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I've been struck by how much the launch box/dual box/discount box strategy seems to have become a core part of GW's strategy in the last 12 months and I'm wondering if it's a new business plan or just the result of a series of unfortunate supply chain backlogs that have led to a huge pile-up of expensive releases? In the case of Kill Team, it's clearly a strategy with a quarterly roadmap.

In the case of Battleboxes, it looks like there will be three in six months, not to mention the new "launch box" format for Beast Snaggas and Black Templars. Pre-COVID, it seemed like the strategy was 2-3 battleboxes across 40K and AOS per year.

It makes sense as a strategy – it's a way of discounting without having sales, dual boxes can hook people on new factions, FOMO surely drives sales. However, on the negative side of the ledger, the pre-order promise, shrinkflation of the value of the boxes, and their rapid release has led many to pile up on shelves. Do you like this new normal or do you hope for a return to the less frenetic release schedule? (FWIW, I'm a fan.)

FYI, here are the releases that I remember over the last six months or so?

May

+ Broken Realms boxes
+ AT: Precept Maniple

July

+ Dominion
+ Beast Snagga Launch Box
+ Hexfire

August

+ Kill Team: Octarius

September


October

+ Black Templar Launch Box

November

+ Kill Team: Chalnath
+ War Cry: Red Keep

December

+ Shadow Throne
+ Battleforces

January?

+ Eldritch Omens
+ Fury of the Deep

 flaherty wrote:
Do you like this new normal or do you hope for a return to the less frenetic release schedule? (FWIW, I'm a fan.)

I don't care either way.
Why should I? I don't play every faction & game and have no intention to. I am also not stocking a store and worrying about selling it all/getting stuck with it.
What speed GW pumps out stuff I'm not going to buy doesn't concern me.

If (when) GW puts out a box of stuff I'm interested in? Great! I'll consider picking it up.
If they dont? {Shrugs}. Maybe next time...
I guess I'll be happy in the abstract for whomever is interested in it though??
But overall if it's not something I'm interested in I'm not going to worry about it.

It's not anything new. GW started doing the X vs. Y box releases back in 7th edition W40K. They're just continuing the trend, but now with more games/systems added in.

What's new are the faction box releases with limited print codex like Adeptus Soritias, Beast Snagga's and Black Templars. I think these boxes have been great and a better use of the limited print codex.