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Hi Dakka, is White Dwarf still sold in normal book/magazine stores?

I was wondering following the conversation on Specialist Games phasing out.

A point made was, if something else has to go, White Dwarf was candidate.

There was a very valid point that White Dwarf was still a marketing tool.

Thus, I was wondering if book/magazine stores, etc. still carried White Dwarf.

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Please note, I know there's other factors (i.e. the content now, or lack thereof).

But I'm curious about it. Looking back, I'm in awe of the old White Dwarfs.

The WH Smiths chain (newsagents in most city centres, train stations and airports) in the UK still stock it beside most of the other wargaming magazines.

I haven't seen it in any of the smaller independent newsagents for some time though.

I see it in my local supermarket (Sainsbury's) as well.

If WH Smith have it that means they are distributing to regular newsagents too as WHS are the largest magazine distributor in the UK.

I've seen WD in all the usual outlets near me.

Curiously WHS never seem to have WI anymore?

My local WHS still carries Wargames Illustrated.

Several historical gaming mags in fact.

Both the 2 FLGS I visit have the WD for sale (among other miniature magazines)

Edit: Ah, damn it, only noticed now you were asking about "normal" stores. In that case, no, but that isn't strange in Portugal. There's never any foreign language magazine in normal stores.

Aye the WHSmith distribution network covers the mag, so we have it at our local village shop for example, but not 100% if John Menezies (the other distribution set up, think they cover nearly 50-50 of the UK depending on where you are) have it available.

Also strange but true, don't think I've seen it in the local WHSmith in the nearby town either.

In Germany, it is also sold in newspaper stores.

Is Spain it is still available out of gaming stores, yes

The Newsagents around me can get it, but none of them do, My local WH smith always has it.

Books-a-Million has it in the magazine area on a pretty reliable basis.

My local Barnes and Noble carries White Dwarf. I remember seeing the issue with the Khorne Juggernauts on the cover a few months back.

Dakkamites, as always, you see into the very heart of the question...perhaps the very heart of me.

In my initial post, I was specifically going to cite W H Smith as an example, but cut it short.

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Here's my specific scenario, like 15 years ago. As I remembered back, I looked at GW's current situation.

I'm taking the train home from school, stop by the W H Smith at Victoria station (still there, I hope?)

Look for new Terry Pratchett novels, pick up 2000 AD, a PC mag (with the CD), then the White Dwarf.

The White Dwarf took some reading. This was when Andy Chambers and Jervis Johnson wrote for it.

I'd take it to school, read it between classes. Especially the grimdark fantasy fluff, like...with Skaven.

I'd read it the most ridiculous bits aloud in my fake film trailer voice, like "CIRCLE OF 13", etc.

(Here's the thing, I was never even interested in WHF, but it was really enjoyable reading).

It was good fun, some cool kid would come in to make fun of our nerd stuff, but then...

...he'd recognize the Space Marines from when he himself played Space Crusade, and he'll join us.

Someone will always ask to borrow the White Dwarfs. Then they'll stop, as they'll buy their own.

And someone will ask me when I'm going to the local GW store, so we can check it out together.

That might then lead to a miniature, then paints...then an army. And a new customer.

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And here's the moral of the story: White Dwarf was the ultimate entry level product for new customers.

Someone not into The Hobby might just like the art, some story, some fantasy or sci-fi stuff.

And those fine people don't go to FLGS, at least not at the start. They go to normal places.

W H Smith. Sainsbury's. Books-a-Mill. B&N. Newsagents, even in Germany!

That's better coverage than expected. I reckoned in Europe and the US, it'd be only in FLGS.

(So what you guys mentioned about Portugal and Spain, that made more sense to me, actually).

Here in Hong Kong, we actually have White Dwarfs in English book/magazine stores, 50% chance.

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There is a problem with the White Dwarf today. It's the same one you've been mentioning.

White Dwarf is now just a brochure, but MORE importantly, I reckon it only appeals to existing fans.

If you're not already into The Hobby, the White Dwarf cover with the new miniature won't appeal to you.

Nor any of the internal content, which is just more product shots.

Teenage me won't read this aloud ironically in my fake film trailer voice, it's not even fun to mock.

It's a sad reflection of how GW is hard upselling to existing Hobbyists instead of attracting new players.