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There've been a lot of threads recently that have been discussing various aspects of GW policy based on secrecy. What with WD not being shipped to third party stores to prevent early release, not showing hints of what's going to be released until at most one month before in WD, and even then scant information or pictures. If certain rumours are to be believe, we'll not get shots of or information on new releases until one week before release date, and mail subscription customers of WD will get their copy a week later than stores, to prevent early access.

Now, as someone who spends more than he should on minis, I appreciate seeing what's coming in terms of miniatures. It builds up a nice anticipation, and gets me excited about new products hitting the market. Aside from GW games, I currently play Warmachine and Dystopian Wars. Both PP and Spartan are in the habit of previewing existing releases, and more that one I've pre-ordered stuff from them, and set aside money to purchase new releases in my monthly budget. As a retailer, I've always seen the value in pre-orders, as they represent guaranteed sales and a marvellous way of anticipating the popularity of an item. I can't see any reason not to build up hype for a new product.

Please note, I'm not ranting against GW here. Whilst I do not agree with their business practices, they don't infuriate me either. What I'm asking is, can anyone see a good reason for GW's inordinately high desire for secrecy?

Some folks here would have you believe that their secrecy is due to a fear that if they reveal anything (anything!) that another company will copy their design and have it on shelves before the GW one is on sale.

I like to laugh at these folks. They make my time at Dakka all the more enjoyable.

H.B.M.C. wrote:Some folks here would have you believe that their secrecy is due to a fear that if they reveal anything (anything!) that another company will copy their design and have it on shelves before the GW one is on sale.

Has anyone actually made this argument? Like, for reals?

Knowing that GW will make a model should prevent 3rd party kitbashes like the Chapterhouse not-Tervigon or all the gazillion not-Thunderwulf cav models to some extent; why try to ramp up production if the 'real deal' is going to hit shelves, etc.

sourclams wrote:

H.B.M.C. wrote:Some folks here would have you believe that their secrecy is due to a fear that if they reveal anything (anything!) that another company will copy their design and have it on shelves before the GW one is on sale.

Has anyone actually made this argument? Like, for reals?

Knowing that GW will make a model should prevent 3rd party kitbashes like the Chapterhouse not-Tervigon or all the gazillion not-Thunderwulf cav models to some extent; why try to ramp up production if the 'real deal' is going to hit shelves, etc.

If GW releases the model first, it has better grounds to argue IP. If all they have is a verbal concept in a book somewhere, but no physical model to back it up, it makes the issue a bit trickier. Technically, if a model doesnt exist, then it cant be copied, that kinda thing.

1.) Some people in higher management are furious at early leaks. This is an emotional response.
2.) They try to rationalize it by argueing that GW products are things you buy on impulse, because you want them, not because you actually need them (like e.g. food). So GW wants to give customers less time to think about a purchase before rationality kicks in.
3.) It won't work. Restricting marketing/advertising/information/word-of-mouth has been one cause for the decline of customer numbers. A total information boycott will only accelerate the decline.

Yeah, the 'official' stated reason for the secrecy is that GW believe that we all have the attention span of goldfish, and so if they let us know what they're working on more than a week before release, we'll all have lost interest by the time we're supposed to be mobbing the store to buy it.

Whether or not that's actually backed up by sales figures is anyone's guess.

The letter they put out recently to people who wrote in and complained about finecast and other issues said the secrecy is used to build hype and excitement for upcoming releases.

I can't even begin to describe just how hilarious I find them trying to seriously explain that not telling people what you're releasing is the best way to get them excited about it.

Yep, I sure am excited for whatever it is they're releasing next month! Oh boy oh boy! Even though I have no clue what it is, I'm totally going to rush to my FLGS and buy it, that's how excited I friggin' am!


How the hell is one supposed to get excited about something when one doesn't even know what it is? I can't imagine this will increase impulse buys except...

well, except amongst little kids with no self-control. Which is GW's main focus. So actually, I guess this is brilliant on their part.

insaniak wrote:Whether or not that's actually backed up by any form of rational intelligence is anyone's guess.

Fixed it for you.

Well, yeah, that works too...

H.B.M.C. wrote:

insaniak wrote:It's actually backed up by a team of monkeys pooping into typewriters.

Fixed it for you.

Super fixed it for you.

sourclams wrote:

H.B.M.C. wrote:Some folks here would have you believe that their secrecy is due to a fear that if they reveal anything (anything!) that another company will copy their design and have it on shelves before the GW one is on sale.

Has anyone actually made this argument? Like, for reals?

Knowing that GW will make a model should prevent 3rd party kitbashes like the Chapterhouse not-Tervigon or all the gazillion not-Thunderwulf cav models to some extent; why try to ramp up production if the 'real deal' is going to hit shelves, etc.

Yes they have, amazing as that truly is.

I think it's simply a form of advertisement. Putting a tight lid on any info makes for rampant speculation and wild-guessing.
Coupled with the seemingly inevitable (or even unofficially endorsed!) leaks that allow for bits of info to seep out into the community one by one, this keeps a specific topic "hot" for several months and thus creates a great sense of anticipation.

Much more than an official preview could.

Or at least I could see them thinking like that.

Has anyone actually made this argument? Like, for reals?

Sometimes my ironiometer goes blinky on the internet but yes.
It has been claimed several times at least to my knowledge.

This has been a bemusement and bafflement to me as long as I have been on Dakka and much argued the toss about it.
But apparently GW know what they are doing. So I have been repeatedly told.


Dan Brown is currently writing another best seller with the protagonist dashing around European cultural centres looking for clues for the next GW release.
Masons, Templars, cognicenti &c The usual suspects.
Difference is this one is non-fiction and this time it all based on fact!

Lynata wrote:this keeps a specific topic "hot" for several months and thus creates a great sense of anticipation.

Well, they do like to show pictures of people crowding outside their stores, and we all know thats the kind of thing that cant be faked.

Well, they do like to show pictures of people crowding outside their stores, and we all know thats the kind of thing that cant be faked.

That'll be the folks waiting to return faulty Finecasts.

Ultimately I blame the Mumak.

Its not like stuff has been that much of a secret lately...

little fast example:

I was joking around the ideia of build an army of space dwarfs (full converted from mantic+GW), or an army of Sisters of Battle (after the buzz around the new WD codex).

Mantic released their agenda for six months, declaring the release of warpath, and my beloved space dwarf (in no less than 3 months)

GW dont showed anything except mistery about the new sisters codex, and the new models (if any) will cost more than the metal old ones (so say the rumors, that GW dont talk about).

So, what means that? Means i will save my money and buy forgefathers when they come out, until there i will play with converted models i alredy own and burrowed vehicles.

GW secrecy made them lost a costumers to another company. Great market strategy, should work with kids...

It's because people like you are bad for the hobby and they want you to go play Warmafail.

Oh, just remembered how i got excited about GK when they came out last time, and how i saved money to buy a squad, and how i felt cheated when they released 5 mans in a box, for the price of 10.

Worglock wrote:It's because people like you are bad for the hobby and they want you to go play Warmafail.

I love GW and their games, but I still think Warmachine is cool.

Warmafail

Is that a lobby group against the idea human activity affecting climate change?

coolyo294 wrote:

Worglock wrote:It's because people like you are bad for the hobby and they want you to go play Warmafail.

I love GW and their games, but I still think Warmachine is cool.

He is joking... But GW kind think like that, after all "proxyng" models is bad for GW, and GW IS THE HOBBY!!!

I love GW games... the games.

The Dwarf Wolf wrote:

coolyo294 wrote:

Worglock wrote:It's because people like you are bad for the hobby and they want you to go play Warmafail.

I love GW and their games, but I still think Warmachine is cool.

He is joking... But GW kind think like that, after all "proxyng" models is bad for GW, and GW IS THE HOBBY!!!

I love GW games... the games.

I really don't care about the business decisions or the price hikes, as long as they keep putting out good models I'll be fine.

Reading some of Worglock's other posts, I wouldn't say he's joking. Either trolling, or he's a good, obedient Hobbyist, who realizes the truth, that GW provides the finest toy soldiers in the world at a fair price, not to mention their superb rule systems and complete respect for their customers.

Worglock wrote:It's because people like you are bad for the hobby and they want you to go play Warmafail.

This right here, this is what a bad post looks like.
(post) + Personal attack + (instance of usage of the word fail) x (portmanteaus utilizing "fail") = bad post

Or, perhaps, what irony looks like.

Dwarf Wolf explained why in his experience the secrecy policy doesn't work. Which to me sounds reasonable

The irony is that people like Dwarf Wolf are actually good for the hobby, though not for THE Hobby
Also the attempt to denegrate another games system with the portmanteau was the fail, rather than the game itself.