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So there's alot of rumors that gw is speeding up it's process to get ready to sell the company, if this actually happens what would this mean for 40k? Another company takes over the ip, it fades away?

Dawnofthedoug wrote:
So there's alot of rumors that gw is speeding up it's process to get ready to sell the company, if this actually happens what would this mean for 40k? Another company takes over the ip, it fades away?

Hopefully, they'll sell it to someone who'd communicate more with the fanbase and take the game towards a more balanced direction. I don't think anyone who buys the company is just going to let it fade into obscurity, though. One would think that if you're on the market for intellectual property, you're planning on using that property once you get it.

I finally get my friends to start playing Flames of War.

Best Case Scenario: No more of these threads...

My guess, WOTC or someone big picks it up.
Maybe some big conglomerate will pick it up.

Someone else picks up the pieces and reapproaches the fanbase rather then abusing it, the lore/fluff gets marketed out to more competent groups.

Overall a good scenario unless you like the way GW is going right now.

 Harriticus wrote:
Someone else picks up the pieces and reapproaches the fanbase rather then abusing it, the lore/fluff gets marketed out to more competent groups.

Overall a good scenario unless you like the way GW is going right now.

Maybe I'm just a cynic, but I have the horrible feeling that we'd look back on the latter Kirby Years with nostalgia if GW does get sold off/falls apart, because the replacement will end up being on par with JJ-Trek or the Prequels. I mean sure, the company could go back to its roots, form a FW-style Specialist Games sub-company, bring the BL and FFG writers in to write the codex fluff, and give everyone free candy canes and gumdrops and the laughter of happy children with every purchase, but it's more likely that they'd become even more ruthlessly corporatised than they are today

 Harriticus wrote:
Someone else picks up the pieces and reapproaches the fanbase rather then abusing it, the lore/fluff gets marketed out to more competent groups.

Overall a good scenario unless you like the way GW is going right now.

That would be wonderful.

This is a best case scenario, screw GW. I hope they fold this year.

 pretre wrote:
Best Case Scenario: No more of these threads...

Then how would I know who to put on ignore?

 bigyounk wrote:
This is a best case scenario, screw GW. I hope they fold this year.

So that no more models are sold..no new gamers brought into the fold and the hobby fades fast (or slowly) into obscurity and everyhing we have is worthless : I

naw I hate Games Workshop..don't get me wrong about that...but dont' hate the children for the fathers sins, I would LOVE to see 40k and the rest of the intellectual properties sold to
Wizards of the Coast...maybe I'm being Naive but I think WotC at least knows how to market and treats their fan bases a little better....and that could be it...not GW selling the company..but maybe selling the more popular settings...40k..fantasy...and maybe producing board games once again...do it GW!!!..stop abusing your children and let them free!!

I have to agree with others who have posted here- GW going under would spell the death-knell of 40K and Fantasy. Even if those two games survived (Specialist games would obviously not even be considered, as even GW barely acknowledges them), any company heading up any new projects would likely cause us to look fondly upon the current days of "evil GW" with nostalgia, which is extremely sad.

 AegisGrimm wrote:
Even if those two games survived (Specialist games would obviously not even be considered, as even GW barely acknowledges them)

Or another, more sensible, company might recognize that abandoning your IP is stupid and put at least a token effort into making them into legitimate products.

any company heading up any new projects would likely cause us to look fondly upon the current days of "evil GW" with nostalgia, which is extremely sad.

Only if that company is stupid enough to throw out a valuable IP just for the sake of destroying it instead of leaving the good parts of the IP alone and concentrating on fixing GW's appallingly bad management problems.

Democratic ownership as fans try to re establish their favorite hobby

Dawnofthedoug wrote:
So there's alot of rumors that gw is speeding up it's process to get ready to sell the company, if this actually happens what would this mean for 40k? Another company takes over the ip, it fades away?

Its a publicly traded company, its for sale all the time. If a group of investors wanted to buy enough stock to control the company, what they are buying in addition to the physical infrastructure is the IP! Why would they let the main thing (IP) fade away?

JWhex wrote:

Dawnofthedoug wrote:
So there's alot of rumors that gw is speeding up it's process to get ready to sell the company, if this actually happens what would this mean for 40k? Another company takes over the ip, it fades away?

Its a publicly traded company, its for sale all the time. If a group of investors wanted to buy enough stock to control the company, what they are buying in addition to the physical infrastructure is the IP! Why would they let the main thing (IP) fade away?

Not gonna lie, this is basically it. GW's product is the IP. Anyone who's looking to buy GW is going to be invested in the IP. If the IP is shifting hands, then we can hope that it'll go to someone who can better manage it, but I highly doubt it'll get shelved because GW get's bought out. That's like buying a car for the express purpose of not using the car.

What would likely happen is people would see how a company who REALLY is only interested in maximizing profit would do and warhammer as we know it would cease to exist.

In other words, you'd realize how good we have it as a game company.

Orktavius wrote:
What would likely happen is people would see how a company who REALLY is only interested in maximizing profit would do and warhammer as we know it would cease to exist.

In other words, you'd realize how good we have it as a game company.

Yeah, because other companies that are interested in maximizing profit don't make enjoyable games...

We all sit down have a group whinge, then accept it have a slice a PIZZA and have a game of 40k and some beers

For me personally, I have a lifetime of models to paint and bash and convert.... I'd hang onto my rulebooks and play when I can. I love 40K, the art and lore, but I will shed no tear if GW went under.

As with most publicly traded companies, GW is probably already owned by a bunch of banks and pension companies as a pretty safe bet for luxury entertainment goods. Being sold to another such group won't actually change anything.

For example, if you check the investor relations part of the gw site you'll see that Ruffer LLP recently bought 90k shares fo increase their share from 7 to 8% of the company. Won't actually change anything.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Hmm... it also looks like they will pay out about £7.5million in share dividend this year. Not too shabby.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Interesting. They made more money in both continental europe and north America than in the UK. I guess those larger populations are coming into play.

Warmahorde!

Of the 6 largest investors in GW (holding about 51% of total shares) 5 are asset management or investment companies. The 6th is tom kirby himself at 6.7% of shares. Share sales will be going on all the time.

Hasnt GW been screwing over hobbiests forever?
How is now any different from 6 years ago?

Orktavius wrote:
What would likely happen is people would see how a company who REALLY is only interested in maximizing profit would do and warhammer as we know it would cease to exist.

In other words, you'd realize how good we have it as a game company.

Things definitely could be worse, but from a fan perspective things are not that great right now. Aside from the usual evil empire rhetoric there are three areas that a change in management could bring that are sorely needed and would help their bottom line.

1) Get serious about the rules and provide rules that are suitable for competitive and tournament play. These are not mutually exclusive objectives.

2) Improve relations with customers.

3) Get your damn head out of the sand (=United Kingdom). GW has never understood the NA market and I doubt they really understand any market other than the UK.

JWhex wrote:

3) Get your damn head out of the sand (=United Kingdom). GW has never understood the NA market and I doubt they really understand any market other than the UK.

The "problems" GW have, such as they are, also exist in the UK. How do you think NA and UK are different, in regards to how GW treats them?

 BryllCream wrote:
The "problems" GW have, such as they are, also exist in the UK. How do you think NA and UK are different, in regards to how GW treats them?

Just to give an obvious example, they don't understand things like the population density difference and that having one store per state (in a random strip mall nobody goes to) is not a substitute for proper marketing.

GW has absolutely ZERO interest in warhammer being a tournament game, they have never tried to be M:TG with mini's. It's Never....I repeat NEVER going to be a game meant for serious competitive play. GW is a company that sells models, the rules are a vehicle to sell models.

This game will NEVER be a game based on being truely competitive, it NEVER has and NEVER will be. If you want Warhammer to be a super tight/balance ruleset focused on competitive play you are in the wrong hobby and should perhaps look at M:TG for your competitive needs.

Orktavius wrote:
GW has absolutely ZERO interest in warhammer being a tournament game, they have never tried to be M:TG with mini's. It's Never....I repeat NEVER going to be a game meant for serious competitive play. GW is a company that sells models, the rules are a vehicle to sell models.

And this is why GW needs to die ASAP so the IP can go to a company that will use it properly and understand that you can make both awesome models AND competitive rules.

30% of all sales are in the UK, therefore 70% of sales are not. They must understand something of international marketing...