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Title says it all. Why the heck did GW bring back hardback codexes? Is anyone actually happy about that? I had several people excited to get back in at my FLGS only to immediately quit again the moment they heard GW is insisting on $50 hardback codexes. If they were comprehensive indexes I could maybe see it but when one of the first books spoiled was Death Guard it's blatantly clear that getting rules for anything more than a few armies will cost hundreds of dollars. I have a fairly small collection of IG, Lamenters, Black Templar, admech, orks, and Nids, and that means I will still need to spend roughly THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS just on books for my army.

Have they learned nothing? Surely many other players are upset about this.

I've heard that they're doing things similarly to battletomes, with softback option available after the initial hardback release, but I can't say that with certainty. $50 for a codex is pretty lame, but I prefer hardbacks to softback any day.

Ultimately, I'll be sticking to the digital release anyway.

I love this hobby. I don't know any other hobby where people spend thousands of dollars collecting six armies then complain about spending a fraction of their cost on a book.

It's like buying a console then complaining you need to spend money on the games.

Buy Digital and print it out.

Sim-Life wrote:
I love this hobby. I don't know any other hobby where people spend thousands of dollars collecting six armies then complain about spending a fraction of their cost on a book.

It's like buying a console then complaining you need to spend money on the games.

I don't get to build, paint, and customize my book.

It's also annoying when my other miniature war games have their books cost literally half what GW's do, such as bolt action and Dropzone commander.

 MrMoustaffa wrote:

Sim-Life wrote:
I love this hobby. I don't know any other hobby where people spend thousands of dollars collecting six armies then complain about spending a fraction of their cost on a book.

It's like buying a console then complaining you need to spend money on the games.

I don't get to build, paint, and customize my book.

It's also annoying when my other miniature war games have their books cost literally half what GW's do, such as bolt action and Dropzone commander.

Having a monopoly lets them get away with it.

I wish they had both. I'd buy a hardback for my main army and softbacks for my other armies.

 BaconCatBug wrote:

 MrMoustaffa wrote:

I don't get to build, paint, and customize my book.

It's also annoying when my other miniature war games have their books cost literally half what GW's do, such as bolt action and Dropzone commander.

Having a monopoly lets them get away with it.

You are responding to a post that proves that GW doesn't have a monopoly. Lots of people have left the GW ecosystem for cheaper alternatives. Other companies are producing similar products at a cheaper cost - but many people still prefer GW products regardless. It's not a monopoly that let's them get away with it. It's the popularity of their games, which I have to assume, is at least in some part due to a superior quality. Maybe they complain about the prices, but they still buy it. Therefore, the prices aren't too high. Just at the upper limit of almost too high.

I'd rather the cheaper price of soft back, but hard back is sooooooo much nicer to feel and read oh my god

Softback, at a reasonable price - all day long. Probably won't even bother buying the Eldar codex if the price is anywhere near $50.

Rules on a Wiki and a free app. If they're a "models company" first, and Corvus Belli can do it...

I don't mind spending an extra 20 bucks for the hardback, considering how hard on books I tend to be. I'd certainly want them to be an option, I only had traitor legion for less than a year and it's already a bit beat up

Hardback for the armies you collect, digital for any others. Seems ok to me......the books are the cheap part after all.

 MagicJuggler wrote:
Rules on a Wiki and a free app. If they're a "models company" first, and Corvus Belli can do it...

Monopoly = Able to charge. What you gonna do, not buy the rules for your army?


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Sqorgar wrote:

 BaconCatBug wrote:

 MrMoustaffa wrote:

I don't get to build, paint, and customize my book.

It's also annoying when my other miniature war games have their books cost literally half what GW's do, such as bolt action and Dropzone commander.

Having a monopoly lets them get away with it.

You are responding to a post that proves that GW doesn't have a monopoly. Lots of people have left the GW ecosystem for cheaper alternatives. Other companies are producing similar products at a cheaper cost - but many people still prefer GW products regardless. It's not a monopoly that let's them get away with it. It's the popularity of their games, which I have to assume, is at least in some part due to a superior quality. Maybe they complain about the prices, but they still buy it. Therefore, the prices aren't too high. Just at the upper limit of almost too high.

Pretty sure GW still eclipse those "competitors" by orders of magnitude. X-Wing doesn't count because it's a) A totally different style of game and b) Star Wars fanboys will buy any old gak.

I prefer spiralbound.

But the hard back versus softback isn't actually a significant cost for them, but it permits them to justify charging an exorbitant amount of money for a relatively small book.

I'm pretty sure they just copied the college textbook industry for this whole deal.

I'm spanish so I only have Softbacks

 argonak wrote:
I prefer spiralbound.

But the hard back versus softback isn't actually a significant cost for them, but it permits them to justify charging an exorbitant amount of money for a relatively small book.

I'm pretty sure they just copied the college textbook industry for this whole deal.

Back in 5th I took the Assault on Black Reach rulebook, sliced the spine off, laminated each page and spiral bound it. Was good times.

Ehh, not much has changed since 3rd ed, You still don't need the codex's, so many won't buy them no matter what.

My issue is simple:

GW rarely puts out a solid, quality book which isn't rife with errors, things which need to be FAQ'ed etc. GW have stated they'll be doing Chapter Approved (likely on a yearly basis) which will probably add and adjust units. The fluff and art hasn't been very good outside of Forgeworld books for quite some time. The book, outside of the size and the quality of its paper isn't particularly worth $50. It's likely going to be out-dated shortly. It's not a good long term investment. The Space Marine codex is even more odd - because it's horribly obvious Primaris marines will be getting models/units later. There may be a break after the codex releases, but Primaris are the new marine hotness.

So your $50 book will include stats for maybe half or less of your units within a year or two. You'll have paper slips and print outs from model kits for your other units (or an additional Chapter Approved book at extra cost).

GW has indicated a desire for 8th to be a living ruleset approach - if that's the case the codices need to be cheap and disposable softback books. A book you won't be afraid to write in, jot down, stuff papers into etc. If I was more confident in GW's quality of writing, rules, or longevity of products I think I could be more enticed by a hardback rulebook. As it stands, it'll be a poor investment.

Hardbacks, even if they cost more, since they age way better than softbacks.

I never throw away my old armybooks or codeci, I collect them, and the hardbacks look more or less new despite some of them being several years old. The softbacks on the other hand... jeez.

 BaconCatBug wrote:
Pretty sure GW still eclipse those "competitors" by orders of magnitude. X-Wing doesn't count because it's a) A totally different style of game and b) Star Wars fanboys will buy any old gak.

I guess we should throw out Star Trek: Attack Wing, Wings of War, and Star Wars: Armada as well? Can't do Warmachine and Hordes either. Or Malifaux, Infinity, Walking Dead, Guild Ball, Kings of War, Bolt Action, Flames of War, Dark Ages, Kings of War, Song of Ice and Fire, or Rune Wars. Surely, the increased competition from the board game market with stuff like Zombicide, Imperial Assault, Shadows of Brimstone, Rum and Bones, and stuff like that isn't actual competition for the same market that GW operates in (especially if you ignore GW's board games like Talisman, Space Hulk, Assassinorum, Warhammer Quest, and so on).

So... yeah, I guess if you ignore all of GW's direct and obvious competitors, then GW is completely alone in the marketplace and has monopolistic power over gamers.

Look, the simple fact is, GW can get away with charging as much money as it does because enough people are willing to pay it. Nobody is forcing them. Nobody is being exploited. Nobody is backed into a corner. Miniature games are a luxury that is the very definition of optional, and GW has ample competition for people who want cheaper, better games with high quality miniatures.

What GW does have is a monopoly on is its own product. As in, if you want to own a GW product, you have to pay what GW charges (or 75%-85% of it through most online stores). But that's not actually a monopoly. That's just selling a product. It's the cornerstone of capitalism. (and if you have a problem with capitalism, well, there are miniature game options for that as well).

not thrilled with it tbh. You just shelled out money for indexes, now they want a crap ton more for a codex that will replace said index. I knew they were coming.....but 10 before end of year? Ridiculous. I'll just look for leaks online and keep the indexes. If one particular one blows me away, maybe I'll get it, but not holding my breath.

I used to think of my books as collections, but not anymore. Give me cheaper, soft back, or ideally spiral bound books and I'll buy more of them than a crazy priced hardback book that I'll never open again in a few years anyway.

Having had a few softbacks, I prefer hardback. The pages fall out less often, and it survives being stowed away in a bag for travelling better. Higher prices suck, but they'd have done the same with an all-softback release anyway.

Sell me hardback faction books with gathering storm length stories, painting guide, and misc interesting things. And then a softcover unit book with points and rules for the army.

I don't mind the price, but I'd prefer something simple and physical to use when playing the game.

This would also allow them the update the physical rules book with less issues and price.

I'll have to see how much the prize-difference between the two will be. And if they release both in German. But I'd say generally its softback for me, as it's easier to transport and handle.

If they were softbacks and affordable we might have bought some of the codex. As it is we'll stick to the Indexes.

I prefer hardback.

I prefer lower prices.

Bit grumbly that I might get less use out of the indexes than I had thought, but not exactly surprised either.

Maybe also the time to go digital - also running out of space...

I really wanted hardbacks for 6th/7th, too bad the rules turned out be such crap :(. Won't be making that mistake with 8th, will use the indexes as long as I can, though I might garner a peek at the 8E Tyranid softbound codex (*sigh* and maybe Tau, if it has any new decent models when it comes out).

I suspect a few months after each hardbound is out, there'll be a softbound version. Sort of like how novels (used to?) come out in hardback and later softbound volumes.

 MrMoustaffa wrote:
Title says it all. Why the heck did GW bring back hardback codexes? Is anyone actually happy about that?.

Yeah I am happy

Hardback FTW.

and for all you else