Asmodee to stop publishing Hell Dorado! (There goes that English Translation...)

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**Alpharius**

Via TGN:

http://www.tabletopgamingnews.com/2009/02/25/23805#comments

Some glimmers of hope in there though, I suppose...

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

Wow.

Thats another one down.

Not a great time for the smaller companies I guess.

**Typeline**

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

**Noisy_Marine**

Damn it. *Stabs kittens*

**George Spiggott**

I thought Asmodee were part of Rackham Entertainment now.

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

Could be why they are closing down.

Wouldn't be surprised if Rackham Entertainment is on the brink. Phoenix companies rarely last terribly long :(

**Scottywan82**

George Spiggott wrote:I thought Asmodee were part of Rackham Entertainment now.

That's a negative Gold Leader.

There are partners for distribution in Europe. That's it.

**Alpharius**

I'm still holding out hope that someone picks them up and gets a proper English translation to market, as well as a reliable distributor in the US too.

**malfred**

Can someone draw a zapper for miniatures games?

**Agamemnon2**

Another one bites the dust. I wonder if the economic disaster is claiming its first wargaming victims. If so, I expect other companies to follow.

**Duncan_Idaho**

Some people really should keep their mouths shut. If you don´t know something, don´t spread rumors.

> Rackham Entertainment is a daughter company of Lafitte (french financing company).

> Asmodee was only supposed to distribute Rackham products and that´s the only relation between Rackham and Asmodee

> Helldorado is not dead, it simply has no distributor from July on. That´s not the end.

> Asmodee has a new boss that wants a familyfriendly portfolio and kicking out some products and distributions fits in with this new course.

Again, don´t spread rumors that really could hurt a company who is looking for a new distributor.

**Scottywan82**

Or maybe highly detailed, unpainted metal models in a limited-audience, fantasy skirmish game with ridiculously complex rules don't make much money...

**Wolfstan**

All I can say is that it was taking off at my club, the guys liked it alot.

**Scottywan82**

It's supposed to be a very good game! It just might be limited in audience to more dedicated tabletop wargamers. Not exactly made for casual play.

**Duncan_Idaho**

Folks, it is the distributor killing the contract, the company behind Helldorado ist not dead.

**Scottywan82**

We got that. Our concern is that this is a small local company producing Hell Dorado and it will be more difficult for them to get out to the English market without a distributor.

Also, dropping them is indicative of Asmodee's view on their profitability.

**Duncan_Idaho**

It is not, Asmodee wants the portfolio to be "clean". It just makes the decission easier. And it was Asmodee who were against publishing it on the english market.

**His Master's Voice**

Let's make a whip around and buy the whole thing. We could have them make a miniature resembling Connery from Zardoz (or whatever the movies title was) and name it Yak.

No, seriously, even now there are people earning real money in this business. Someone will pick the up.

**Dosadi**

Scottywan82 wrote:Or maybe highly detailed, unpainted metal models in a limited-audience, fantasy skirmish game with ridiculously complex rules don't make much money...

Yes, the models are very detailed; they remind me of the Confrontation stuff circa 2004-5. just an amazing level of detail. I`ve got a ton of the Saracens and some of the Mercs.
The rules are far from "ridiculously complex". They are very straight forward and with a few games you will find that you have the basics down. There are some odd random rules tucked away in the text that means a summery is nessesary, but it's no Starfleet Battles.

Duncan_Idaho wrote:It is not, Asmodee wants the portfolio to be "clean". It just makes the decission easier. And it was Asmodee who were against publishing it on the english market.

One only needs to look at page 69 of the French rulebook to understand what Idaho means by "clean". Reading through some of the fluff you can see why Asmodee was reluctant to publish the game in english. There is some pretty dark, twisted and perverse things going on and there is a underlying commentary on religion that might not fly too well in the more puritanical parts of the world.

I'm saddened that things have gone this way. Hopefully someone will pick up the game and continue to support and develop it. Otherwise, I’ll pick up what I can, while I can as these models are a joy to paint.

Dosadi

**Alpharius**

Duncan_Idaho wrote:Folks, it is the distributor killing the contract, the company behind Helldorado ist not dead.

Any idea on what the 'company behind Hell Dorado" thinks about this?

And do they have any backup plans?

**Wolfstan**

The current situation is :
The artist, conceptors and sculptors, will loose their job in April.
Few extensions will be produced and released until june. (the Immortal starter box end of February, 1 immortal and 1 westerner extension in March, 1 sarracen and 1 demon extension in May and finally 1 lost and 1 mercenary extension in June)

To continue the production follows two main ideas : the urge to properly finalised the game (if end there is), and to keep an open door to a potential new producer.

Indeed since the beginning of this week I worked really hard to find a solution to save this game (few options are explored for the moment)

Further more many things (concept arts, new profils, really motivated persons, already produced and paid translations – cards and rules - two books, the production moulds of the existing miniatures, the exposition models, etc…) are waiting to be used. As you see many attractive points for a potential buyer…

To release products until june should also give enough time to be prepared if somebody decides to continue the Hell Dorado adventure.

Now forgive me for being dense here, but doesn't indicate that this is more than a "distribution" issue? How I understand they are winding most of the production down, with it just ticking over until June, with the hope that they can get a buyer. This to me, isn't a game still in production, it's a company that is keeping hold of it assets just in case (but only for awhile). So I think the orignal concerns are valid and not people going over the top.

**Duncan_Idaho**

Be aware that the text is a rough google translation and that just because Asmodee kills contracts it does not mean that the crew is not working on Helldorado. They simple have to look for new investors.

**Alpharius**

Alpharius wrote:
Duncan_Idaho wrote:Folks, it is the distributor killing the contract, the company behind Helldorado ist not dead.

Any idea on what the 'company behind Hell Dorado" thinks about this?

And do they have any backup plans?

Duncan_Idaho wrote:Be aware that the text is a rough google translation and that just because Asmodee kills contracts it does not mean that the crew is not working on Helldorado. They simple have to look for new investors.

Sounds like you have some insider info, so to speak.

Care to share?

**loomisc**

There may be some misunderstanding here as to what is going on. Here is how I understand it from what I have seen..

The Helld Dorado company does not produce the miniatures. Asmodee was handling the production of the game. That means they were responsible for the mini casting, printing, distribution ect. So, the Hell Dorado guys need to find someone to do this for them again.

I have seen something as well that Simple Miniatures a distributor from the UK is looking at taking this over. Not sure how serious this is or if it even holds water, but it shows there is interest out there in continuing production.

**Ghaz**

http://theminiaturespage.com/news/talk/msg.mv?id=89166

Doesn't sound like it's just the distributor according to this.

**Muggzy**

Dang and the only place I can find that will ship to the US wants a MINT per mini...

http://www.arcaneminiatures.co.uk/hell-dorado.asp

**mikhaila**

Sounds like it's Asmodee that is in more trouble than Helldorado, and looking to entrench a bit. Hopefully someone picks up Helldorado and gets them going.

**Agamemnon2**

Muggzy wrote:Dang and the only place I can find that will ship to the US wants a MINT per mini...

http://www.arcaneminiatures.co.uk/hell-dorado.asp

What about Maelstrom? They have free shipping.

**Moopy**

Here's another US seller:

http://www.fantization.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=277