Finecast: Dead or Alive?

Let the Finecast wars begin!

From Larry on BoLS 

Lots going on behind the scenes at GW - Look for a public announcement in Q2 of 2014 regarding Finecast: -GW Proper gets out of Finecast entirely. -Forgeworld will take control of all remaining Finecast character models. -These character models will be the only non-plastics in GW's line until they are replaced. -These character models will be moved over to plastic (and GW control) in time with plastic clampack resculpts.  -There are internal tests taking place to cast some existing Forgeworld resin kits in a new plastic material. It looks like the resin material is on its way out, and GW is sprinting as fast as it can to replace any Finecast non character kits from their entire range - leaving them as a 100% plastic manufacturer.
If you look at the past few releases, you can see the pattern.


Meanwhile, over at Blood of Kittens:

Well I am sad to report these rumors are fine crap.

First, off GW and public announcements never go together. The idea of Forgeworld taking over Finecast models is completely preposterous, since they use different methods to produce models and while together still different design and produce models separately. This would take a communication between operations, which has never happen before.

Of course, the basis for this rumor relies on the current Finecast-less releases of late. Funny, it appears a few days after the leak of Hive Guard in plastic as well. This is a safe rumor because recent history makes it easy to extrapolate.

Now, it is true Finecast is on the back burner, but it is all based on quality control and production. Finecast has become more direct order than anything, because GW wants to limited returns and control the entire process directly. Also, production being removed from North American might have something to with the perception.

If a model can be made in plastic it will, and Finecast over time will go away, but it will take a long time. There is no rush to re-sculpt characters unless timed with a new release. No better evidence is Sisters of Battle, which are still in metal!

Above all, sources came out against this rumor, in much the same way the fake "leaked" 6th edition rules set came out.

Read the whole article here: 

http://bloodofkittens.com/blog/2013/11/15/rumor-it-finecast-anywhere/ 


So who is right?  I think GW is phasing out Finecast.  The Quality is weak and Injection molding is the way things are heading.  The profit margin is just so much better on injection molded models with almost zero QC issues.  But it may take some time.  But eventually Finecast is going to disappear.  I really don't think it was ever more than a stop gap to get GW out of metal and into plastic.

Nykona