and first medium for everyone to get first hand information on new GW releases, that's right: before internet forums or sales staff get to know about the stuff.

Really? Sorry GW, but I dont care enough about your products to spend $9 on a magazine just so I can get a product announcement a few days or so earlier. If this means I miss out on something (like the rumored WH Quest Sept thing) then so be it.

The only way I would start buying a mag that expensive would be for great content, like it used to have 10 years ago. Ill believe that kind of content is back when I see it, or hear it from people on the internet as the case may be. Im not going to be picking up issues just to see if it got better. You show me first, then Ill open my wallet.

Good thing I can go into my FLGS and thumb through the new WD rather than pay nearly $10 for it.

WOW GW! Way to be late on the ball...I haven't bought a white dwarf in over a year I think, maybe longer than that. I miss the day when it was filled with interesting articles or awesomely converted armies which helped spawn my imagination, thinking about Rob Hawkins amongst other's armies which I found very inspirational. As well as Chapter approved where they would have an alternative way to play an army or other such cool things.

That's what I miss, the creativity from the game. If I want to see a catalog, I'll visit GW online, if I want to know how to paint something, I'll check out the many amazing blogs around this fancy Interwebz thingy.

Boiled down, unless they really change and head back to the white dwarf's of the late 80's, 90's or earlier 00's I will continue not to buy nor promote GW in anyway shape or form...

I'd much rather buy No Quarter or shell money on Infinity...maybe a little Warmahordes...

I agree, unless they really go back in their roots, so far there are much better sources for their content

Also someone needs to make a WD App for smartphones

Preferably at 1/3 the cost!

fascinating.