Posted By stonefox on 07/25/2006 8:35 AM

Well, since the Skyray box has the parts to make a hammerhead or ionhead as well, for the same price, I don't see the point in buying a hammerhead box anymore.

I think the point he was trying to make is that since virtually everything in the "new" tau line is still the same old models, everyone already has their hammerheads and the skyray's practically useless.

you and he both make the same silly assumption that the only people buying TAU are veteran players that already have what they need..  Now, it isn't like you stonefox to make a such a glaringly broad and general brushstroke, but in this case, your assumption is only half right..

I don't doubt that there's been some decline in the miniature wargames sector. However it's not the most significant (or even one of the most significant) reasons for GW's declining sales. PP and the guys who make Flames of War have both had very good years. Granted they're smaller, but the fact is their sales are increasing at the same time that GW's sales are decreasing. This indicates that the competition is hurting GW.

I'm trying to remember where I saw it (TMP maybe?), but I did see an article on how the Independant comics and gaming stores are doing. As I recall, the answer was 'poorly', with a goodly number of stores shuttering, and the blame was placed on internet sales.

Anecdotally, I hear about gaming stores around the US either dropping product or evaporating. It's the rare store that continues to do well, these days, and usually it's predicated on having the right balance of diverse product.

EDIT: this might be it: talks about the industry as a whole: http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/8407.html

Posted By syr8766 on 07/25/2006 2:05 PM

I'm trying to remember where I saw it (TMP maybe?), but I did see an article on how the Independant comics and gaming stores are doing. As I recall, the answer was 'poorly', with a goodly number of stores shuttering, and the blame was placed on internet sales.

Anecdotally, I hear about gaming stores around the US either dropping product or evaporating. It's the rare store that continues to do well, these days, and usually it's predicated on having the right balance of diverse product.

EDIT: this might be it: talks about the industry as a whole:   While there were some success stories such as Privateer's War Machine, ICv2 estimates that the category declined about 25% in 2005.http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/8407.html">http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/8407.html

Highlights from the article:

" target=_blank sales of SPAN img] ?< yes[ mso-spacerun: miniatures.

Also:

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< img]            1[ mso-tab-count:>1.  Pirates of the Spanish Main<O ></O >

            2.< img]            1[ mso-tab-count:>3.  Star Wars CMG<O ></O >

            4.< img]            1[ mso-tab-count:>5.  [i]MechWarrior" < EM>

I still think they lack a buy-in game; something like 40K 'warbands' or 'confrontation' has to come eventually.

They have a buy-in game. Several, in fact. They just don't support them. At all. Ever.

Posted By Bobske on 07/25/2006 4:54 PM
I've been playing and reading WD for 16 years and would like to play the devil's advocate here.

I think GW is doing great!
Releases are getting better and better.
Codexes and army books look at the same time more generic (they all have the same build up). But the armies have become more and more specific (ogres are really ogres now, Nids are monsters not humans in strange forms etc.)

Releases are slower so you can get into an army much more.
Miniatures are getting better and better and cheaper (more multi part plastic kits with more and more bits : thank you LOTR for making that investment possible)
(and if I look at colonel Marbles reviews I see that GW has a lonely place at the top of good miniature mountain)

Wd used to be a mish mash of WFB, 40K, LOTR and lots of other games (epic, mordheim etc), and now it has become a solid magazine for the 3 core games.
(one month there is more LOTR, the other month more 40 K or WHFB)

Wd has it all now for me, Background, battle reports, nice mini pictures, players armies, conversions , painting guides and that each month! Love it!

Gw has invested in new computersteered techniques and what do people do: whine, whine whine.

No wonder sales drop. People are whining I want my Or(c)k)s but I'll have to wait until 2008.
Start a new army, buy, paint, play. This is a hobby and a lifestyle if you are posting on forums so go, enjoy the game.

And luckily there are some smart people out there who have commented and seen the bright side of things but to the others I'd like to say:
Stick to your miniatures and do not mess with economics

I'm currently painting 2500 p Tyranids, Building my Imperial City Boxed set and painting and building the 3rd company of the Imperial Fists
I'm out of money but the hobby will contnue, I invested!!

A game is an agreement between two or more people to have fun

What a crock! Slow release are a benefit to the consumer - in what world is that? What it has done is helped (along with other reasons) people look at other game systems they would not have done.

Codices are uniformed - yes if you mean uniformedly full of holes and ambiguities accompanied by a badly constructed set of main rules that actually made me moved game systems (WFB, PP, POTSM + varients, hybrid and board games).

What was wrong with the "mish mash" of WD - so much more flavour - even an occasional BFG battle report.

The investment in computer technology is to make things cheaper as well as move advanced - seen prices come down lately?

If you think GW et al is a lifestyle I would respectfully suggest your priorities in life are definitely askew.

Two posts, wonder how many others like me are thinking GW employee.

Posted By tinfoil on 07/25/2006 6:38 PM
Wow. Fullheadofhair, you're entitled to your opinion, but if Bobske feels differently, I think suggesting his "priorities in life are definitely askew" is out of line.

Posted By fullheadofhair on 07/25/2006 5:13 PM

What a crock! Slow release are a benefit to the consumer - in what world is that? What it has done is helped (along with other reasons) people look at other game systems they would not have done.

I had to comment on this point

let's call it 5 years ago, people WERE in fact complaining that GW were bringing out too too many models, and that they were evil expecting their customers to buy so much in such a short period of time, how can we keep up, etc.

so, they decide to listen to their customers, space out the releases, and, imho, bring out better looking models. Nope, people are still complaining, now the releases are too slow. where is the middle ground? they still bring out more models, at a faster pace than ANYBODY ELSE. period.

hate them, that's fine, but they actually did what the consumer asked for in this case.

That is a good point.

But, at the same time do you also remember that it was the time when many people were screaming for new units etc, especially units that were in the more newly released codices. That was approx 7 or 8 years ago.

Posted By deitpike on 07/25/2006 10:51 PM

Posted By fullheadofhair on 07/25/2006 5:13 PM

It?s a fair point.  Part of the reason I no longer play the Vs CCG is that the company that made it released cards too fast.