GW’s re-launch of their website and rumour control

[Dosadi]

So I was in my local GW store today and all the staff were wearing new t-shirts that had the slogan “Everything you have heard is a lie”. When I inquired as what this meant, I was told that GW was re-launching their web site with its own rumour section. After laughing hysterically for a few minutes I asked them to expand on what this meant. Is it merely the return of the sneak peeks or the dreaded GW message board? The staff didn’t really know much.

So what have any of you heard? What do you expect from yet another “new” GW website? How is GW going to “leak” their own rumours? Is this just another corporate attempt at viral marketing? I mean hobby rumours are pretty much just that.


Dosadi

[Bigred]

Interesting. I heard that at another store the staff was told those shirts had something to do with the "Mystery box"...Which seemed to make no sense whatsoever.

So GW already have an advanced order section, and have a daily post up. Perhaps this is just a fancy way of rolling back of the 3-month window to a slightly longer one. Maybe 6?

[Darkseer]

In a press release this week, GW announced massive profits while paying off 9 of their 10 million GBP debt.
I can't remember the exact figures, because I threw the paper out, but the profits were 7 times what they were last year.

GW has cash to burn and nothing burns cash like a flamboyant marketing campaign.
I can imagine that GW is going to embrace all the concepts of Web 2.0 or whatever else a web marketing agency sells them.

They may even look at Bell of Lost Souls as an example of how to connect with their community.

On a side note, I find it quite funny that nowadays GW staff are told nothing about anything in the hobby. Often they find out about something after we do!

[CrusherJoe]

It all kind of reeks of Orwellian double-speak. "Everything you have heard is a lie," coupled with a GW website complete with it's own rumors section sounds like the perfect mouthpiece for GW to...tell lies.

I can think of many reasons for GW to NOT lie to their customers, but the way they've done things in the past doesn't lead me to believe that they wouldn't embark on a disinformation campaign (though I can't for the life of me figure out what purpose that would serve).

I know it's not their business model (or whatever) but if they were REALLY interested in generating some long-term interest they'd publish their road map for the next 12 months. Keeping things so secret doesn't accomplish anything in the long run but fueling the rumor mill.

But hey, as long as I'm dreaming I might as well wish for them to actually do open "beta" testing for codexes before they come out and listen to customer feedback and publish FAQs that address the issues their customers have.

Oh, and I want a Rending Pony, too.

[crazyredpraetorian]

It all kind of reeks of Orwellian double-speak. "Everything you have heard is a lie," coupled with a GW website complete with it's own rumors section sounds like the perfect mouthpiece for GW to...tell lies.

I can think of many reasons for GW to NOT lie to their customers, but the way they've done things in the past doesn't lead me to believe that they wouldn't embark on a disinformation campaign (though I can't for the life of me figure out what purpose that would serve).

I know it's not their business model (or whatever) but if they were REALLY interested in generating some long-term interest they'd publish their road map for the next 12 months. Keeping things so secret doesn't accomplish anything in the long run but fueling the rumor mill.

But hey, as long as I'm dreaming I might as well wish for them to actually do open "beta" testing for codexes before they come out and listen to customer feedback and publish FAQs that address the issues their customers have.

Oh, and I want a Rending Pony, too.

Joe, are you sleep typing again? Because you sure are dreaming.

[CrusherJoe]

Oh, I know I'm dreaming -- but that doesn't stop me from doing it.

[RealGenius]

They may even look at Bell of Lost Souls as an example of how to connect with their community.

Who do you think paid for the Lounge?




Oooh, rumormongering at its best.

[Faultie]

Interesting.

It's a "rumors" section, but from GW. How is that possible?

A rumor is an unsubstantiated (or mostly) suggestion of things to come. I should think that if GW put something out, it would be ever so substantiated.

[ChaosLord127]

[QUOTE=CrusherJoe;555]I know it's not their business model (or whatever) but if they were REALLY interested in generating some long-term interest they'd publish their road map for the next 12 months. Keeping things so secret doesn't accomplish anything in the long run but fueling the rumor mill.

QUOTE]

Oh yes, knowing what is coming would be much more exciting than guessing. I always love seeing the "coming in two months" leaflet (if that is what you call it) in white dwarf, as I know what to look forward to. When I see a rumour, I get excited (too excited probably) and they end up not fulfilling the rumour until about a year later (ie Planetstrike, in which case the excitement had died quite a bit, as I wondered whether they would do it at all).

In response to the website change, it would be nice if they would go back to the previous format, as I thought it was a lot faster of a website, and a lot easier to navigate.

If I want rumours though, I would still rather use BoLS, as they haven't failed us!

[StaysCrunchyInMilk]

Oh, and I want a Rending Pony, too.

I'd ask for a bionic jet powered unicorn. With bionic eye.
In all seriousness, I considered converting one using a WFB horse, 4x IG mortars (for the bionic jet legs), a SM missile launcher scope for the bionic eye, and a flying stand.
It was going to be the jetbike mount for robocop.
I feel strangly satisfied having typed that. It's like exposing your deepest, darkest desires to a bunch of strangers.
I am aware that my very first contribution to BOLS should be productive, and set a good example / show what a important contribution i'll make.
Ach, this is a rumour board about GW's internal machinations and policies. Going off topic was productive.
"strolls off and makes a cup of tea"