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I just got a ‘have you seen this man?’ E-mail from GW, telling me to stay tuned for September 17th.

It must be so awesome to live in a world where not telling anyone about your products – not even 4 days before you put it up for sale – is considered a good marketing strategy.

I'm not sure how ood or bad the marketing startegy is for them, but I am looking forward to hearing more about the game.

Honestly, I'm not sure if releasing info sooner os better or worse. They print X copies, release info on date Y, not sure how changing Y would have an effect on percentage of X that gets sold though it may have an effect on how long it takes to seel that percentage. But that time may not matter to them...

H.B.M.C. wrote:I just got a ‘have you seen this man?’ E-mail from GW, telling me to stay tuned for September 17th.

It must be so awesome to live in a world where not telling anyone about your products – not even 4 days before you put it up for sale – is considered a good marketing strategy.

GW is of the opinion that releasing upcoming information for their products will resulting in people "budgeting" for the new releases and ceasing to spend on current items.

While this might be true, it also serves to piss off customers and hugely reduce the amount of people that know about the product. Because, you know, the first step of a customer buying your product is knowing it exists.

But the product is NOT available yet. Once info is released and pre-orders are allowed you can budget for it. I don't think GW is planning on it selling out in a month or two.

Even if they did it would have to be based on a VERY limited print run, so the folks who couldn't budget far enough out won't matter to them, they still sell out the print run, just to different people.

CptJake wrote:But the product is NOT available yet. Once info is released and pre-orders are allowed you can budget for it. I don't think GW is planning on it selling out in a month or two.

Even if they did it would have to be based on a VERY limited print run, so the folks who couldn't budget far enough out won't matter to them, they still sell out the print run, just to different people.

If someone sees an upcoming release they might save their money for it instead of buying more boxes of plastic tactical marines.

H.B.M.C. wrote:It must be so awesome to live in a world where not telling anyone about your products – not even 4 days before you put it up for sale – is considered a good marketing strategy.

It's like the marketing version of Lost.

Episode One "We're going to release something mysterious, but you're not ready to know what it is."
Episode Two "You are still not ready, but you must have faith in us."
Episode Three "You are almost ready. The mystery will soon be revealed."
Episode Four "The time is right faithful fans. We can tell you there will be a mysterious release. Those who stay will know the truth...."
Episode Five "...but only when they're are ready."

They should remember that many people got hacked off with Lost after the first season.

If anything, GW's marketing practices make me like them even more, simply because the half-baked opinions of internet armchair CEOs are so frigging hilarious. You wonder why they frequent a 40K forum, but then again you wonder why they even post.

Nothing about GW's marketing bothers me because the rumours are usually accurate and have never really been more than that. Knowing about something in advance is nowhere near as good as actually seeing it. All this discussion about what it might actually be is evidence that people are hearing about it and interested in it. The only thing about it that could, you know, damage GW is people vomiting rubbish about it because they think that they're 'helping' by stating opinions as facts.

The past of such bullgak when we were priveleged with information probably led to the shortened notification period in the first place. Thanks guys!

As ammunition for anyone critical about this post and fuming to provide me with a personalised belligerent reply, of course I'm excited to see this. Then again, I like board games. This might even be a boarding game, making it even punnier. No need to plank me!

I actually really dislike boats, having worked on an oyster farm for ten years and becoming extremely tired of them. I haven't gone near one or a beach in years. This seems like a great excuse to get my feet wet again and roll dice at the same time.

It would take something as drastic as removing dice from their games to upset me. Or moving GW stores onto houseboats. That would be most inconvenient.

Flashman wrote:It's like the marketing version of Lost.

Episode One "We're going to release something mysterious, but you're not ready to know what it is."
Episode Two "You are still not ready, but you must have faith in us."
Episode Three "You are almost ready. The mystery will soon be revealed."
Episode Four "The time is right faithful fans. We can tell you there will be a mysterious release. Those who stay will know the truth...."
Episode Five "...but only when they're are ready."

They should remember that many people got hacked off with Lost after the first season.

That was such a bummer . My sister dragged us into it, and it actually turned me off to any TV series of any kind. Without a firm end in sight, they just keep stalling for time in their storyline...

So where are the sneak pictures, rumor gatherers??? It's the week of the preorder, surely they're somewhere by now?

Arctik_Firangi wrote:Knowing about something in advance is nowhere near as good as actually seeing it.

Good point. So why aren't we seeing it?

Arctik_Firangi wrote:If anything, GW's marketing practices make me like them even more, simply because the half-baked opinions of internet armchair CEOs are so frigging hilarious. You wonder why they frequent a 40K forum, but then again you wonder why they even post.

Because when you posture on the internet, you're unaccountable. You can be a big blowhard here, fanning the flames of anger and discontent about GW's incompetence, and gain a degree of recognition that you'll never have in real life. Noone needs to know that you've got 3 boxes of Space Hulk at home (2 of the unopened), even though you bitched endlessly about the lack of marketing for its release, or that you actually bought the Stormraven even though you posted multiple times about how crap it is. This new game is a good example. For all the railing about it, the internet forums now have pages of speculation about it, yet noone knows much at all. That sounds to me like a rather successful approach to marketing - and from a company that, if the 'armchair CEOs' are to be believed, doesn't understand the internet.

That dont sound fair and transparent to me tailgunner, and i prize fairness and transparency in everything i buy.

But look at it, GW dig his own bed, and now just lay in it felling invencible, maybe they even are (in the sci-fi miniatures market) but that behavior just repell me from buying anything "seriusly" from them. Sometimes i buy a box, for sure (like i would buy any other passing by beutifull miniature) but i will not make an army with it, or regularly spent 50 dollars per month on them. And that is not only me...

Maybe we can be just a minority, but we have our oppinion, and stick to it. In other times, this release would drag me in without thinking, i like naval things, but right now, after all that GW have done to me, i will not touch it, except if i find it cheap in e-bay.

Peaple seens to like how GW hand things, and rant on people who dont like. I really dont understand how someone can like a company that try to re-sell old stock for 2 times the original price, or who change to a cheaper material and yet rise the prices, or decide that 5 mans box can be sold for the price of 10 man boxes, because people will buy it anyway. I only see this type of behavior on addicts.

Oh, and there is all that embargo issue, who was the last drop to me.

Because when you posture on the internet, you're unaccountable. You can be a big blowhard here, fanning the flames of anger and discontent about GW's incompetence, and gain a degree of recognition that you'll never have in real life. Noone needs to know that you've got 3 boxes of Space Hulk at home (2 of the unopened), even though you bitched endlessly about the lack of marketing for its release, or that you actually bought the Stormraven even though you posted multiple times about how crap it is. This new game is a good example. For all the railing about it, the internet forums now have pages of speculation about it, yet noone knows much at all. That sounds to me like a rather successful approach to marketing - and from a company that, if the 'armchair CEOs' are to be believed, doesn't understand the internet.

Great post, nothing else to add, so it simply gets a

Negative posting on the internet about a product / strategy doesn't necessarily equate to more product sales... i.e., it's not positive "buzz" leading up to a release, more like... I don't know... wails of despair

And I say this, being super excited about this release myself. Also, I'd like to add that I think the marketing for this has been OK- the mysterious photo in WD, the cards, and then the anouncement day. Not bad by any stretch... but also, imo, not the smartest way to go about it.

Looking forward to it regardless of all that

the redshirts at my local GW are all going "there's something awesome coming out, we don't know what it is but we're only getting 30 copies and once those are gone, you won't be able to get it ever again". Not really an attractive marketing speech, it must be told. Then again, there's nothing on this world or the next that'd get me to buy a one-box fantasy naval wargame with zero expansion potential and no direct link to anything else.

Now, if it was Blood Bowl...

On some level I like that GW's taken this silent appraoch to marketing; it allows me to spend my money more rationally and distance myself emotionally enough to keep from making spontaneous purchases. For as much as you make my wallet cry... today it thanks you.

Arctik_Firangi wrote:If anything, GW's marketing practices make me like them even more, simply because the half-baked opinions of internet armchair CEOs are so frigging hilarious.

When GW managers hear internet armchair CEOs predict GW losing even more sales and customers, they laugh and lose even more sales and customers.

More tidbits:

75hastings69 wrote:The ships are much bigger than MoW scale and are very detailed. RRP is £75

It's also just a little more than three complete fleets for Uncharted Seas with a total of 30 Ships...

75hastings69 wrote:Would you rather have 30 tiny ships with very little detail or 8 much bigger ships that are all individual and so detailed you can even see barnacles and torn sails etc?

BTW before anyone reads too much into it I'm not saying that there are definitely 8 ships, there could be more

Sorry? Did I read that right? RRP £75?

Pass. Whatever interest I may have had has well and truly evaporated...

Flashman wrote:
It's like the marketing version of Lost.

They should remember that many people got hacked off with Lost after the first season.

X-files was way worse. It ran that same principle for 9 seasons.

But X-files also made giantanormous amount of money, so hey, what do we know.

Backfire wrote:

Flashman wrote:
It's like the marketing version of Lost.

They should remember that many people got hacked off with Lost after the first season.

X-files was way worse. It ran that same principle for 9 seasons.

But X-files also made giantanormous amount of money, so hey, what do we know.

And also had the advantage of Gillian Anderson....

75 pounds converts to $118.50... hopefully it's closer to the $100 mark...

Still looking forward to it! The wind's in my sails! There's no turning this boat around! Etc etc

75 RRp does seem like a lot for a game that can only run certain pre set scenarios. As someone pointed out, you could have 30 ships for uncharted seas for the same price. My first fleet for uncharted seas just arrived yesterday. I was pleasantly surprised by the level of detail. How does maneuvering a few ships around the table with no chance of expansion and limited independant playability stike me. Not so well.

I get way excited when i know something is coming that i want. Its hard to get excited about something when i am not sure what it is or if i will even be interested. Its like a blind date that is going to cost a lot of money. Who knows if the other person is going to be worth even the investment of time it takes to go on the date. I would want to know what they looked like, general level of fitness and personal hygien before i layed down serious cash.

sennacherib wrote:I would want to know what they looked like, general level of fitness and personal hygien before i layed down serious cash.

Ironically, my first question was always "Does she make enough own a nice boat"...


Pretty poor time for them to enter the market given Dystopian Wars and Uncharted Seas.

AgeOfEgos wrote:

sennacherib wrote:I would want to know what they looked like, general level of fitness and personal hygien before i layed down serious cash.

Ironically, my first question was always "Does she make enough own a nice boat"...


Pretty poor time for them to enter the market given Dystopian Wars and Uncharted Seas.

My theory holds that the reason they are releasing this game IS to try to capitolize on the success of UC and DW. They also probably hope to damage a smaller, upstart companies profits by sucking off some of the cash. Is this going to work though. hard to say.

RiTides wrote:75 pounds converts to $118.50... hopefully it's closer to the $100 mark...

Still looking forward to it! The wind's in my sails! There's no turning this boat around! Etc etc

LMAO, that would be a stupid price. The UK price might be fine for UK folks, but you folks in the US a price tag of $118 and it wont go well.


Even at a $100 or slightly lower I likely wont be in for a copy. Im getting the feeling this thing just isnt gonna wow me enoguh to justifly the price. If the ships are cool maybe Ill snag some when people part out the boxes on ebay.

H.B.M.C. wrote:I just got a ‘have you seen this man?’ E-mail from GW, telling me to stay tuned for September 17th.

It must be so awesome to live in a world where not telling anyone about your products – not even 4 days before you put it up for sale – is considered a good marketing strategy.

I lol'd. Hard.

Mad4Minis wrote:

RiTides wrote:75 pounds converts to $118.50... hopefully it's closer to the $100 mark...

Still looking forward to it! The wind's in my sails! There's no turning this boat around! Etc etc

LMAO, that would be a stupid price. The UK price might be fine for UK folks

Never going to get it for that price. Not a snowball's chance in hell.

£75 is a good laugh when you can get Incursion ("like Space Hulk, but with more SS Zombies") for £15. I don't even know what combat drugs GW are on any more.

Ian Sturrock wrote:£75 is a good laugh when you can get Incursion ("like Space Hulk, but with more SS Zombies") for £15. I don't even know what combat drugs GW are on any more.

Incursion is also done entirely as cardboard.
The models are optional.

Avatar 720 wrote:

Mad4Minis wrote:

RiTides wrote:75 pounds converts to $118.50... hopefully it's closer to the $100 mark...

Still looking forward to it! The wind's in my sails! There's no turning this boat around! Etc etc

LMAO, that would be a stupid price. The UK price might be fine for UK folks

Never going to get it for that price. Not a snowball's chance in hell.

Cant say I blame you...assuming 75 pounds for you is about the same as $75 is for us here, thats a fair chunk of change. Then you add in the conversion rate, boosting the cost to almost $120 US...that would be ridiculous. Unless it turned out to be really great Id be hesitant to spend $75 US, forget almost $120.

Tailgunner wrote:Because when you posture on the internet, you're unaccountable. You can be a big blowhard here, fanning the flames of anger and discontent about GW's incompetence, and gain a degree of recognition that you'll never have in real life. Noone needs to know that you've got 3 boxes of Space Hulk at home (2 of the unopened), even though you bitched endlessly about the lack of marketing for its release, or that you actually bought the Stormraven even though you posted multiple times about how crap it is.

That works both ways. A lot of the 'posturing' is actually just people sharing an opinion, but it often gets blown all out of proportion by those who are poised ready to jump on anything negative said about GW as mindless 'hating'...

Some people are just far too willing to lump anyone who doesn't agree with them into the 'Haterz' are 'Fanboiz' camp, because assuming that the person disagreeing with you is doing so out of fanatical adherance to a 'cause' makes it easier to dismiss their point as mindless posturing.

This new game is a good example. For all the railing about it, the internet forums now have pages of speculation about it, yet noone knows much at all. That sounds to me like a rather successful approach to marketing - and from a company that, if the 'armchair CEOs' are to be believed, doesn't understand the internet.

Speculation does not equal excitement. And doesn't automatically translate to sales.

You don't need to be an 'armchair CEO' to think that GW doesn't understand the internet. Any company that on the one had publicly dismisses the internet crowd as an inconsequential percentage of their customer base and with the other hand institutes policies designed specifically to target rumour-mongering and websales due to them supposedly killing off the hobby as we know it is clearly a little confused...