gendoikari87
05-27-2011, 06:00 AM
Dear, GW
In reguards to the recent price hike I would like to express that I acknowledge that being a bigger company requires more overhead and therefore more expensive products. However, with the recent price hikes it seems like you have abandoned your average gamer in favor of higher returns. This bussiness model you feel will net you more income as even with less players, you will recieve more money. However I would like to stop you for a minute and show you, that you are not a monopoly, that more and more gamers are turning to other game systems that do not abuse their customers with higher than inflation price increases every six months. If you will note here in this article by one of the pillars of the community Belloflostsouls.com, even warmachine and hoards has you beat on an army per army basis.
"Its that time of year again. Lets look at some sample armies from the popular gamesystems and see what wargaming costs these days.
Warhammer 40,000
First up is a pair of sample 1500 armies, one smaller and elite, the other more on the horde side of things. Lets see what Games Workshop is running these days:
Grey Knight Army - 1500 pts
HQ: Grand Master, Master Crafted Psycannon, Master Crafter Nemesis Force Sword, Blind Grenades, Psykotroke Grenades
Elites: Purifiers X 10, Halberds X 5, Daemon Hammer X 2, Psycannon X 2, Incinerator X 1, Rhino Troops: Grey Knight Strike Squad X 10, Psycannon X 2, Psybolt Ammunition, Rhino
Troops: Grey Knight Terminators X 5, Psycannon, Halberds X 4, Daemon Hammer X 1
FA: Storm Raven Gunship, TWL Lascannons, TWL Multi-Melta, Extra Armor
Heavy: Dreadknight, Personal Teleporter
Cost to build
Grey Knight Strike Squad Box X 4 = $132.00
Grey Knight Terminator Box X 2 = $100.00
Storm Raven = $66.00
Dreadknight = $53.75
Rhinos Kits X 2 = $70.00
Total cost = $421.75
The extra Terminator kit is so you can make your Grand Master and have enough guns. They do not make a Grand Master with a Pyscannon at this time. Plus it also gives you more options for your regular guys with Halberds and other choices.
Ork Horde - 1500pts
HQ: Warboss, Power Klaw, Attack Squig, Eavy Armor, Cybork Body, Bosspole
HQ: Big Mek, Kustom Force Field
Elites: Lootas X 15
Troops: Nobz X 5, Painboy, Power Klaw X 3, Big Choppa X 1, Eavy Armor X 5, Cybork Body X 5, Waagh Banner, Bosspole, Battle Wagon, Big Shoota X 2, Deff Rolla, Grot Riggas
Troops: Boyz X 20, Big Shoota X 2, Shootas X 17, Nob, Power Klaw, Bosspole
Troops: Boyz X 12, Nob, Power Klaw, Bosspole, Trukk, Reinforced Ram
Troops: Boyz X 12, Nob, Power Klaw, Bosspole, Trukk, Reinforced Ram
FA: Warbuggies X 3, TWL Rokkits X 3
Heavy: Battle Wagon, Big Shoota X 2, Deff Rolla, Grot Riggas
Cost to Build
Warboss - Black Reach - $10.00
Big Mek - $20.00
Loota Box X 3 - $75.00
Nobz X 1 - $25.00
Boyz X 5 - $145.00
Trukk X 2 - $66.00
Warbuggies X 3 - $75.00
Battle Wagon X 2 - $132.00
Total = $548.00
WARMACHINE/HORDES
Next up is a pair of standard sized armies - one elite and one more horde-ish as well.
Khador - 35pts
Khador Battlebox
pButcher
Great Bears
Greylord Ternion
Kovnik Joe
Winterguard (full sized)
Winterguard UA
2x Rocketeers
Widowmakers
Cost to Build
$237
Legion - 35pts
Lylyth
Carnivean
2x Shredders
Teraph
10x Swordsmen
10x Hex Hunters
Bayal
Strider Deathstalker
Cost to Build
$193 "
as you can see GW, you have gotten to level where comprable armies of other systems are less expensive. While your current bussiness model is one that will undoubtedly bring you a short term net gain in profit, do note that if this trend continues or even if you do not relax your prices, you are going to start to loose your old customers. I know what you are about to say, and it's that new customers are more important because they bring in more revenue, and you are correct about this. However with the comprable cost of building an army being twice or more that of a comprable warmachine or hordes army, you have already began loosing out bussiness to the other game. And they aren't the only ones. Even Flames of war is cheaper.
GW, if you continue down the short term profits path of increasing revenue by increasing prices, you are going to strangle your own lifeblood. Old players are moving to other games, and fewer new players who would be warhammer players are now playing warmachine. You may not see this because of the expansion of the the hobby itself but warmachine and flames of war are growing, and once they reach a level of acceptance in the community that is as respected for volume of players as you are (the are already respected because of price, model quality, and customer care) then your game will be up, and GW will wither into nothing. You have reached an impass where you have turned your back on the players that made you great in return for short term profits. While I recognize that this is necessary in the corporate world to prevent stock losses, there are other options. Invest in technology that will make the production cheaper, and integrate vertically would be my suggestions. But you need to reduce prices, and obviously the old price was not enough. Higher volume sales from lower prices obviously won't be enough, but simply increasing prices is a stop gap measure at best. I know you can do better than this. Please don't let my hobby strangle to death.
If you are a Warhammer, Warhammer 40k, or Lord of the rings player who would like GW to treat it's customers fairly, Copy this message and send it to GW.
In reguards to the recent price hike I would like to express that I acknowledge that being a bigger company requires more overhead and therefore more expensive products. However, with the recent price hikes it seems like you have abandoned your average gamer in favor of higher returns. This bussiness model you feel will net you more income as even with less players, you will recieve more money. However I would like to stop you for a minute and show you, that you are not a monopoly, that more and more gamers are turning to other game systems that do not abuse their customers with higher than inflation price increases every six months. If you will note here in this article by one of the pillars of the community Belloflostsouls.com, even warmachine and hoards has you beat on an army per army basis.
"Its that time of year again. Lets look at some sample armies from the popular gamesystems and see what wargaming costs these days.
Warhammer 40,000
First up is a pair of sample 1500 armies, one smaller and elite, the other more on the horde side of things. Lets see what Games Workshop is running these days:
Grey Knight Army - 1500 pts
HQ: Grand Master, Master Crafted Psycannon, Master Crafter Nemesis Force Sword, Blind Grenades, Psykotroke Grenades
Elites: Purifiers X 10, Halberds X 5, Daemon Hammer X 2, Psycannon X 2, Incinerator X 1, Rhino Troops: Grey Knight Strike Squad X 10, Psycannon X 2, Psybolt Ammunition, Rhino
Troops: Grey Knight Terminators X 5, Psycannon, Halberds X 4, Daemon Hammer X 1
FA: Storm Raven Gunship, TWL Lascannons, TWL Multi-Melta, Extra Armor
Heavy: Dreadknight, Personal Teleporter
Cost to build
Grey Knight Strike Squad Box X 4 = $132.00
Grey Knight Terminator Box X 2 = $100.00
Storm Raven = $66.00
Dreadknight = $53.75
Rhinos Kits X 2 = $70.00
Total cost = $421.75
The extra Terminator kit is so you can make your Grand Master and have enough guns. They do not make a Grand Master with a Pyscannon at this time. Plus it also gives you more options for your regular guys with Halberds and other choices.
Ork Horde - 1500pts
HQ: Warboss, Power Klaw, Attack Squig, Eavy Armor, Cybork Body, Bosspole
HQ: Big Mek, Kustom Force Field
Elites: Lootas X 15
Troops: Nobz X 5, Painboy, Power Klaw X 3, Big Choppa X 1, Eavy Armor X 5, Cybork Body X 5, Waagh Banner, Bosspole, Battle Wagon, Big Shoota X 2, Deff Rolla, Grot Riggas
Troops: Boyz X 20, Big Shoota X 2, Shootas X 17, Nob, Power Klaw, Bosspole
Troops: Boyz X 12, Nob, Power Klaw, Bosspole, Trukk, Reinforced Ram
Troops: Boyz X 12, Nob, Power Klaw, Bosspole, Trukk, Reinforced Ram
FA: Warbuggies X 3, TWL Rokkits X 3
Heavy: Battle Wagon, Big Shoota X 2, Deff Rolla, Grot Riggas
Cost to Build
Warboss - Black Reach - $10.00
Big Mek - $20.00
Loota Box X 3 - $75.00
Nobz X 1 - $25.00
Boyz X 5 - $145.00
Trukk X 2 - $66.00
Warbuggies X 3 - $75.00
Battle Wagon X 2 - $132.00
Total = $548.00
WARMACHINE/HORDES
Next up is a pair of standard sized armies - one elite and one more horde-ish as well.
Khador - 35pts
Khador Battlebox
pButcher
Great Bears
Greylord Ternion
Kovnik Joe
Winterguard (full sized)
Winterguard UA
2x Rocketeers
Widowmakers
Cost to Build
$237
Legion - 35pts
Lylyth
Carnivean
2x Shredders
Teraph
10x Swordsmen
10x Hex Hunters
Bayal
Strider Deathstalker
Cost to Build
$193 "
as you can see GW, you have gotten to level where comprable armies of other systems are less expensive. While your current bussiness model is one that will undoubtedly bring you a short term net gain in profit, do note that if this trend continues or even if you do not relax your prices, you are going to start to loose your old customers. I know what you are about to say, and it's that new customers are more important because they bring in more revenue, and you are correct about this. However with the comprable cost of building an army being twice or more that of a comprable warmachine or hordes army, you have already began loosing out bussiness to the other game. And they aren't the only ones. Even Flames of war is cheaper.
GW, if you continue down the short term profits path of increasing revenue by increasing prices, you are going to strangle your own lifeblood. Old players are moving to other games, and fewer new players who would be warhammer players are now playing warmachine. You may not see this because of the expansion of the the hobby itself but warmachine and flames of war are growing, and once they reach a level of acceptance in the community that is as respected for volume of players as you are (the are already respected because of price, model quality, and customer care) then your game will be up, and GW will wither into nothing. You have reached an impass where you have turned your back on the players that made you great in return for short term profits. While I recognize that this is necessary in the corporate world to prevent stock losses, there are other options. Invest in technology that will make the production cheaper, and integrate vertically would be my suggestions. But you need to reduce prices, and obviously the old price was not enough. Higher volume sales from lower prices obviously won't be enough, but simply increasing prices is a stop gap measure at best. I know you can do better than this. Please don't let my hobby strangle to death.
If you are a Warhammer, Warhammer 40k, or Lord of the rings player who would like GW to treat it's customers fairly, Copy this message and send it to GW.