GW/Wizkids

[Sarkazim]

https://gamerswebweb.wordpress.com/2017/10/19/wizkids-announce-partnership-with-games-workshop/

[TheWilddog]

This looks interesting.  GW is really looking to push into a lot of new market areas it seems. Guess we will see a 40k  Dice Masters style game.

[Sleboda]

Should help move those wanting pre-paintd models out of the "hobby" and into something more their speed.

[Arkiham]

i googled to see who they are, but i cant find anything i recognise...

 

it is mainly american based company?

[Chris Tomlin]

This is big news.

I'm interested in whatever they put out, but am particularly intrigued at the prospect of GW IP Dice Masters! It's a great game already and I'd love a 40K version.

[Sarkazim]

@Arkiham Wizkids is behind all the 'Clix' games.  Mageknight, Battletech, Marvel Heroclix, etc.  Pre-painted models/games where the stats and abilities were all on a dial on the base.  I know they're based here in the US, stuff is made in China, but should be able to find stuff at most FLG Stores.  Lately it's been the Dicemasters game, which is quick and fun.  They're only downside IMO is that their model seems to be one-off release runs, similar to MTG.  So once a set is done, it becomes increasingly difficult to find product if you decide to hop in late in the life of the game.

It sounds like they're going to fill the FFG shoes for doing re-releases, older IP product, stand Alones.  I hope it works out, as a Warhammer Quest / Heroquest re-release would be cool.

 

[GammaMage]

I played a lot of Heroclix in my time. Wizkids is pretty well known for how badly painted their pre-painted figures are! They are also pretty soft plastic. But I've seen some stripped and repainted figures demonstrating how amazingly good their sculpts are (sadly hidden beneath far too thick layers of paint). Heroclix has a pretty good game engine, but exploded in popularity a couple years ago, and to keep up with demand they put out sets very fast. This was mixed with the fact that boosters work like TCGs with random models of varying rarities. The end result was that game suffered from serious power creep that largely killed the game in my city, as people realised that there is little point in buying large numbers of boosters to obtain chase figures that are going to be very good for a couple of months, andthen get outstripped when the next couple of sets come out.

[Sleboda]

If they do a 40Clix game, I just really want them to keep it 100% incompatible with 40K, and that no GW resources are diverted from GW games to support it .

If they can make a killing with a license, great. If it hampers the main "real" hobby and game production or experience in any way ... not so great.

[HorseOnABeachBall]

6 minutes ago, Sleboda said:

If they do a 40Clix game, I just really want them to keep it 100% incompatible with 40K, and that no GW resources are diverted from GW games to support it .

If they can make a killing with a license, great. If it hampers the main "real" hobby and game production or experience in any way ... not so great.

That's exactly the way it works. The licensor won't have anything to do with the clix games.

[GammaMage]

I really don't see that happening. Wizkids games are too different to GWs to make models that can be crossed over between games easily. Wizkids specialises in licenced products, they're pretty good at making games from existing IPs without needing outside help.

[Mr. White]

I bet this will be similar to their FFG agreement....no minis games.

I'm sure GW doesn't want a competing 40K or AoS minis based game out there. Besides, GW produces some of the finest minis on the planet....Wizkids...some of the worst. I can't imagine GW would like poorly sculpted, cheap plastic, horribly painted versions of their iconic space marines on the shelf. Brand dilution for sure...

I expect it's going to be dice games, card games, board games etc that come out of this arrangement. Not minis games.

[Mr. White]

The oddest thing though....it seemed GW was on a roll with board games: WHQ titles, Gorechosen, Space Hulk, Shadespire, Gangs of Comorrah, etc...why license out? Why not continue to make board and card games in house?

[Menkeroth]

People say they lack manpower enough to cover all the departments, especially with FW and anything related like Adeptus Titanicus, Necromunda and such, so maybe they try to ease the pressure on the main departments with this move, like they did when they gave a licence for RPG to Cubicle 7.

[RuneBrush]

Looking forward to finding out a bit more.  They've specifically said "Reveals Plans to Release New Games set in the Critically Acclaimed Warhammer 40,000™ Universe" so it's unlikely going to be the same agreement they had with FFG and initially at least it'll be confined to 40k.

I reckon we'll see brand new and completely different games to the ones we've had previously - it's highly unlikely they'll be taking over things like Bloodbowl, Warhammer Quest etc because GW have teams of people doing those games currently and they're turning a very tidy profit.

[Arkiham]

1 hour ago, Mr. White said:

The oddest thing though....it seemed GW was on a roll with board games: WHQ titles, Gorechosen, Space Hulk, Shadespire, Gangs of Comorrah, etc...why license out? Why not continue to make board and card games in house?

Market exposure maybe

[Sleboda]

2 hours ago, Mr. White said:

The oddest thing though....it seemed GW was on a roll with board games: WHQ titles, Gorechosen, Space Hulk, Shadespire, Gangs of Comorrah, etc...why license out? Why not continue to make board and card games in house?

All of those are games that come with models. Card games and other non-model games really sort of belong with an outside company. 

[Ollie Grimwood]

I did not like the heroclix style Battletech (not really relevant just needed to get it off my chest)

Seems like a sensible business move. GW has collaborated or allowed the use of its IP very successfully for quite some time. Prepainted is not my thing but I guess this won’t really be directed at people who are already customers but rather be a way of expanding the customer base

[GammaMage]

Wizkids models are actually well sculpted. The reason they look like they are not is entirely due to bad painting. Duncan is right people, thin your paints.

[Lucio]

It's a sensible move by GW to increase exposure to their IP through non-hobby related markets, and it doesn't alter what the core company is doing. Let's not forget that most of the "board games" sets that have been released have really been "miniature discount boxes with a game attached", only those from the Specialist Games division have really had a focus.

One interesting thought to throw out there. What if Adeptus Titanicus was released by Wizkids instead of Specialist Games? Given the lengthy developmental period, it could be that the miniatures weren't cost effective as either GW plastic or FW resin, but maybe a cheaper production process would allow the game to reach it's potential.

[Sleboda]

Dear Skycake, please no. 

I am planning on taking out a mortgage for Epic. It would crush me if it turned until a KiddieClix travesty.

 

GW - Give Epic Death Guard and expand to Necrons too  so I can field thousands of soulless death machines and their monolithic sky barges, and you can name your price.

[AverageBoss]

Heard they are already planning to reprint Fury of Dracula. Great news for me as I missed out on it under FFG. Hopefully its not super cheaply made.

[RuneBrush]

Rest assured, it's still FW doing Adeptus Titanicus and was pretty much confirmed by Tony C yesterday.  The rules are now ready but because of a delay they made the decision to wait until they had more models finished.

It isn't Epic however, it's set in Heresy era (as Battlefleet will be) and will initially only contain rules for Titans/Knights at 10mm scale rather than 6 or 8.  The specialist games team have developed the rules for vehicles and infantry so can fully expect to see this as an expansion in the future.

[Killax]

Another co-op where I think it's a win/win for both compagnies. 

I expect WizKids to finally have a great miniature for their line, pre-painted still but with much better quality as before. In addition, especially because Warhammer games are actually well made games, they are capable to tap into great IP bound characters, I would not be suprised to see them cover WFB range aswell.
At the same time I expect Games Workshop to finally tap into the younger audience in a 'better' way. One of the issues for them always has been a relative more expensive creation process. In addition they will likely create some dice heavy/miniature low game.

Like with FFG I think this will last for 3 years, gets you some good games but also nothing you should overly attach to. 

[BunkhouseBuster]

14 hours ago, Lucio said:

It's a sensible move by GW to increase exposure to their IP through non-hobby related markets, and it doesn't alter what the core company is doing. Let's not forget that most of the "board games" sets that have been released have really been "miniature discount boxes with a game attached", only those from the Specialist Games division have really had a focus.

^^ This right here.  What got me into wargaming was GW's IP in the form of the Dawn of War PC RTS games.  I played them, fell in love with the setting and factions, and have been hooked ever since.  By spreading their IP around in smart ways, GW will increase its presence and draw more people into the hobby.

That said, are Heroclix and other Wizkids games popular outside of gaming shops which already/typically  carry GW products?  I have only heard of the company, but I'm not familiar with their products.

[Gaz Taylor]

22 minutes ago, BunkhouseBuster said:

That said, are Heroclix and other Wizkids games popular outside of gaming shops which already/typically  carry GW products?  I have only heard of the company, but I'm not familiar with their products.

If you live in the US, you have most likely seen or played a Wizkids game. In the UK, Heroclix is around but most people would have seen or played Star Trek Attack Wing (or the DnD version). They do make some very good games and the miniatures aren't half bad and collectible.

As mentioned several times, this is very big as it gives GW exposure to other markets. For example, I remember seeing GW models in a computer shop years and years ago (they were Squats from Rogue Trader) but never really started getting into their stuff until Hero Quest dropped a few years later. This deal is the Hero Quest (or Lord of the Rings) for the current generation and is massive.