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Originally Posted by
weeble1000
Games-Workshop is losing market share and its response has been to raise prices and attempt to take control of the hobby with aggressive and overly expensive litigation. The company is attempting to claim a copyright on the term bits. That isn't just some random thing that found its way into the Chapterhouse complaint. It is perhaps one of the most glaringly evident parts of a general attempt on the part of Games-Workshop to draw as much of the hobby into its possession as possible. That is not a good thing for the hobby and it is not a good thing for any wargaming enthusiast.
When GW refers to 'The Hobby' it does not mean tabletop wargaming in any and all it forms. It means those who have raised throught the ranks of starter boxes, 2-3 armies for their games system, and on to Specialist Games with healthy doses of forgeworld and Black Library en route. There is no evidence to suggest the GW 'The Hobby' and 'the wider hobby that is tabletop wargaming' are anything other than mutually exclusive, no evidence that bringing them together is GW's intent, nor that GW is stupid enough to think that it could control it all in one.
If nobody does anything about it, it will not stop, guaranteed. I do not subscribe to the notion that believing nothing can be done is a reason to sit back and accept something that you do not approve of. If you approve of what Games-Workshop is doing, then let them do it. If you do not approve of it, sitting back and letting it happen will not change anything and you might as well give Games-Workshop an endorsement to keep doing it because the company will view non-action as approval, and why shouldn't it?
If there has ever been a time in recent years to effect change at Games-Workshop, now is that time. The company is vulnerable. Sales are down, stock is down, revenue is struggling to keep pace, and Games-Workshop has overexposed itself with the Chapterhouse lawsuit. This is the time when a minimal customer response could have a much more significant impact than it would when the company is healthy with a surplus of cash. Games-Workshop is trying to find a way to remain viable and profitable right now. If you send the message that its recent behavior is the right way to keep the company viable by sitting back and doing nothing, then this is the behavior and the treatment you can expect from Games-Workshop going forward.
With all your clever arguments about how doing nothing guarantees nothing changes, again I note you only re-surfaced with this idea AFTER the profit warning became news. Hence you were bending over and taking it (sorry tolerating GW corporate policy is what I mean) quite happily until this time. A profit warning saying 'we may not meet market expectations' is different to saying 'we are on the brink of destruction and will make any changes Mr Outrage from the internetz calls for, just to get his greenbacks in my pocket.' I think you overestimate their vulnerability - the new Space Marine FPS hits this year, and that will give them a considerable royalty inject, as will Grey Knights/Storm Raven, and the 'summer of flyers'.
And what is that treatment? Games-Workshop has made it clear that its goal is to expand its North American market. That's why Tom Kirby is spending 40 weeks of the year in the states and drawing additional compensation in spite of a salary freeze. And how is Games-Workshop expanding its North American market? By attempting to run a small local business into the ground.
I do not approve of it when a British company attempts to expand its market share in America by attacking local business with egregiously unfounded litigation. And this is merely one aspect of the way that Games-Workshop is attempting regain a stranglehold over this community. It is only one example of the way that Games-Workshop treats its long-term fans and loyal customers. And it is only one example of the type of poor business sense that involves eliminating a company whose products depend Games-Workshop's own sales.
Again, the fact it is a British Company. Hell, this is like when the Aussies beat us at Cricket (not now though ha!), or anyone else at football. We invented both, and it hurts to lose. So GW comes back with American style big corporate tactics and you don't like it.
I'm not sure GW ever had a stranglehold - that implies a total lockdown to me. So how the invention of Warmachine implies a total lockdown, I don't know. Also, assuming you mean the wargaming community and given that GW company report clearly says they aren't going to produce historical miniatures, how does that match your stranglehold comment? What, aren't the historical boys part of your community?