A Petition to Games Workshop

[CoffeeGrunt]

Given GW's new free rules stance, I don't think there's much left in this petition apart from overall pricing and making the game tournament-oriented.

The good answer to the latter is, "why don't you guys all decide on a format?"

"Well...we tried, but everyone had different ideas on how it should be."

"So if we released a singular vision after dedicating time and personnel to it, there will likely still be a large percentage of people who hate it?"

"Well...when you put it like that..."

[Caitsidhe]

Given GW's new free rules stance, I don't think there's much left in this petition apart from overall pricing and making the game tournament-oriented.

The good answer to the latter is, "why don't you guys all decide on a format?"

"Well...we tried, but everyone had different ideas on how it should be."

"So if we released a singular vision after dedicating time and personnel to it, there will likely still be a large percentage of people who hate it?"

"Well...when you put it like that..."

Except that doesn't work... it never has for any rules system. The fundamental draw of a game which crosses borders and personal relationships is a common standard. Telling people to play however they want is a foolish abdication of authority because it will just further isolate players in smaller and smaller groups. They are literally wringing the neck of the goose that laid the golden egg. If they released a balanced rules set that works the majority of people will be happy. There will always be people who complain. That is the nature of people. However, if you make a solid product the majority of people will be content. If you build up a good relationship with your consumers, you earn leeway and even fewer people complain.

For example, I also play Warmachine/Hordes. Am I 100% happy with their rules? No. However, on the whole their rules are balanced and they work. It is as simple as that. Because of that fact, I simply accept the stuff I don't really care for and make the accomidations. If their rules were not balanced or didn't work on the whole, I would crucify them (and stop playing). Privateer Press goes all out on their consumer relations, and they go the extra mile in supporting tournaments. The relationship they build with their customers also buys them leeway when they screw up (which they do from time to time). Balance is tricky and a complex game is going to have one or two mistakes along the way. Why isn't Privateer taken to the woodshed everytime this happens? Quite often the exact same people are playing Privateer Press that play 40K. Public relations mattesr and they do it better than Games Workshop.

[DarkLink]

When it comes down to it, though, you would essentially be asking GW to spend a bunch of money to maybe possibly increase their revenue. It costs money to run events, and they're not just going to take the word of some random people on the internet that running an event will make more sales. It's little to no effort to sign a petition, but actually spending money? You'd have to convince GW that these people, who have already spent money on GW, will go out and spend so much more that the extra expenses will be worth it. Without some sort of detailed plan, you're not likely to convince them that it will be worth spending the money. GW could run adepticon/lvo/nova style events, but that costs a lot of money and it's outside their core business model of selling, well, models.


Instead of simply saying "GW should support tournaments and stuff", give them a reason to want to do it of their own accord. Math out a business plan, spreadsheets and everything, showing "hey, you've got X customers, you can engage this many and get them to spend this much more than they already were, and here's how you can do it without spending any money". That's what will speak to the managers and decision makers, not a 'well, a bunch of people on the internet whined about how they didn't like us'.

[Caitsidhe]

When it comes down to it, though, you would essentially be asking GW to spend a bunch of money to maybe possibly increase their revenue. It costs money to run events, and they're not just going to take the word of some random people on the internet that running an event will make more sales. It's little to no effort to sign a petition, but actually spending money? You'd have to convince GW that these people, who have already spent money on GW, will go out and spend so much more that the extra expenses will be worth it. Without some sort of detailed plan, you're not likely to convince them that it will be worth spending the money. GW could run adepticon/lvo/nova style events, but that costs a lot of money and it's outside their core business model of selling, well, models.

I don't have to convince them of anything. It is the LACK of money that talks. Four to five years ago Games Workshop was raking in the money. They were producing more models in a broader line on a regular basis. They also supported the heck out of tournaments. Their gradual decline in profits seems to be keeping pace with the same reduction in tournament support, customer goodwill, rising prices, and a general reduction in their range. I suppose one could try to blame it on any one of those things, but more than likely it is all of them. I've said it before and I will say it again, if they think (as they have said) that the hobby is buying Games Workshop models they are smoking Crack (I assume they must have Crack in the UK) or perhaps Bath Salts. A significant portion of their American market at least is made up of people who buy the models to play the game. I won't speculate on our friends across the pond because I am not qualified to do so. What I can say, however, is that unless they are willing to cede the American market, they better put down the Crackpipe and get realistic. Their models, however nice they look, are absolutely worthless without a game and community in which to play that game. There is ZERO collector value on these items anymore. There hasn't been any such value in a long time. Technology and availability make them like luxury cars, i.e. they depreciate in value 95% when they roll off the lot. That means they NEED a good game people want to play and a community of players with which to breed more.

Instead of simply saying "GW should support tournaments and stuff", give them a reason to want to do it of their own accord. Math out a business plan, spreadsheets and everything, showing "hey, you've got X customers, you can engage this many and get them to spend this much more than they already were, and here's how you can do it without spending any money". That's what will speak to the managers and decision makers, not a 'well, a bunch of people on the internet whined about how they didn't like us'.

Why should I do the numbers for them? I'll be happy to do so if they want to pay me. Besides, I'm certain they have people who have given realistic numbers to the people in charge. They recently pink slipped a huge number of middle managers and people who suggested that there are problems. The issue isn't that Games Workshop doesn't know the information. It is that they choose to disbelieve it. They aren't ignorant; they are willfully ignorant which is an entirely different kind of obtuse. For my own part, I'm not whining about them. I dumped them. The whole process is just entertainment for me now. I sold the whole the lot and moved on to other games. I follow what is happening to Games Workshop because I made bets with certain people, predictions, and have a juvenile interest in seeing how close to the mark I hit. Since I am no longer a player, I don't care how bad they suck.

[40kGamer]

I'm not convinced that GW needs to actually spend money on 'running' the tournament circuit, producing a set of rules that make a real effort to be fun and fair would likely be good enough. There are more then enough 3rd parties willing to organize and run the actual events. The current 'devil may care' attitude toward their own game is just flat out confusing.

[CoffeeGrunt]

But other than Tau and Eldar, the game does seem to be "balanced," provided you aren't min/maxing it in a deliberate effort to negate said balance.

[40kGamer]

Quite true that Tau and Eldar are the reigning gamebusters. It was apparent soon after their release that they were out of balance (especially Eldar) and with the current system we'll be waiting years for this to change. (If it does). They have done a reasonable job with the most recent books which is refreshing... although Imperial Knights was quite the monkey wrench when it was first released... and 7th has some glaring issues. I just think it would be nice if GW had an interest in addressing these obvious to everyone balancing blunders in more of a real time setting.

[Mr Mystery]

I'm not convinced that GW needs to actually spend money on 'running' the tournament circuit, producing a set of rules that make a real effort to be fun and fair would likely be good enough. There are more then enough 3rd parties willing to organize and run the actual events. The current 'devil may care' attitude toward their own game is just flat out confusing.

No matter what GW did, some would find fault. That's generally what happens when you has such a large customer base.

Their current approach is their approach, and pretty much always has been. Knock out the models, give people something to do with them once assembled and painted.

They've never set out to create a game for a tournament setting.

To me, it's like complaining your stock Ford Focus can't win a F1 Grand Prix or Rally. It's not designed for that.