The word is out and Games Workshop has raised prices on paints and brushes.
After 5 years of constant price increases on their models, seeing some models like a Land Raider go up 50%, this year's annual price increase will be limited to hobby supplies.
Maybe GW has realized it can only squeeze so much out of its customers. Many of my friends have left the hobby because they are so pissed at Games Workshop, and with good reason. With codex 40K models now crossing the $ 100 mark with the $ 115 Wraith Knight, Games Workshop is establishing itself as a rich man's hobby. In a time of slow economic growth, and almost ZERO inflation, how Games Workshop justifies these price increases is beyond most hobbyists.
Wayne Clark, a good friend of mine, had almost every 40K army. And LOTS of them. He probably owns a quarter million points overall. And last year he rage quit 40K because he was so pissed about the relentless price increases.
Probably the most noticeable price increase is the 40K starter set, which went from $ 50 in 2008 to $ 100 now. For a company dedicated to "recruitment" into the hobby, the whole point of the one man store philosophy, asking someone to buy a $ 100 starter set is a big chore. At $ 50 they would fly off the shelves according to numerous GW managers and game store owners, but at $ 100 it is a tough sell.
Ultimately, the bigger question is whether Tom Kirby, Games Workshop CEO, is setting the company up for a sale. Cutting costs and raising prices to drive profitability is a indicator that this may be the case.
Loken
The DV box set was the last thing i bought. As i run out of citadel paint I am slowly replacing it with other brands. I will always be grateful to GW for getting my into the hobby back in the RT days, but I've outgrown them. I don't have time to play and paint huge armies any more. I just want to paint cool minis and GW's sculpts lately have been just okay. I'll still get the odd thing from them, but with so many other mini companies out there pumping out great minis they have pretty much stolen me from GW. It wasn't hard with all the weird business practices GW has now. Thanks for the memories GW.
ReplyDeleteWow....Everyone rages on GW when they raise prices and rage on them when they don't....they can't do anything right...
ReplyDeleteTheir paints are already priced twice or more than other companies.
ReplyDeleteThe one person Games Workshop stores have really turned me off to going to their stores because now the hours are even worse than before. Every time I have been by the one near me they are closed so I don't know how the service is there now but it's hard to believe that multiple customers can be serviced appropriately seeing as with two or more employees they lacked in that area.
I'm really looking forward to your story this afternoon.
ReplyDeleteThey're luxury items, GW will charge what people are willing to pay, if you don't like it don't then don't buy the products.
ReplyDeleteFor me personally, GW & FW make by far the best and most varied miniatures with the most comprehensive and interesting background and the prices are absolutely fine for now, you can always use a bit of eBay trading or independent retailer buying to lower your costs if needs be.
@Chris
ReplyDeleteGW has taken a lot of time to build up bad tastes in the mouths of their loyal fanbase. I believe mainly to see just how much blood they CAN squeeze out of the turnip.
10-20% price increases for 5years will turn a lot of people sour. Add Finecast (failcast, or finecrap, pick your term) to the mix, and many once loyal customers start to sour, and frankly, start to not really be able to stomach affording to keep up with their game.
GW is reaping their whirlwind. The bigger question is, will the pendulum swing back towards being customer, and gamestore friendly again? or are they just going to maintain their current trajectory?
and as to not increasing prices, they're sneaking price increases in. repackaging, and/or marking stuff up when a new version of the codex releases.
I personally never bought GW paints, and have only bought a few of their brushes. I find Vallejo paints to be better quality and value, and can get better brushes at the art and hobby stores for better prices.
GW is making themselves an 'elite' niche game for those with ample money who don't know better, or are too blindly loyal to care
@Farmpunk
ReplyDeleteI find your tone offensive, you're implying that anyone who purchases GW products "don't know (any) better" or are "blindly loyal".
What you neglect to factor in is the excellence of their sculptors and the superbly detailed back story that their products have, they may have the odd divisive miniature that people either love or hate but the vast majority of their range is excellent and when you combine that with FW as well no other company can compete with that sort of quality.
As for the paints and other hobby products (which are in general of a high quality), nobody forces people to buy them and you don't need to use them to compete in tournaments and so on. So why you feel the need to have a go at them about it I don't know, if you don't like them then buy Vallejo or others as you said.
I personally use GW paints as I find them perfect for the job but I do however use Winsor & Newton brushes as they tend to be of a higher quality (though quite a bit more expensive than GW's).
as someone only a year into this hobby i don't have the experience of seeing the price hikes but i still have to deal with the prices. but i view it this way, i buy a few pieces here and there and paint them as i go. doing this i haven't had to worry too much about prices and i have slowly built up and painted a now large almost appoc sized ork army.
ReplyDeleteand to people who say GW is going to price themselves out of the market i say there will always be people looking for the large scale battles. it's why i choose 40k over hordes/warmachine as i wanted larger battles. it's all down to choice and appeal and 40k has great appeal to a great deal of people.
lol look GW are all about money!!! if you want books or codex or audio books then just download them for free from 1337x or iso hunt or pirate bay or d2.vu (demonoid) and if you want mini's then go on ebay and shop for a deal.
ReplyDeletesimple
Love Jamie
2003-Space Marine Tactical Squad $22.00. 2013 -Space Marine Tactical Squad $37.00. A 59% price hike for the exact same kit over ten years. Where is the love?
ReplyDeleteI actually quite enjoyed your blog with the HH weekender parts but I'm really not surprised that GW aren't happy with it what with your recent coverage of the Eldar release including huge amounts of stats and info lifted directly from the Codex.
ReplyDeleteThat always seemed to be a foolish and morally dodgy decision to me, that along with this and other recent posts slightly descending into the usual (quite often factually suspect) GW bashing nonsense found on many sites are putting me off this blog somewhat to be honest.
Ben = if everyone is getting pissed of with GW for pricing us out and your not then you have got money!!! Enjoy
ReplyDelete@Ben,
ReplyDeleteWell, if you don't like the blog. Then go away. You don't need this blog to play the game and we don't need your GW practices line-toeing either. Have a nice day.
They are raising the prices because the company is in trouble they only just managed last year so they raise the prices in the hope that customers will be okay with a slightly higher price and GW is a UK company and in the UK at the moment there is a big economic crisis companies are shutting on a daily basis this is why prices are high plus the added cost of oil
ReplyDeleteI have a CSM and DA army of around 10k points each. All of it bar a few specific models was bought on Ebay at a fraction of the price in GW shops.
ReplyDeleteThe most expensive item was a Darkshroud at £40 and that only because i was to lazy to make my own one.
The model prices are over the top imo. I wouldnt pay the prices even if i could afford them. This is not sustainable; hopefully the GM top bods will see this and bring back sensible prices for what are in fact pieces of molded plastic.