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maybe im wrong and it really is super hard to get the resin into that shape, or maybe it takes a whole machine per each when the other machine can print like tons of infantry squads, but 40 dollars for a character with no weapon/war gear options..

This....isn’t exactly news to anyone.

The justification offered is that characters simply sell fewer units, but don’t cost that much less to sculpt, tool and produce.

And thanks to capitalism, that cost/sale ratio outcome is passed on to us, the consumer.

This is why I very rarely if ever buy characters outside of start collecting sets or if they have some other reduction. Just too pricey for me! You can normally fancy up a basic trooper to use as a leader easily enough.

GW charges a premium for everything.
Do people seriously believe they're getting a fair price?

Although part of the reason is because the molds are expensive to make. The cost of the mold needs to be recuperated in model sales.
If they're selling an infantry squad that most people are likely to buy, and many will buy 2-3 of, the kit can be cheaper as the cost of the mold is more spread out.
If they're selling a character that only some people will buy, and hardly anyone will buy more than one, they need to be more expensive because the cost of the mould is concentrated across fewer sales.

The price of the Rae material is negligible in the models btw. You're paying for the design work, profit, mould production, distribution, and profit.

 kirotheavenger wrote:
...Do people seriously believe they're getting a fair price?...

Sometimes? Yeah. Look at commander figures from other games. Warmachine's got older/skinnier ones for $10-ish, but most of the newer fancier ones are in the $18-25 price range for a single pose metal or metal and resin mini on a 30mm or 40mm base. Infinity's charging anywhere from $13-18 for a single-pose metal mini on a 25mm base, the sculpts are beautiful but they're still single-pose metal with no options. Star Wars Legion? $13-15 for single-pose plastic commanders (with two versions if you're lucky) on 25mm bases and a whole load of cardboard. Compared to the competition $20 a model for three multi-pose commanders absolutely drowning in build options and spare parts in the Exalted Sorcerers kit (complete with a Disc) looks incredible, and $40 for a single mono-pose named character and no options looks silly.

I understand GW charges a premium, they are basically a monopoly on tabletop wargaming, but 40 dollars for a one character sculpt is eye gouging

They're not remotely a monopoly. They're just the biggest fish in a small pond.

They're only a monopoly if you buy into all the GW-only silliness. There are tonnes of alternatives out there.

Biggest fish combined with making it for their own game. I know people tout that molds are expensive but jeez, too many companies proving that not only can they make plastics cheap but also in relatively good quality and sculpt.

Hell going away from characters, troops themselves are by far over costed price wise.

The real question to aks is how much does GW make on the video games it produces, and god willing, the movie that probably will never come out

bat702 wrote:
The real question to aks is how much does GW make on the video games it produces, and god willing, the movie that probably will never come out

It has been my belief for a few years now that the death spiral for GW starts when they start selling movie rights.

bat702 wrote:
The real question to aks is how much does GW make on the video games it produces, and god willing, the movie that probably will never come out

GW's half-yearly financial report

beast_gts wrote:

bat702 wrote:
The real question to aks is how much does GW make on the video games it produces, and god willing, the movie that probably will never come out

GW's half-yearly financial report

I skimmed through it, I dont believe it makes only royalties on video games any longer? suppose thats public knowledge too but im semi-lazy

They’ve never broken things down beyond revenue stream, and territory.

So licensed income, from games, pants etc is a single entry.

pretty sure when GW first started licensing games it was technically royalty fee's only but I dont have a degree in business etc

bat702 wrote:
The real question to aks is how much does GW make on the video games it produces, and god willing, the movie that probably will never come out

Zero. Be doesn't -produce- any video games. They license their properties to publishers/developers.

I'm not sure why a movie would be a bad thing. It probably wouldn't be a good movie, but I don't see any particular reason to be against an official one happening,

The ever raising GW mini prices are why I'm looking into 3D resin printing. I reckon I'll get a printer in a year or two, after which I'm cutting down on my mini buying.

I don't mind paying "start collecting" bundle tier prices, 65€ for gorgeus looking squad of ten is tolerable, but 40€ for a single HQ is getting ridiculous.

I keep seeing video games get touted a lot, but how many games will be pulling in that much money these days? There's Total War and... maybe Vermintide 2? The rest of them are either ancient, or have a player base in the double/single digits.

 tauist wrote:
The ever raising GW mini prices are why I'm looking into 3D resin printing. I reckon I'll get a printer in a year or two, after which I'm cutting down on my mini buying.

I don't mind paying "start collecting" bundle tier prices, 65€ for gorgeus looking squad of ten is tolerable, but 40€ for a single HQ is getting ridiculous.

Until you hit models like guardsmen which are 20+ years old nearly and almost that same price of of $40usd and they look more dated than the metal sculpts that came before.

bat702 wrote:
I understand GW charges a premium, they are basically a monopoly on tabletop wargaming, but 40 dollars for a one character sculpt is eye gouging

Monopoly... That word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

Voss wrote:

bat702 wrote:
The real question to aks is how much does GW make on the video games it produces, and god willing, the movie that probably will never come out

Zero. Be doesn't -produce- any video games. They license their properties to publishers/developers.

I'm not sure why a movie would be a bad thing. It probably wouldn't be a good movie, but I don't see any particular reason to be against an official one happening,

this gak sounds too confusing for me, hurting my head, Im just saying unless GW has idiots working for it, it has to have made a killing off of its video game licenses

 Inquisitor Gideon wrote:
They're not remotely a monopoly. They're just the biggest fish in a small pond.

You’re in the uk, you have to be wilfully blind to not see GW has a de facto monopoly over here.

 Grimtuff wrote:

 Inquisitor Gideon wrote:
They're not remotely a monopoly. They're just the biggest fish in a small pond.

You’re in the uk, you have to be wilfully blind to not see GW has a de facto monopoly over here.

Yeah, no. I can walk into any gaming store and find GW as well as multiple different selections of minis and rule sets. GW is dominant, but in no way a monopoly.

bat702 wrote:
maybe im wrong and it really is super hard to get the resin into that shape, or maybe it takes a whole machine per each when the other machine can print like tons of infantry squads, but 40 dollars for a character with no weapon/war gear options..

It’s 2021. They’ve been doing this routine for over 40 years. Is anything on your post news to anyone?

 JohnnyHell wrote:

bat702 wrote:
maybe im wrong and it really is super hard to get the resin into that shape, or maybe it takes a whole machine per each when the other machine can print like tons of infantry squads, but 40 dollars for a character with no weapon/war gear options..

It’s 2021. They’ve been doing this routine for over 40 years. Is anything on your post news to anyone?

not trying to be rude or anything, but they seriously hire internet trolls in russia, id know cuz iv survived over 10,000 e-brawls in league of legends

bat702 wrote:

 JohnnyHell wrote:

bat702 wrote:
maybe im wrong and it really is super hard to get the resin into that shape, or maybe it takes a whole machine per each when the other machine can print like tons of infantry squads, but 40 dollars for a character with no weapon/war gear options..

It’s 2021. They’ve been doing this routine for over 40 years. Is anything on your post news to anyone?

not trying to be rude or anything, but they seriously hire internet trolls in russia, id know cuz iv survived over 10,000 e-brawls in league of legends

Congrats? You want a cookie or something?

Yes, and I'm not a fan of the dynamic static poses half of the time. Also, $40 is nothing compared to the horus heresy characters.

GW may not have a total monopoly, but there aren't many other fish in the pond and they're pretty small in comparison.
GW also has one of the most loyal fan bases I have ever seen. People seem to get personally offended if you say other games or companies are better.

id eat a cookie but itd probably kill me


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 kirotheavenger wrote:
GW may not have a total monopoly, but there aren't many other fish in the pond and they're pretty small in comparison.
GW also has one of the most loyal fan bases I have ever seen. People seem to get personally offended if you say other games or companies are better.

iv looked into many other wargames and they seem plenty solid, its just the playerbase would be so small

Yep, that is pretty much the best advantage GW have, the network effect. Your stuff holds more perceived value because you feel you will always have a better chance of using it, because you have a better chance of getting games in the most commonly played system.