BOLS frontpage and Faeit gone?

[Psychosplodge]

Well, GW has grown in volume of sales, not just profit

No it hasn't. Their own figures released in the CH dispute show volumes fell while profits rose.

[kyfer]

Nafka, You run on australian servers correct?

If so please send this to GW with a giant F*CK OFF! sign

[url]http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ca1968133/[/url]

Hobby Fascism :P

[eldargal]

No it hasn't. Their own figures released in the CH dispute show volumes fell while profits rose.

Sales volume/revenue grew massively from 1999-2005, crashed in 2005/6 then was growing again 'til 2008 since then it has been declining. Probably due to European sales slowing considerably.

[Psychosplodge]

Indeed, but he said it had grown in the last two years. It hasn't.

[eldargal]

Huh, read that as 12 years lol. I need to sleep more.

[Psychosplodge]

Doesn't everybody?

[Kirsten]

I started playing before this new fangled interwebs took off, I got all my hobby news from white dwarf. I don't really care whether the rumour mongers get cease and desist personally, they are not essential. People are spoilt these days and like to whine. On the other hand, once the models go up for pre-order on GW, taking down white dwarf pics is a bit silly, but who knows, maybe they need to protect stuff for some legal reason.

[OrksOrksOrks]

Why are people getting thier panties in a bunch blaming GW when Natfka himself has said they asked him to remove pages and he's done that. GW were right and correct to set a DMCA for this, he posted pictures of their magazine!

[Alvarius]

It is just your take, and not the facts. Strikes by your account aren't going to be reflective of what's really happening. Protecting IP is nothing new, there's just more readily available coverage of it now.

As far as people saving up for a release based on knowing ahead: that is grade Q bologna and hasn't been reflected by any measure of market research or trends. Seeing as how GW's sales have gone up dramatically since tightening the lid, I don't even know how an argument can be made the other way. People are going to spend what they want to spend. Regardless of whether it is now or in three months. What far reaching rumors did do was kill the excitement as people knew about a release months in advance. Now everyone sees it and gets excited (positive or negative) and can immediately buy it within five days or so. If saving up is an issue...save up. Set aside a "gaming budget" every month. When something comes out you like, buy it. If not, stash it away and then you'll be able to buy a lot more later on. That's called being responsible with money.

Their customer service is pretty much spot on. Problem with a mini? Call and a new one will be on it's way before the conversation ends. They are currently building a community forum (shh...secret), and expanding their software to the better platform which will also include army building apps updated AA regularly as the books and FAQ's hit.

From my first post in this thread I've been underlinig the fact that everything that I'm saying is BASED ON HOW I FEEL AND THE FEEDBACK I'M GETTING FROM MY FRIENDS AND PEOPLE IN THE LOCAL GAMING CLUBS. Besides, you seem to be missing two main points talking about the price tags:
1) the price - income relation is different in different countries. To somebody living in the UK a bump up of 5 quid isn't that big of a deal... but for people in another country that turns out into too much, and even if they love the hobby, they can't afford buying new stuff.
2) while it's true that wargaming is a niche, and thus can and is more expensive than many other kinds of hobbies, it doesn't justify the prices going up every year at such a rate. There was a "crisis-related" price boost (transport prices have gone up because of fuel prices going up, etc, etc.) and there were reasons for that based on what was happening (more or less) all over the world. Understandable...but then why the hell are the prices still going up at such a rate? Bigger kits, better technology.. all nice and fine.. but look at it long term... what will happen when this keeps going? Normal GW kits having the same price tags as Forge World sets? 50$ for a SM Tactical squad? If GW plans to become the provider of miniatures and games for a really limited select few, really wealthy people, then ok, it makes sense. But if they plan to expand and draw in new people then their current politics will only get them so far.

Either way, we have gone far from the main issue: GW throwing lawsuits all over the place. Where I could understand (a bit) when it happens to a company making cheaper "versions" of their miniatures... doing it to people who make and sell "custom conversion kits" is bull****. Not everything that GW makes is what people like, and not everybody is skilled to make a conversion on their own, to represent the concept that they came up with. Here come the "little helpers" with their kits... but GW says "NO! You either buy our stuff or gtfo." They aren't losing here as these companies make and sell stuff that is compatible, but different to what GW is making.... and I could understand some of it if for instance GW would release their own counterpart of such a set soon afterwards (suckerpunch, but the "need" for a given produc has been sattisfied ), but they don't. GW just goes "NO! there won't be anything like that.". And don't tell me that it's different, because they haven't touched for years on many concepts that they busted, even tho people were displaying genuine interest in them.

And going against non-profit websites which basically provide EXTRA FREE ADVERTISEMENT and help keep the interest in their products high is a giant WTF moment...
GW are working on a comunity forum? (you seem to be really well informed.. that would explain some things... ) Nice... it only took them some 10 years to notice what a powerfull tool it is... for an inovative company that's kind of a slow process... You know how many people see it? GW didn't have their own forum, because they wanted to avoid people pointing out how pissed they are about what the company has been doing. Having such entries on their official website would require them to react to it, because simply deleating them would just make the people that much more furious. Is that the truth? Who knows. but that's how many people think and they can't just ignore that fact.

Customer service? I agree 100%. It is really good and exept the fact that my friend had to do a multiple intervention once, because when he reported in with a messed up redeemer frame, they sent him another messed up one in return...twice. True enough, the 3rd time he got a full new kit.

I'm not saying GW is 100% bad. I am saying tho that in many aspects they ignore people, make stupid mistakes and get more and more profit orientated not through giving people passion and motivation, but by going "LOOK, we have something shiny".

Am I dilusional? To you perhaps. I will admit that I'm an idealist. I dream about a company that would be created by the people and for the people. Free? No. We live in an age where money and profit are just as important to survive as breathing... But a company who will be getting to the customers through passion and love of the hobby, working with the comunity on a regular basis, interacting with it all the time, day to day.Something that will be created and driven by other hobbyists not just marketing experts. You want a good example? Look at the Warzone Resurection project. Sure it's a different scale, but there you can see how it's done right.
As for GW... I'll just say this: When me and a few other people started asking "difficult questions" (in a polite and gentleman-like manner) on GW facebook pages... all our posts have been deleted within a day, along with all the related posts of other people who agreed with us. Is that a way to treat your customers?

[eldargal]

I started playing before this new fangled interwebs took off, I got all my hobby news from white dwarf. I don't really care whether the rumour mongers get cease and desist personally, they are not essential. People are spoilt these days and like to whine. On the other hand, once the models go up for pre-order on GW, taking down white dwarf pics is a bit silly, but who knows, maybe they need to protect stuff for some legal reason.

Exactly, the hobby was healthy before rumourmongers, the idea that they are essential to the hobby is ridiculous. I enjoy keeping up to date with rumours as much as the next person (more so possibly given that I actively scout around for them to report them here) but if I can no longer do that it makes zero impact on my hobby enjoyment.

Why are people getting thier panties in a bunch blaming GW when Natfka himself has said they asked him to remove pages and he's done that. GW were right and correct to set a DMCA for this, he posted pictures of their magazine!

Because people are addicted to whining and they think GW have done some genuinely silly/overzealous things in the past that everything GW does is silly/overzealous.