40k 6th Edition Marketing Approach

[LostInTheDark]

I know this seems like an odd place to start a 40k discussion but in days of yore Epic was always my favourite game. That scale I have always felt was the best representation of large scale battles rather than stuffing ever more 40k scale figures onto a 6 by 4 board.

As GW no longer supports the format and I don’t really like the current incarnation I’ve been tempted by flames of war. With the 3rd (I think) edition rules coming out I just couldn’t resist the buy any product and get a free rules set offer that battlefront have run in conjunction with the launch.

So I ordered some Battlefield in a box terrain from Maelstrom that I can use with 40k and with it came the complementary rule book. Now I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn’t a 300 page full colour rule set. It’s really quite nice and looks to be of a fairly high quality. I’m interested enough that I might well buy a few models and see what I can build.

So what’s it got to do with 40k? Well with 6th edition on the horizon I was wondering what the best way to market it is? GW has a consistent formula of hardback rules/background deluxe book and starter set miniatures with slim rulebook set which they will most likely follow.

It would be interesting to measure the return that battlefront will/won’t get from their rules giveaway, thought it would most likely be impossible to quantify. Will they get a significant increase in player base? Or will they lose out on sales of the hardback rule book from existing players getting the new rules on the cheap?

If GW was to follow a similar path, say offering the slim rule book with the purchase of a certain dollar/pound value of any 40k products in the launch month, would that generate a good level of sales from those that have perhaps moved away from 40k or are from the existing player base but aren’t interested in the starter armies in the box?

Or should GW just stick with the tried and tested formula that they have?

[DrLove42]

The slim rule book will only ever be sold in the starter boxes. It means people who just want a thin rule book rather than carrying round "the beast" will buy a box set just to get it

I'm lucky. I got my 5th ed mini rule book off a bits site. They had 5 and sold in less than 30 seconds after putting the stock online. I paid £15 for it

So to summarise - Yes an individual mini rule book would sel. But why detract from big rule book sales when they could make players buy both? I think you overestimate the fan base that would buy a huge rule book instead of a small one just for the art and fluff

[LostInTheDark]

Yes I know what you're saying and battlefront is a different market, smaller getting bigger while GW is big and trying to stay big.

I wasn't trying to suggest selling the slim one directly but giving a different avenue of obtaining it for a short window of time. So say the starter set was $100, for the first month you could get the slim rules along with any order through the GW website for $100 or greater of 40k stuff. After that you could only get it with the starter set.

It might cut down on some of the reselling via 3rd party sites. Or it might not of course.

People who like the big rule book would still buy it for what it is, but people who only want the slim rule book would be able to get some stuff they actually wanted as well rather than the starter armies.

The existing kits are most likely a higher profit margin than the starter kit.

[SotonShades]

GW would never give away free rulesbooks with a purchase, even over a certain value. Part of that reason comes down to the UK tax structure, as the government doesn't charge VAT on books, so GW gets every penny, less printing costs and overheads, on them. I'm not sure if the same is true in other countries, and I know for a lot there is some form of Importation charge (especially AUS), but GW doesn't like to offer discounts/offers in one country and not in others as people will just try and buy where it's cheaper via the internet.

I really can't see them diverging from the current marketting stratergy. We all love the smaller rulebooks over the large hardbacks, but how many of us, at least those of us who were playing since the middle of 4th or earlier, didn't buy our copy of 5th within a week of release? And how many of us then bought Black Reach for the smaller book or via bitz sites later when that was released? If I were running a business, I can't imagine giving away something for free that I know people will pay top dollar for twice. In fact, I can imagine firing the guy who suggests it.

Battlefront has a very different ethos because they have a very different player base, even though there is a large overlap. I don't know the numbers for certain, but I believe FoW has thousands of players. Probably tens of thousands worldwide. GW has tens of millions of active gamers who regularly buy models and rulesbooks. The difference in scale means that, while Battlefront may increase their player base by a noticable percentage with a rules give away, GW wouldn't get a noticable increase and would just miss out on an oppertunity to make money.

I do believe that if they released the smaller rulebook for individual sale, say 6 months after the starter set release, they would sell in huge numbers, and after having sold huge numberes of the Hardback and starter sets. It's something GW have massively missed out on but something I highly doubt they'll change. You have to remember that GW don't mind selling to independants and Bitz sites. Because they don't cost GW the same overheads as their own stores do, GW actually makes more money per box from the independants than they do on the same product they sell them selves.

[Wolfshade]

So to summarise - Yes an individual mini rule book would sel. But why detract from big rule book sales when they could make players buy both? I think you overestimate the fan base that would buy a huge rule book instead of a small one just for the art and fluff

I brought both box set and rule book for 5th, and 4th, just rule book for 3rd and just the box set for 2nd (I'm not even sure if they sold the rule books seperately back then)

Lets not forget not only did you get a great mini rule book but it also had consistent page numbers with the larger versions and the minis in the box offered exceptionally good value for money

[DrLove42]

Oh yeah don't get me wrong, us people who care about the hobby buy that stuff

But go into a GW on any normal day and look at the customers. What percentage of them would choose to buy a bigger book that costs twice as much just to get some story and pictures?

[commissar]

Why do they keep changing the rules is what I want to know, just pick a set of rules and keep them.

[Altimit01]

Why do they keep changing the rules is what I want to know, just pick a set of rules and keep them.

Money is the simplest answer. But on the other hand things like overwatch and THAC0 in their original forms should stay buried.

[Rissan4ever]

Why do they keep changing the rules is what I want to know, just pick a set of rules and keep them.
Because they want to improve the rules. The minis get better, the rules get better, the game gets better.

[Igen]

I highly doubt that GW would do a promotional with another company. With the active tournament scene this game has, I would suspect that people will buy the new rule book as quickly as possible. Unless there is an awesome deal / limited edition package with the large hard cover, I will probably be getting the starter set rule book.

[DarkLink]

Because they want to improve the rules. The minis get better, the rules get better, the game gets better.

More importantly, it allows them to release tons of new models. The rulebooks are their vehicle for selling models.

[Dag]

A friend mentioned that there was some study involving the optimum number of years between releases of game systems. If you go back through the 40k books, it is definately following the same cycle. Many (Most?) other role playing systems have similar cycles.

It also serves to keep things 'new' as in... I need to find out what they are doing now, instead of just keeping with my existing set of the game, and eventually moving on to other things.

[commissar]

More importantly, it allows them to release tons of new models. The rulebooks are their vehicle for selling models.

Interesting.

[dwez]

With the way GW seems to function I think they are less likely to make something cheaper when they can make it more expensive whilst 'adding' to the overall product and saying you are getting more for you dollar. So I believe they are better off following the Dreadfleet lead and bundling a 6'x4' printed fabric terrain mat in the starter box.

Some may think it would cannibalize the Realm of Battle boards but they already produce a terrain mat for £18.50 which I think this fabric mat could replace as it would probably be cheaper to produce. Anyway I discussed it here. (http://40kaddict.blogspot.com/2011/10/dreadful-idea.html)