GW tightens the gag on leaks about new products (yes, again)

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**unmercifulconker**

Everyone will benefit? What about the leak hungry animals like me?

**Alpharius**

Probably another byproduct of the "New Line Effect" but still...weird.

**H.B.M.C.**

Does the E-mail indicate whether they threw their toys out of the pram before or after they came to this decision? Additionally, now that they’ve successfully spited their face, have they managed to find a surgeon who can reattach their nose?

**Kroothawk**

GW just got banned from North Corea for being too repressive

**Grimtuff**

"By working together we believe that everyone will benefit"

Oh GW, you so crazy!

**Noisy_Marine**

Rivet wrote:
Mr. Grey wrote:I'm not sure I understand why GW seems so focused on hiding information about new releases. Shouldn't it be the other way around, to hype up potential sales and get customers more exited? It'd be akin to the video game industry blacking out all information about the next AAA title, only to have it drop in stores one day with no warning whatsoever.

As a potential customer, I'd love at least *some* information on what's being released in the months ahead, so that I can plan my hobby budget and start thinking about new unit/army possibilities.

This is what they want to avoid. They do not want you cherry picking what you want to buy. They hope you will go OH! SHINY at every new release and pick it up regardless.

In other words, GW thinks you are dumb.

cute-hydra wrote:It's to protect their market, if they said right in two months time we will be doing a Black Templars release:

Suddenly all the independent moulding companies are marketing a Knight Templar in space insignia pack! So all the people looking to do a new BT army buy the insignia pack cos it's a lot cheaper than the GW conversion pack.

The theory is that if they don't tell anyone what the new release is the competition doesn't have time to prepare.

(not my opinion of whether it's right etc)

C-Hydra

Yeah, but if GW suddenly releases BT shoulder pads that are finecast and/or stupidly expensive, third party companies will still make their own versions, and people will still buy these third-party versions cheaper. I doubt any sort of heads up will affect that.

Howard A Treesong wrote:Getting into Magic the Gathering shows me quite a contrast in approaches. When there's a new release coming for Magic there's a date set well in advance and some little spoilers, and a few weeks before hand the cards for the new set are gradually revealed a few each day. Then a week before the release they support pre-release events in stores everywhere so you can get a few packs of the new set and promotional cards for that specific event. Then they do something similar for the actual release.

GW do none of this. They clamp down on all information until they decide to put it in their monthly sales catalogue. Then the stuff is available on the day if you want to go and buy it.

GW just don't manage any hype or try to engage their customers. Each event from Magic is memorable, they make it eventful and you feel part of something when getting involved, and you get some promotional bits and pieces as extra reward. GW simply don't foster any community with their releases, their White Dwarf is about as exciting as the new Argos catalogue.

I think you know as well as I do that it is impossible for GW to be awesome like WotC. Miniature games and CCG's are too different, TOO DIFFERENT I SAY!

**Pacific**

Once again.. does GW not realise that most (if not all) of these independent stores sell items other than GW brand? In between this, the complete lack of info on new releases (which must have made planning anything difficult, even prior to this), and the Finecast quality control issues, it is almost like they want to stop anything other than their own stores selling their goods. And you have to ask, is that the plan?

If I were a store owner and received this kind of desultory bull-crap, it would make me put every effort I could into getting my clientele into playing other games.

**JOHIRA**

There's a certain charming insanity to this.

"What?! How dare you make people excited to buy our product? As punishment, you are hereby prevented from making us money for 6 months!"

**nkelsch**

This is all so GW will keep 'Smaug' a secret as long as humanly possible for the new hobbit movies since there is a good chance GW will have to see the model and produce prototypes long before the public sees images of him.

If New Wave is forcing secrecy on GW... then this is what they have to do to keep the people whose licenses they hold happy. Doesn't seem unreasonable in the slightest. We all *KNOW* why GW is doing this... people just want to piss and moan about it.

If you are a store owner, and you have access to proprietary trade secrets... keep it to yourself and everything will be ok?

**Noisy_Marine**

I'm sure the 5 people who play LotR care deeply about a Smaug model.

**nkelsch**

Noisy_Marine wrote:I'm sure the 5 people who play LotR care deeply about a Smaug model.

No... it isn't the 5 people who play LotR, it is the MILLLIONS of people who want to see the Hobbit movie who won't have any idea what Smaug looks like except for some quick teasers in a trailer, and then a picture of GW's model which shows a highly detailed full version of Smaug is circulated all around the internet before the movie is released and before anyone sees what he looks like, basically being the lone source of a massive spoiler New Wave would rather keep secret.

You know... like last time with the previous movies... when New wave gak a brick... you know the exact reason the current policy is in place.

*Coughdirectresultofthiscoughcough*

**H.B.M.C.**

nkelsch wrote:... people just want to piss and moan about it.

Yeah. I'm sure that's the reason.

And store owners also love being kept in the dark and threatened at the same time. Any who don't just want to 'piss and moan'.

nkelsch wrote:No... it isn't the 5 people who play LotR, it is the MILLLIONS of people who want to see the Hobbit movie who won't have any idea what Smaug looks like except for some quick teasers in a trailer, and then a picture of GW's model which shows a highly detailed full version of Smaug is circulated all around the internet before the movie is released and before anyone sees what he looks like, basically being the lone source of a massive spoiler New Wave would rather keep secret.

Yeah, and I'm sure that the vast majority of people who are going to see The Hobbit don't even know that GW exists.

**Grimtuff**

nkelsch wrote:
Noisy_Marine wrote:I'm sure the 5 people who play LotR care deeply about a Smaug model.

No... it isn't the 5 people who play LotR, it is the MILLLIONS of people who want to see the Hobbit movie who won't have any idea what Smaug looks like except for some quick teasers in a trailer, and then a picture of GW's model which shows a highly detailed full version of Smaug is circulated all around the internet before the movie is released and before anyone sees what he looks like, basically being the lone source of a massive spoiler New Wave would rather keep secret.

You know... like last time with the previous movies... when New wave gak a brick... you know the exact reason the current policy is in place.

New LINE. Get the name of the company correct that you're white knighting please.

**nkelsch**

H.B.M.C. wrote:

Yeah, and I'm sure that the vast majority of people who are going to see The Hobbit don't even know that GW exists.

Which is why GW's recent model release list is front page on every LotR fansite on the internet... Sure they have never heard of them. Don't purposfully be obtuse as we all know the history with the spoilers for LotR...

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Grimtuff wrote:
nkelsch wrote:
Noisy_Marine wrote:I'm sure the 5 people who play LotR care deeply about a Smaug model.

No... it isn't the 5 people who play LotR, it is the MILLLIONS of people who want to see the Hobbit movie who won't have any idea what Smaug looks like except for some quick teasers in a trailer, and then a picture of GW's model which shows a highly detailed full version of Smaug is circulated all around the internet before the movie is released and before anyone sees what he looks like, basically being the lone source of a massive spoiler New Wave would rather keep secret.

You know... like last time with the previous movies... when New wave gak a brick... you know the exact reason the current policy is in place.

New LINE. Get the name of the company correct that you're white knighting please.

Sorry, Doesn't change the issue at hand... I am not sure why LotR spoilers being squashed is a 'surprise' to you guys, we have all known about this being the motivation behind this policy for a while... and considering the model list that JUST hit and how it totally made the rounds on the internet... not surprised there was a response. It makes perfect sense why this happened even if you don't want to agree with it.

**Grimtuff**

nkelsch wrote:
H.B.M.C. wrote:

Yeah, and I'm sure that the vast majority of people who are going to see The Hobbit don't even know that GW exists.

Which is why GW's recent model release list is front page on every LotR fansite on the internet... Sure they have never heard of them. Don't purposfully be obtuse as we all know the history with the spoilers for LotR...

Do we really need to draw you a diagram?

The vast majority of people that will see this movie will not go on LOTR fansites and/or be aware of GW's existence. Sure there will be groups that cross over one another, but Johnny-come-lately-cinema-goer has probably never even heard of GW.

**H.B.M.C.**

nkelsch wrote:... every LotR fansite...

Here's the active part of your post. LotR fansites.

The Lord of the Rings movies didn't make their money due to LotR die-hards seeing the film 50 times each. They made their money based on broad appeal. So, as I said, the vast majority of people who will go to see The Hobbit probably don't even know that there is a table top game or that the company making it even exists. More people will probably buy the crappy video game tie-in than will ever know about GW's game.

That's not obtuse nkelsch. That's reality.

**AegisGrimm**

First of all, (not that I'm protecting them) offenders will not be banned from selling any new releases for 6 months. Rather, for the new six months, they will only be able to start selling new releases at a point 30 days after they are released normally.

Second.....how the flaming hell is GW expecting to police this???!!

**Noisy_Marine**

I think GW wants us to love them and despair. We love their models, but despair at the prices, information blackouts, and general stupidity of the company. And that there is a LotR reference.

**H.B.M.C.**

AegisGrimm wrote:Second.....how the flaming hell is GW expecting to police this???!!

No doubt with the crack legal team they've got handling the CHS affair.

Arrows and skulls my brothers - arrows and skulls!

**nkelsch**

H.B.M.C. wrote:
nkelsch wrote:... every LotR fansite...

Here's the active part of your post. LotR fansites.

The Lord of the Rings movies didn't make their money due to LotR die-hards seeing the film 50 times each. They made their money based on broad appeal. So, as I said, the vast majority of people who will go to see The Hobbit probably don't even know that there is a table top game or that the company making it even exists. More people will probably buy the crappy video game tie-in than will ever know about GW's game.

That's not obtuse nkelsch. That's reality.

A picture of smaug will be a trending article on every facebook feed in america the same way every other movie spoiler is... The GW model list for the Hobbit has blown up all over the internet.

New Line doesn't want that to happen. Hence the policy... New Line totally is allowed to be paranoid about spoilers, movie companies go to extreme lengths to prevent movie spoilers...

**Noisy_Marine**

nkelsch wrote:
H.B.M.C. wrote:
nkelsch wrote:... every LotR fansite...

Here's the active part of your post. LotR fansites.

The Lord of the Rings movies didn't make their money due to LotR die-hards seeing the film 50 times each. They made their money based on broad appeal. So, as I said, the vast majority of people who will go to see The Hobbit probably don't even know that there is a table top game or that the company making it even exists. More people will probably buy the crappy video game tie-in than will ever know about GW's game.

That's not obtuse nkelsch. That's reality.

A picture of smaug will be a trending article on every facebook feed in america the same way every other movie spoiler is... The GW model list for the Hobbit has blown up all over the internet.

New Line doesn't want that to happen. Hence the policy... New Line totally is allowed to be paranoid about spoilers, movie companies go to extreme lengths to prevent movie spoilers...

And you and I both know it won't work. There will be a spoiler pic of Smaug. New Line might as well release it on their website and say, "Here it is! It's Smaug! No need for you to see the movie now!"

**Grimtuff**

H.B.M.C. wrote:
AegisGrimm wrote:Second.....how the flaming hell is GW expecting to police this???!!

No doubt with the crack legal team they've got handling the CHS affair.

So you mean Snitchy McGee and the other white knights that are scattered throughout this hobby posing as Joe public?

"Mr GW sir! They're showing those naughty pictures again behind the bike sheds"
"You did the right thing tattling"

**H.B.M.C.**

Just like the reveal of the Helm's Deep stuff ruined The Two Towers and was reported everything and... oh wait no it didn't.

One of us: Did you know that Games Workshop's LotR miniature game revealed the Helm's Deep explosives/Uruk-Hai guys before the movie game out?
Joe Average: What's a Games Workshop?
Even More Average Joe: What's an Uruk-Hai? Is that the dwarf guy? I like the dwarf guy. He's funny and his axe is cool.

**nkelsch**

Noisy_Marine wrote:

New Line doesn't want that to happen. Hence the policy... New Line totally is allowed to be paranoid about spoilers, movie companies go to extreme lengths to prevent movie spoilers...

And you and I both know it won't work. There will be a spoiler pic of Smaug. New Line might as well release it on their website and say, "Here it is! It's Smaug! No need for you to see the movie now!"

And if they find out the source... then those people might have their business impacted. If you are not a business with a trade account or don't have access to trade secrets... who cares?

Sit back and wait for the spoilers and enjoy them when they happen.

**Fafnir**

H.B.M.C. wrote:
nkelsch wrote:... every LotR fansite...

Here's the active part of your post. LotR fansites.

The Lord of the Rings movies didn't make their money due to LotR die-hards seeing the film 50 times each. They made their money based on broad appeal. So, as I said, the vast majority of people who will go to see The Hobbit probably don't even know that there is a table top game or that the company making it even exists. More people will probably buy the crappy video game tie-in than will ever know about GW's game.

That's not obtuse nkelsch. That's reality.

And let's face it, it's not like the die-hards will stop going to see the movie 50 times each if they get an early shot of Smaug anyway.

**Grimtuff**

nkelsch wrote:If you are not a business with a trade account or don't have access to trade secrets... who cares?

I'm sorry, you keep saying this. Since when did White Dwarf and the contents it contains (which is partially what this policy is to stop, Indies getting their WD's early and can thus put up pre orders early) become a "trade secret"? If you think WD should be classed as such you're really at the GW sack more than I thought.

**H.B.M.C.**

It's a lot of worry over sweet feth all.

**AegisGrimm**

*Nods*

Mostly an empty threat.

**muwhe**

Honestly, most of this is just restricting the sale of product prior to the street date. Something stores should be doing anyway if that is the wishes of the parent company.

It is similar to what other companies have on releases. It's why stores hold a midnight draft for new magic sets.
Because prior to the street date stores are restricted from selling it and you don't want to be caught as a store selling Magic early. Other high demand products have similar restrictions on release and sale.

Coming on the heels of the release of 6th edition where there was a wide disparity between when people got copies. Along with a good deal of negative feedback towards GW on why so and so has the book 2 days earlier when I pre-ordered mine and it's still not here, etc.. I can see GW adopting a more formal and restrictive sales process for new releases.

The gag order stuff well that is another matter.

**Melissia**

And yet, it doesn't seem to be working for them.