WFB 9E "explodes", goes Full Grimdark (tm)

[CrimsonTurkey]

I missed that! Was there a press release or was it done quietly. Regardless, IMO they didn't remove enough of their 'problem'.

Indeed, with the whole CEO search I was really hoping they would get someone who would look at GW like Jorgen Vig Knudstorp looked at pre-turnaround Lego. Both companies are primarily marketed to children, but have large contingents of dedicated adult fans, both companies operate a large retail network, both companies had/have an issue with simply asking people what they want to buy, and both companies have/had issues with expensive tangenital products that detract form the core business.

[Erik Setzer]

Isn't it Mantic who recently started making models for fantasy that look close to WFB and are priced so much better than GW's? Like 20 Dwarfs or 20 Witch Elves for $48 (30 if you got in on the first batches), whereas GW does 10 for $50 or $60, respectively. Sure, they don't use GW's names, but barely-clothed Elf females wielding twin daggers are kind of obvious. They also look pretty good. They might not be usable in a GW store, but people playing at home or in their FLGS will just snag up the much cheaper models. Rather than come up with a competitive pricing plan, GW seems to prefer to chuck models out and replace them entirely. But what's to stop someone just making similar models and calling them something else? You have to do an enormous change to the aesthetic of pretty much all the models in order to prevent that, and it's not really feasible.

Heck, Creature Caster made large demon models that are blatant copies of GW's Greater Daemons, and were able to get away with it. So now either GW tries to completely redo the GD models to look different, or deals with some other company making superior models for that aesthetic. When you have something that unique and someone can get away with making their own version, there's not really anything you can do except start working on making your product more attractive, and a large part of that is pricing strategy.

[Charon]

From Andy Chambers FB Page:

Honestly WFB has needed a severe pruning for twenty years now, too many armies needing too many miniatures. It's sad but 40K outsold WFB back in my day over a decade ago, the reasons for it staying the same and just getting more bloated over the years are all sentimental ones. Roll on super-Mordheim I say.

[Mr Mystery]

Andy Chambers who doesn't work for GW, instead doing Freelance Work, and is, at least according to his own website, living the US where he works for Blizzard (may have changed. Not convinced that web page is up to date).

[Stephen James Hand]

Chaos are Games Workshop's 'true IP'? Not sure Michael Moorcock would agree with that.

There's isn't much of GW's IP in WFB or 40K that wasn't shamelessly nicked from somewhere.

[Erik Setzer]

From Andy Chambers FB Page:

Link?

Also... twenty years? That'd hit back to 1994, at which time there were no Lizardmen or Bretonnians, Chaos and Undead were one book each, you had Empire, no Ogre Kingdoms, Dwarfs, three types of Elves, Skaven, and Orcs & Goblins... Think that's about it. I don't think the number of factions was the problem so much, though they have ended up with too much copying in some of the factions. The number of models needed is an issue, sure, but I think that could have been fixed without becoming a large skirmish game. Heck, 40K also takes a lot of miniatures these days. But WFB ended up taking a lot for each unit, especially with the "Horde" formation, and mega-units started rolling all over the battlefield, with elite units numbering at least 30+. Tack on the issues with the prices, especially for some units, and it was too expensive for a lot of people to get into.

While some pruning could be useful, the amount being suggested is NOT useful. It's not going to be WFB any more. It'll be an entirely new game without any real connection to WFB other than being sort of fantasy.

[Path Walker]

Isn't it Mantic who recently started making models for fantasy that look close to WFB and are priced so much better than GW's? Like 20 Dwarfs or 20 Witch Elves for $48 (30 if you got in on the first batches), whereas GW does 10 for $50 or $60, respectively. Sure, they don't use GW's names, but barely-clothed Elf females wielding twin daggers are kind of obvious. They also look pretty good. They might not be usable in a GW store, but people playing at home or in their FLGS will just snag up the much cheaper models. Rather than come up with a competitive pricing plan, GW seems to prefer to chuck models out and replace them entirely. But what's to stop someone just making similar models and calling them something else? You have to do an enormous change to the aesthetic of pretty much all the models in order to prevent that, and it's not really feasible.

Nope, they look like ****e, I have quite a few, they're cheap, **** warhammer stand-ins. Thats literally the original business model for Mantic.

Comparing thier (restic, urgh) Dwarf Special units to the new GW plastics is a world of difference.

Also, hardly anything is the same size as they seemingly keep forgetting to tell their sculptors about the different shrinkage rates of Restic vs Metal

[Path Walker]

I have two Fantasy Armies, Goblins and Chaos, my Goblin project stalled long ago when I realised that to enjoy the game against the people who play in my area, I would need 60 man units of Gobbos at the least. Thats not fun to paint. Thats a problem, a barrier to entry, when a new person wants to start the game and looks at the cool box of models and then gets told yeah, you'll need at least 3 of those to make a unit, thats an issue.

There needs to be a solution, now, do you impose unit model limits? Or something more drastic, that allows for more innovation and changes? This change does have the advantage of allowing them to throw in new things as they come up with new ideas, something that 40K by dint of being a galaxy rather than one world, makes easier. New things and big events are exciting and generate interest and sales.

I know change to the one escape from the miserable real world and your sad, sad lives is scary, but it isn't the worst thing in the world.

[Charon]

Andy Chambers who doesn't work for GW, instead doing Freelance Work, and is, at least according to his own website, living the US where he works for Blizzard (may have changed. Not convinced that web page is up to date).

Andy Chamber who used to work for GW and used the term "back in my days" that everyone who is not a blind apologist can understand?

[Path Walker]

If it is true, which it almost certainly isn't, then it might be a good thing, Chambers is right, WFB is bloated and daft right now and the game needs to encourage smaller units with more personality, this is pretty consistent fluff-wise with the universe and allows for some really cool stories.

Nothing is being taken away, all the rumours have stated catagorically that you can still use your Dwarves as Dwarves.

But really this does all sound like an idea someone had in a brainstorming meeting