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It's like people think GW is still playing "eternal business". Silly, GW has been playing "Maelstrom of Business" since 7th ed dropped. In maelstrom of business, when you draw a Shareholder card, you better be ready to achieve that objective as fast as you can in any way possible.

-Filthy wargamers make less money than desired. In Eternal Business, investments are made to the competitive scene to grow popularity and increase staying power. However, if you draw a "turn a profit in X days" card that's not an option. Hence, charge the filthy wargamers to continue playing their game with more expensive more frequent codex drops.

-Filthy wargamers sometimes create profit but in unpredictable ways that causes random sales spikes and drops sales in other areas. It is believed that "cheesy net lists" cause these spikes. Therefore, introduce pre-built cheesy net lists in new codexes to direct sales spikes.

-Second game for filthy wargamers only makes up 13% of revenue as it lacks the bolstering power of moms purchasing space marines for young kids. Delete second game and replace with fantasy themed moms purchasing space marines re-enactment simulation system.

These all seem like brilliant moves to me. Perhaps people should just adapt to the new Metabusiness?

I feel as though somehow you are not being entirely sincere.

The problem is that the fans think they're smarter than GW. They think they're smarter than everybody. This is a big part of why product lines like WHFB collapsed. The neckbeards scare away everybody who takes a casual interest with their overwhelming arrogance and pettiness.

destrucifier wrote:
The problem is that the fans think they're smarter than GW. They think they're smarter than everybody. This is a big part of why product lines like WHFB collapsed. The neckbeards scare away everybody who takes a casual interest with their overwhelming arrogance and pettiness.

That must be it. My eyes have been opened.

JJ is probably the most intelligent employee at GW ever.

 wuestenfux wrote:
JJ is probably the most intelligent employee at GW ever.

This doesn't sound like sarcasm at all.

Why do I feel the compulsion to say, "In before lock"?

destrucifier wrote:
The problem is that the fans think they're smarter than GW. They think they're smarter than everybody. This is a big part of why product lines like WHFB collapsed. The neckbeards scare away everybody who takes a casual interest with their overwhelming arrogance and pettiness.

True.

Is Railgun an element?

destrucifier wrote:
The problem is that the fans think they're smarter than GW. They think they're smarter than everybody. This is a big part of why product lines like WHFB collapsed. The neckbeards scare away everybody who takes a casual interest with their overwhelming arrogance and pettiness.

Part of that is true. Part of it is WHFB is an inferior product. Little things like packaging movement trays with the models could have made a HUGE difference with percieved value

I am not even sure what is being said here.

MB

destrucifier wrote:
The problem is that the fans think they're smarter than GW. They think they're smarter than everybody. This is a big part of why product lines like WHFB collapsed. The neckbeards scare away everybody who takes a casual interest with their overwhelming arrogance and pettiness.

Obviously it's the customer's fault for not buying an overpriced mediocre product.

 Korinov wrote:

destrucifier wrote:
The problem is that the fans think they're smarter than GW. They think they're smarter than everybody. This is a big part of why product lines like WHFB collapsed. The neckbeards scare away everybody who takes a casual interest with their overwhelming arrogance and pettiness.

Obviously it's the customer's fault for not buying an overpriced mediocre product.

Yeah, those fething neckbeard customers. How dare they vote with their wallets. Obviously, they're too thick to appreciate a superior product.

Kirby sure taught them a lesson- he blew Warhammer Fantasy right up! They better watch themselves, or he'll blow 40k up too! And then whose faults will that be?? Think about that.

 Accolade wrote:
Kirby sure taught them a lesson- he blew Warhammer Fantasy right up! They better watch themselves, or he'll blow 40k up too! And then whose faults will that be?? Think about that.

Communists!

 toasteroven wrote:

 Accolade wrote:
Kirby sure taught them a lesson- he blew Warhammer Fantasy right up! They better watch themselves, or he'll blow 40k up too! And then whose faults will that be?? Think about that.

Communists!

God help us!

The main reason people have a low opinion of GWs intelligence is that they shrank and stagnated in an expanding and thriving industry.

destrucifier wrote:
The problem is that the fans think they're smarter than GW. They think they're smarter than everybody. This is a big part of why product lines like WHFB collapsed. The neckbeards scare away everybody who takes a casual interest with their overwhelming arrogance and pettiness.

You really need to detox from the consumerist culture. It is the job of a business to MAKE us want to buy their product, it is not the job of the customer to BUY gak and promote it themselves. GW doesn't do anything to make people want to buy WFB then it's somehow our fault it fails? How about put in effort to make decent rules, or community events based on what customers want? Market research? Demos? Product trials?

If you look at the actions of GW plc as those of a large company in steady decline.
Being managed by a good accountant from a small business, who has not got the skill set to be pro active and reverse the decline.
But is just doing what he thinks is best to slow down the decline as much as possible.

it really does explain the way GW plc behaves.

Imagine if a motor vehicle company like Ford had a C,E,O who had no idea about how engines worked.
And just made decisions based on power plant design, based on fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.
And ignored all communication with the designers making the engines and what customers were asking for as a whole.
But just fixated on these two elements at the exclusion of everything else.(Because he believes these are the only important issues.)

And turned all the motor vehicles into pedal power.Totally missing the big picture of what a MOTOR vehicle company is about.

It sounds ridiculous I know.
But when the man in charge of GAMES Workshop, just focuses on '..selling toy soldiers to children..'(His words NOT mine.)
You can see the reason for my analogy.

destrucifier wrote:
The problem is that the fans think they're smarter than GW. They think they're smarter than everybody. This is a big part of why product lines like WHFB collapsed. The neckbeards scare away everybody who takes a casual interest with their overwhelming arrogance and pettiness.

Not that I play WFB, but... I think that ANY company with a $160+ million market capitalization, a giant IP, and rabid fan base that will buy nearly ANYTHING that posts consistent quarterly losses and lacks a social media foot print in the second decade of the 21st century speaks for itself.

Why is Hasbro booming? Mattel following. GW, in third is cratering. Is it because of some inate genetic superiority or better management?

Why arent they making more accessible board games? Better computer games? Aquiring other game companies? Making toys? Aps? How much non GW stuff you you buy to play GW stuff? Why arent they making FAT mats? Why arent they sponsoring major tournaments? Sponosoring events is a bad business model?! Look at Red Bull they are $1b market cap beverage company that sponsors air races? Oracle sponsors the dang americas cup? GW can't even get an international competitive circuit put together? Heard of Twitch? Why arent they on there? A free video game (league of legends) has international comps....

This company is sitting on a golden egg, but they aren't doing ANYTHING with it except killing it with crummy rules and short sighted strategic decisions like squeezing FLGS and simultaneously CLOSING their corporate franchisees?

Doesn't really seem like enlightened leadership to me... but what do I know about it.... I am just a consumer....

frozenwastes wrote:
The main reason people have a low opinion of GWs intelligence is that they shrank and stagnated in an expanding and thriving industry.

I thought we established in another thread that miniature wargaming isn't growing at all, but is rather stable. Other companies are taking pieces of GWs pie but the pie isn't getting bigger.

I've said it before; They are an over excited child trying to cling onto a space hopper that's grown to big for them to ride. They make mistakes and break stuff, but still are entertaining many of us with their efforts.

 Kirasu wrote:

destrucifier wrote:
The problem is that the fans think they're smarter than GW. They think they're smarter than everybody. This is a big part of why product lines like WHFB collapsed. The neckbeards scare away everybody who takes a casual interest with their overwhelming arrogance and pettiness.

You really need to detox from the consumerist culture. It is the job of a business to MAKE us want to buy their product, it is not the job of the customer to BUY gak and promote it themselves. GW doesn't do anything to make people want to buy WFB then it's somehow our fault it fails? How about put in effort to make decent rules, or community events based on what customers want? Market research? Demos? Product trials?

You have not noticed the overwhelming sarcasm that pervades this thread, but I will play devil's advocate. The players make the game what it is. If the other players are fun to interact with, you'll have a good time no matter how bad the rules are. If interacting with them is tedious, the game won't be fun no matter how good the rules are. Without the community you just have some books and action figures. From a business perspective the quality of the rules is irrelevant. Just as McDonald's does not worry about making top-rated food, GW has no reason to worry about making top-rated games. If people like it they'll buy it, if they don't then it's time to make something different.

 Mymearan wrote:

I thought we established in another thread that miniature wargaming isn't growing at all, but is rather stable.

The comes entirely from a single US distributor's data. There is no, and will never be, hard figures on the overall size of wargaming. However the sheer range of toy soldiers today is unprecedented, so in that sense Wargaming is growing and its entirely possible, even probable, that it is growing economically as well.

frozenwastes wrote:
The main reason people have a low opinion of GWs intelligence is that they shrank and stagnated in an expanding and thriving industry.

So they've had their monopoly yanked out from under them and they're somehow supposed to be just as successful as before? They were better off as the big fish in a small pond.

Mr. Correct wrote:

 Kirasu wrote:

destrucifier wrote:
The problem is that the fans think they're smarter than GW. They think they're smarter than everybody. This is a big part of why product lines like WHFB collapsed. The neckbeards scare away everybody who takes a casual interest with their overwhelming arrogance and pettiness.

You really need to detox from the consumerist culture. It is the job of a business to MAKE us want to buy their product, it is not the job of the customer to BUY gak and promote it themselves. GW doesn't do anything to make people want to buy WFB then it's somehow our fault it fails? How about put in effort to make decent rules, or community events based on what customers want? Market research? Demos? Product trials?

You have not noticed the overwhelming sarcasm that pervades this thread, but I will play devil's advocate. The players make the game what it is. If the other players are fun to interact with, you'll have a good time no matter how bad the rules are. If interacting with them is tedious, the game won't be fun no matter how good the rules are. Without the community you just have some books and action figures. From a business perspective the quality of the rules is irrelevant. Just as McDonald's does not worry about making top-rated food, GW has no reason to worry about making top-rated games. If people like it they'll buy it, if they don't then it's time to make something different.

Poor example, as most companies do market research to see what customers want. http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/The-Bite/2015/0310/Would-you-like-kale-with-that-Why-McDonald-s-is-going-healthy.-video
McDonalds VERY much worries about the quality of its food in todays market, new example perhaps? GW can't simply "do something different" they have "do something customers want:. However, they no longer have the talent nor vision for that and thus AoS will probably flop.

It's almost like one of those movie montages where a creator becomes popular, and struggles to deal with the monetary fallout of the popularity, until the end result becomes unrecognisable.
Except it's not wrapped up in 180 minutes, the songs have been cut, and the CGI is lousy... Poor GW, he just wanted to entertain...

 Kirasu wrote:


Poor example, as most companies do market research to see what customers want. http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/The-Bite/2015/0310/Would-you-like-kale-with-that-Why-McDonald-s-is-going-healthy.-video
McDonalds VERY much worries about the quality of its food in todays market, new example perhaps? GW can't simply "do something different" they have "do something customers want:. However, they no longer have the talent nor vision for that and thus AoS will probably flop.

Mcdonald's only pretends to worry about the quality of its food, and that "quality" is more a question of raw data for display on a nutritional chart. Their experimentation with "healthy" food has hurt the company's profits terribly, and was essentially a desperate attempt to improve their PR after the mass hysteria provoked by sensationalist propaganda like the film Super Size Me.
Trust me, the core of their business is still the greasy, unhealthy food upon which they built their company. Whatever market research they're doing is a waste of money because people are really still just buying the big macs, mcnuggets and fries. No need for research, the sales figures speak for themselves.
Age of Sigmar is more like the Arch Deluxe of the mid 1990s, or one of those ridiculous salads they were selling the last time I went to a Mcdonalds (ten years ago at least.) An experimental niche item that exists not to earn a profit, but to make their menu more attractive as a whole.

If those awful consumers just bought everything what GW made! If they only were nice lemmings and not go buy other products!

I think it's amusing that there are people who actually think GW would make more money if they wrote better rules or put more research into their writing. Such a naive and childlike understanding of the world, these people have. Such baffling ignorance of the way business works in the real world.

The truth of course is that rules are worthless. They're just words arbitrarily scrawled onto a piece of paper. GW is a company that makes models, and they only publish rules as an accessory for the models. They couldn't care less if you like the game or even if you play the game. They just want you to buy the models.

The quality of rule writing and testing have never affected a game's success in the marketplace and they never will. One attractive package with pretty playing pieces is worth ten billion perfectly written rulesets.