Anti-GW in Reality

[DrLove42]

I've been thinking about the anti-GW thoughts boiling to the surface on this here site, and i'm sure on the other forums as well (I wouldn't know I don't dare tread in the troll-holes of Dakka and Warseer)

And following GW wonderful marketing decisions to release advance orders in the post only after they're released in stores (as mentioned elsewhere on this forum) I was also thinking about the state of the company in the US.

Games Day Chicago is just over a month away. Now while never staffed by anyone who really has any sway with the company (least not in the UK...its all store managers and the design team) It seems that such a focal point for geek culture could easily turn into a focal point of nerd-rage.

Does anyone expect a anti-GW picket line outside the day?

[Deadlift]

Here in the UK ours is in September. So I expect the nerd rage to have died a little by then. I think if anything the way GW will really see if their actions have any effect will be in attendance figures followed by sales on the day. For me when I have gone in the past it's just been an excuse to go mad and buy tons of stuff without the ball and chain to hamper me :)

However for me it's always been about the product, sure GW do seem to be making some very odd choices that I personally just do not understand as a customer. But on the other hand I really love their models. I love collecting them and I love painting them. Now I just buy less.

As for nerd rage on the day, maybe GW will have something amazing to unveil to distract them.

Fingers crossed for Necrons :)

[MaltonNecromancer]

Does anyone expect a anti-GW picket line outside the day?

No.

And frankly, anyone who does needs to take a long, hard look at their life and question where it's all gone so wrong.

People who post their rage on the internet do it because it's easy. Picketing is hard work: not just the showing up (which will stop quite a lot of nerd-ragers to begin with) but the co-ordination, which requires a lot of work. Which, when it gets down to it, is laughable when you consider what they're actually complaining about. Can you really imagine the reaction when they get arrested (assuming that they're genuinely hardcore enough to follow through with something as asinine as an actual picket).

Officer: "So, why were you picketing?"
Hardcore: "Well, this company called Games Workshop, which makes wargames"
Officer: "Wargames? Are you some kind of terrorist?"
Hardcore: "No! They're war games!"
Officer: "Eh? You mean toys?"
Hardcore: "No! they're not toys! They're more important than that! They're so important that I felt the need to come and picket an event over it!"
Officer: "So, you're complaining about... the toys. What was the issue?"
Hardcore: "They cost too much! They used to cost less, but now they cost more, and it's unfair on me because I don't want to pay that much!"
Officer: "Okay, so let me get this straight. You came out of your house, travelled hundreds of miles to an event, stood outside it for hours, caused a public disturbance and got yourself arrested... because your toys cost more than they used to? If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"
Hardcore: "I'm twenty/thirty/feel increased levels of shame the higher this goes".
Officer: "So, you picketed a company that sought to increase it's profits in a time of great economic strife, when inflation rates are higher than they've been in years, with record levels of unemployment, because the toy soldiers for the games you play, not food, not heating, not shelter, the toys you play with cost more than they used to?"
Hardcore: "Yes. It's unfair on me."

Anyone who pickets GW because the price of toys is too high needs some perspective. If the price is too high, just don't buy them. That's how this works. That's the only way this works. People will always say emotive stuff on the internet, because it's easy, and they get replies, so it makes them feel like they matter. That doesn't mean it automatically translates into action. Look up the phrase "Internet Tough Guy" for the proof of this.

[Wildeybeast]

Lets be honest, the people who go to Games Day aren't going to give a stuff about any of this because they are either little children or massive fanboys.

[Mike X]

Officer: "So, why were you picketing?"
Hardcore: "Well, this company called Games Workshop, which makes wargames"
Officer: "Wargames? Are you some kind of terrorist?"
Hardcore: "No! They're war games!"
Officer: "Eh? You mean toys?"
Hardcore: "No! they're not toys! They're more important than that! They're so important that I felt the need to come and picket an event over it!"
Officer: "So, you're complaining about... the toys. What was the issue?"
Hardcore: "They cost too much! They used to cost less, but now they cost more, and it's unfair on me because I don't want to pay that much!"
Officer: "Okay, so let me get this straight. You came out of your house, travelled hundreds of miles to an event, stood outside it for hours, caused a public disturbance and got yourself arrested... because your toys cost more than they used to? If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"
Hardcore: "I'm twenty/thirty/feel increased levels of shame the higher this goes".
Officer: "So, you picketed a company that sought to increase it's profits in a time of great economic strife, when inflation rates are higher than they've been in years, with record levels of unemployment, because the toy soldiers for the games you play, not food, not heating, not shelter, the toys you play with cost more than they used to?"
Hardcore: "Yes. It's unfair on me."

Hilariously true, except you can't get arrested for civil protesting (picketing).

[MarneusCalgar]

Spain´s Games Day is next week´s summer, July 3rd.

I will tell you if there´s something, but I doubt about it

[Xas]

Lets be honest, the people who go to Games Day aren't going to give a stuff about any of this because they are either little children or massive fanboys.

I'd rahter say that those people who go to a Games Day have shown by their attendance that they have enough money to not care a bit of their toys cost a few bucks more.


Picketing GW would be as hillarious as would protesting in front of a mayor fashion company that their clothes are too expensive...

[phoenix01]

Hilariously true, except you can't get arrested for civil protesting (picketing).

Not in the new United "Police" States of America, where protesters dancing at the Jefferson Monument got arrested recently for a "demonstration at a public monument" and the 4th amendment against unreasonable search and seizure has been ignored as police officers don't need warrants to enter your home anymore and the TSA feels it necessary to strip search infants and twenty-year old women who are ahem well endowed. Besides this GD will be in Chicago, the city of no freedoms whatsoever and the place Obama calls home.

[DrLove42]

OK...picketing may have been an extreme example. But any kind of vocal reaction to the company

[Wildeybeast]

I'd rahter say that those people who go to a Games Day have shown by their attendance that they have enough money to not care a bit of their toys cost a few bucks more.


Picketing GW would be as hillarious as would protesting in front of a mayor fashion company that their clothes are too expensive...

Yeah, I didn't mean fanboys in derogatory way (I class myself as one) but people who like GW that much they will continue to shell out regardless of how expensive it gets.

Also - protesting is illegal in the 'home of the free'? Lol. We're so liberal we let facists and religious fundamentalists organise marches (though we drew the line at them protesting outside the Royal wedding :) ). I don't know which is worse, no freedom or too much.

[MaltonNecromancer]

But any kind of vocal reaction to the company

No. None.

For the reasons outlined above: it's too hard, and even if they do care enough, they'll look like spoiled brats. Seriously, I have so little patience for these people it's just not funny; prices always rise, and these aren't necessities we're talking about here.

Perspective.

I really wish they'd all get some.


I don't know which is worse, no freedom or too much.

Don't worry. You'll get to find out when they take it away from you :)

[Necron2.0]

Does anyone expect a anti-GW picket line outside the day?

Honestly, no. The way I see it (and I could be wrong), most of the nerd rage comes from warhammer noobs but old school grognards (like me) who have a background in other game systems and are asking, "What?! You're paying that, for THAT?!! Why?" Either that, or it's coming from oldschool 40K'ers who've been priced out of the game. The noobs aren't going to care enough to show up and the disenfranchised couldn't afford to show up. So, the only people likely to be there are the diehard fanatics or local Chicagoans. There may be some minor vocal grumblings, but even that probably wouldn't be heard over the chanting of the faithful. As someone has already mentioned, the real tell will be in attendance and sales figures.


Also - protesting is illegal in the 'home of the free'?

The state of the Union depends greatly on which state OF the Union you happen to find yourself in. The cops back east are all tin-plated dictators (HEAVY emphasis on the first syllable). Cops (and courts) in the South Eastern US are as likely to rob you as protect you (especially if you have out-of-state license plates on your car). Further west there are some states were the police do not behave as badly, but in general all cops are marginally better than criminals with badges.

[SMC]

Not in the new United "Police" States of America, where protesters dancing at the Jefferson Monument got arrested recently for a "demonstration at a public monument" and the 4th amendment against unreasonable search and seizure has been ignored as police officers don't need warrants to enter your home anymore and the TSA feels it necessary to strip search infants and twenty-year old women who are ahem well endowed. Besides this GD will be in Chicago, the city of no freedoms whatsoever and the place Obama calls home.

I live in Chicago. Do you? You're a partisan hack. The fact that you're injecting your political agenda into this thread is pathetic.

The rest of you are only slightly better. It's a game. Play it or don't play it. Quit *****ing about it constantly. GW raised their prices like they do every year. The average $4 increase just destroyed you guys huh? If all the "good games" that you folks are supposedly moving on(if only) to reach the market share GW has you'll see them making virtually the same moves. They're businesses. Not your friends.

[BrokenWing]

To be honest, there are two things I really don't like:

1. Politics in wargaming threads or games. Keep out, thanks. If I wanted political opinion I'd go to a political website/location instead of a wargaming website/store.

2. The city of Chicago. I've been there several times, never once enjoyed the experience. I have other reasons too, but they fall under category 1 so I'll leave them out of the discussion. That said, I'm still going to Games Day, because it's the one I can actually *get to.*

Also, not going to a convention because a politician you don't like is from there is really silly.

[Thornblood]

I would like to share my anti-GW nerd-rage with you, and what I am going to do about it.

Storm of Magic initially seems to be a great thing. Im impressed that GW are releasing something where every army gets new models, supporting all armies at the same time rather than having "codex creep" as the main selling point for the new shiny army. It is a piece of marketing genius.

What now sucks however is the fact that you can borrow other peoples monsters. I feel something of the flavor of each army may be lost as each colour is added to the paint-water and they all turn slowly brown until you throw out the paint water, or it evaporates leaving you with paint-crust on the bottom of the old cup.

In one fell swoop GW have released every monstrous creature as a new release that already existed to all the other armies. Its marketing genius, and whilst this edition of the rules strted killing the game for me, this has killed a big chunk of the background.

What am I going to do? Well, I might by a Cockatrice as that model looks amazing.

Also I might paint up Asarnils dragon at last. And then my high elf one.

With Vallejo paints because GW priced themselves out of my pocket for paints a long time ago. But GW washes. Because they are rather good. Much better than the glossy inks they had years back.

This is my very quiet and ineffective revolution.

[sps62487]

To be honest, there are two things I really don't like:

1. Politics in wargaming threads or games. Keep out, thanks. If I wanted political opinion I'd go to a political website/location instead of a wargaming website/store.

2. The city of Chicago. I've been there several times, never once enjoyed the experience. I have other reasons too, but they fall under category 1 so I'll leave them out of the discussion. That said, I'm still going to Games Day, because it's the one I can actually *get to.*

Also, not going to a convention because a politician you don't like is from there is really silly.

I haven't been to a Games Day since the Storm of Chaos for fantasy was back so 2006 or 2007 maybe? I still have the valten and 2 Archaons. I will pick up the Skaven mini. I will probably check out the painting competition. I'll also go in the speed painting, and paint and takes. See some people from a few gaming groups I know. Maybe play some open gaming if they have any. Finally stop at hooters or Tilted Kilt on the way back home.

[scadugenga]

To be honest, there are two things I really don't like:
2. The city of Chicago. I've been there several times, never once enjoyed the experience. I have other reasons too, but they fall under category 1 so I'll leave them out of the discussion. That said, I'm still going to Games Day, because it's the one I can actually *get to.*

Also, not going to a convention because a politician you don't like is from there is really silly.

Chicago's a town where no matter what you like to do, you can have fun.

So I'm guessing you were either a) predisposed, b) there for reasons you didn't want to be, or c) didn't feel like finding out the fun?

I suppose there's a d) you're slightly agoraphobic. It's a huge city with a high population density--if crowds of people aren't your bag, then you're likely not going to have fun at all.

[BrokenWing]

don't like crowds, drinking or the terrible driving and toll roads. Last time I was there for any length of time (games day being only one day) I was there for a week, there were some interesting places to eat, and then the people that followed us around for awhile and tried to get us to pay them money for random crap.

[SMC]

don't like crowds, drinking or the terrible driving and toll roads. Last time I was there for any length of time (games day being only one day) I was there for a week, there were some interesting places to eat, and then the people that followed us around for awhile and tried to get us to pay them money for random crap.
Chicago, well any city really, has its problems. The ones you're describing are just metropolitan angst. Try Nyc. I had a nice conversation with a man with more garbage bag than cloth for pants once. He told me he was the devil and he had the rotten carrots sticking out of his afro to prove it.
You haven't lived until you've watched a man shoot heroin on a park bench and pass out with the needle in his arm.

NYC is still a great place mind you. I look forward to going back someday.

[BrokenWing]

I don't really do cities, at least not ones bigger than St.Louis (and I'm not a giant fan of St.Louis either) we don't get along very well. Honestly, you probably couldn't pay me to go to New York City. I have other reasons for my dislike of Chicago, but they have no place here, falling as they do under my first category. Well ok...there is one. You took our GW store. Seriously, GW closed the store here so they could open one in Chicago and "focus on expanding in areas where we already have stores" which makes very little sense. The St.Louis area (not the city itself) is actually pretty large, being as it is a Bi-state area. There needs to be an official store. Expanding the hobby down here is difficult enough (especially on the IL side where the economy has been totally trashed) without it being supported by GW. Chicago already has what...a battle bunker and six stores? And they close our store to add a seventh?

Sometimes GW policy just confuses me. They put up a sign in that store when it was announced it was closing talking about "we're expanding rapidly so we need to re-deploy some of our forces" and then announcing a new store in the Chicago area. We even have our own GT now...no thanks to GW.

[Demonus]

as a gamer from MD where Games Day has been for years until recently yanked for Chicago, i hope no one shows up and its a big flop :)

FU GW

[BrokenWing]

To be fair, Chicago has had Games Days for a long time.

[templarboy]

Out here in El Paso, Texas, I think I am a 6-7 hours drive to the nearest GW store and they just built that one. Been into GW for over 20 years and never even been to a GW store. I think you guys out east are a bit spoiled. Mail order, crappy LGS's and eBay are my only realistic sources. :p

[SMC]

Yeah, GW's predatory openings are one of my axes to grind. Start off selling their products in an independent store and if sales meet a certain standard they'll knee cap the idependent retailer by opening a store nearby. Lots of businesses do this, but it's still ****ty.

[Necron2.0]

Sometimes GW policy just confuses me.

Yeah, it seems sometimes their business decisions are being made by a monkey with a dart. I live in the 5th largest city in the US. There is not one solitary GW store in the entire state. Meanwhile the 6th largest city has one, the 7th has one, the 9th has three, the 10th has one, the 11th has two, the 12th has 4, etc., etc., etc.

Inexplicably, Seattle (the 23rd largest city) has NINE. That's five more than San Francisco, with all its Silicon Valley nerds.

:rolleyes:


It's no skin off my nose (I'm not GW's target market) but the haphazard store placement points to a dysfunctional and possibly schizophrenic marketing strategem. If you want people in your stores, you need to put the stores where the people are. Heck, even the monkey with the dart knows that much.

[wittdooley]

The closest one to me is in either Chicago, Detroit, or Memphis...so at least 5 hours.

I can't say it bothers me in slightest. I have plenty of LGS with ample stock.

Plus, I just discovered this thing called the internet; apparenty I can order stuff from there, too.

Oh yeah... I'm going to Games Day as well. Moderately excited. Mostly because I want to get hands on with Space Marine.