GW's Behavior Already Backfiring

[Bigred]

This morning [URL="http://ttfix.blogspot.com/2013/04/public-service-announcement_30.html"]Tabletop FIX issued this[/URL]:

Public Service Announcement
As a precaution I pulled all articles dealing with GW, Forgeworld, Warhammer Forge, WH40K and WHFB from the blog.

I will no longer feature any news directly related to GW or Forgeworld on TTFix for the forseeable future.

So already folks are beginning to move away from covering Games Workshop. Just remember folks, less coverage of GW products is good - right??? As far as I can tell, this entire tempest in a teacup is about protecting that paragon of publishing - White Dwarf.

Have at it folks!

[Defenestratus]

Saw that post this morning and chuckled a little bit.

Lets just say this GW,

I've been playing the game of 40k for 20 years now. I'm more inclined to give up the hobby entirely and move on to one of your competitors' products (Maybe then I could actually play against someone other than one person at my LGS too) than I would be in getting my news from WD.

Stuff it in your pipe and smoke it. I'm perilously close to blowing the $1000 I have saved away for the Eldar release on parts for my boat instead.

[Panxer]

These are market principle at work. Excellent! GW likes money? Simple rule, DON'T F&^K WITH YOUR MARKET BASE.

[Justus Ackermann]

That is i-n-s-a-n-e! People are not allowed to talk about GWs products in unrelated Blogs? Ridiculous. If a WD would not be 8 bucks a piece, maybe I would be inclined to get one once in a while...

[Schmorgen]

It's 12 in Australia. And our money's worth more internationally

[Desaster]

Brueckenkopf-online, the most influential german site for Tabletop News, announced that they will no longer feature any rumors and leaks from GW:
[url]http://www.brueckenkopf-online.com/?p=80856[/url]

[isotope99]

Look up King Canute (the king who thought he could turn back the tide through sheer force of will). That pretty much seems to sum up GW's approach at the moment, although it's worth pointing out that they are not alone in this, lots of companies are struggling with digital age. I really like GW's products (at least most of them the new daemon khorne chariot is a notable exception) and all the people connected with the company I've actually met have been great but sometimes they seem to be just deluded.

Controlling the leaks out of the company is one thing (and I actually like the new release schedule now that I am used to it) but trying to put the digital genie back in the bottle once the pics are out is pretty laughable. As has been stated before, most companies would kill for the kind of active fanbase GW has.

[Denzark]

Either GW is being the big corporate bully everyone knows and loves... Or all those people who are 'internet personalities' and highlight their importance because they manage to get a copy of WD/latest release early, and have a good crow and spoil the surprise for people who are 'mere mortals' and get their stuff on release day, have cocked it up for the rest of us.

Somewhere inbetween methinks.

[ElectricPaladin]

Saw that post this morning and chuckled a little bit.

Lets just say this GW,

I've been playing the game of 40k for 20 years now. I'm more inclined to give up the hobby entirely and move on to one of your competitors' products (Maybe then I could actually play against someone other than one person at my LGS too) than I would be in getting my news from WD.

Stuff it in your pipe and smoke it. I'm perilously close to blowing the $1000 I have saved away for the Eldar release on parts for my boat instead.

I hate to say it, but I'm starting to agree with you. You know, I can tolerate a lot of cr@p from a company, unless it effects me directly. Charge too much? That's ok, I'll just buy less. Your magazine mostly sucks? That's ok, I just won't read it. Sue left and right and act like a big copyright bully? To a certain extent, I can blame it on a hyperactive legal team. To a further extent, I can tolerate a certain degree of a$s-hattery from a company, because every corporation has its sins.

The thing is that this hobby is fun because its full of user-driven media and user-created content. I like being able to read up on stuff before its released. GW's behavior is starting to seriously crimp my style.

[Dalleron]

How available is the WD outside of GW stores? Over here (Canada) it was pulled from a bookstore for reasons which don't matter to my question/point. If you intend the mag to sell your miniatures and the hobby in general, does it do any good to prevent it's features from being available online. Sure I play GW's games, do you really need to sell the product to me. No, I know whats what. I know the mag isn't that great.
Having it available in only one place has to cut into your sales. And if people don't have a glimpse of the product from anywhere, are they more inclined to come into your stores and buy it.