The Rumour Thread

[JerekKruger]

1 hour ago, Aratark said:

Given inflation here is in double figures, it is a reasonable increase compared to that.  Now I just need to pick an army so I can complain how much more it is going to cost me

I don't know. GW products are luxuries. Very addictive luxuries, but luxuries nonetheless. If people have to choose between paying rent and buying food, or buying GW products most will go with the essentials of life. Raising prices is likely to reduce overall sales, and if GW haven't forecast accurately, might even hurt their profits.

[sandlemad]

It’s a pretty unreasonable price increase (on top of the many other recent price increases in the last few years, both openly publicised and quietly applied) given that by their own admission and own reports they’ve been operating on ludicrously high profit margins for years. 67% last year.

It’s not about inflation, not really. It’s about GW being unwilling to accept extremely high profits rather than insanely high profits.

[CommissarRotke]

1 minute ago, sandlemad said:

It’s a pretty unreasonable price increase (on top of the many other recent price increases in the last few years, both openly publicised and quietly applied) given that by their own admission and own reports they’ve been operating on ludicrously high profit margins for years. 67% last year.

It’s not about inflation, not really. It’s about GW being unwilling to accept extremely high profits rather than insanely high profits.

And to be crystal clear: that 67% margin is after all operating costs, shipping, salaries, etc are taken into account...

[Vasshpit]

Another price rise?...

Guess the metric frak ton of moolah amazon gave them wasnt enough. 😑

[RileyArlic]

4 hours ago, EonChao said:

Although I think Whitefang confirmed that was false earlier in the thread when it was mentioned.

takes time for information to make the rounds. Valrak was even streaming about the 'rumored rules changes' until someone came in to correct him. Without that, he'd likely have made another 4 videos about losing toughness

[Aratark]

42 minutes ago, JerekKruger said:

I don't know. GW products are luxuries. Very addictive luxuries, but luxuries nonetheless. If people have to choose between paying rent and buying food, or buying GW products most will go with the essentials of life. Raising prices is likely to reduce overall sales, and if GW haven't forecast accurately, might even hurt their profits.

With the luxuries bit, I completely agree. The sensible choice would be to pay the bills before looking at the plastic crack, however, as a business GW have to look at the welfare of their employees and their corporate responsibility to their shareholders.

 

I'm guessing the bean counters have looked at the numbers and 6% is the happy medium to cover cost increases and to minimise impact on sales.

[pnkdth]

Oof, another reason for my mates to mercilessly make fun of me for sticking with the hobby. Going to massively enjoy this. 😅

 

[RileyArlic]

Also, on the 40k side some info apparently from Bolter and Chainsword:

Quote

More info on 10th Edition
>New Starter Box Contents: Leonitus Crusade

SPACE MARINES
-1 Primaris Chapter Master (Think Gravis but not haunched over, armed with Power Sword and bolt pistol)
-1 Primaris Prosecutor (armed with a two-handed axe)
-1 Primaris Noviate Master (Scout Master, armed with Sniper Rifle)
-10 Primaris Space Marine Intervectors (Jump Pack Primaris, have bolter gauntlets)
-5 Primaris Noviates (New Primaris Scouts, armed with Hellblast Shotguns)
-3 Primaris Arduanters (New Primaris Terminators, equipped with Graviton Hammers and Shields, in new type of Gravis Armor)
-3 Primaris Instigators (Pimaris with shoulder mounted Grav Cannons)

TYRANIDS
-1 Norn-Maleceptrix (Big brain bug, lesser incarnation of the Norn-Queen, able to "evolve" units. Semi-feminine???)
-1 Tyranid Primus (Big warrior, has two Devourers, a large sword and a claw-whip, boosts)
-1 Lictor (New evloved form of Lictor)
-2 Magistraunt (Strange mix of venomthropes and Pyrovore)
-20 Genestealers (New kit, has an options for armored plates and acid-claws)
-1 Cerebrofex (Think blend of Carnifex and Zoanthroap, smaller Maleceptor)
-3 Genehunters (New breed of warriors, designed to be even better shock troopers, made with Space Marine Geneseeds they literally eat.)

New Kits Tyranid kits:
-New models for Termagaunts and Hormagaunts, dual kit
-New Models for Biovores and Pyrovores, dual kit that now comes in threes
-New dual kit of Cerebrofex and new super-carnifex (Genetics based off old One Eye)
-THREE NEW BIG MONSTER KITS (They say that most Nid players like their big monsters)
-New Red Terror

New Marine Kits:
-Plethora of new Characters to represent old command structure (Think the old resin character models, each one buffs a specific)
-New flying LoW called "Overlord Dropship", think a smaller Thunderhawk
-New Demolisher Tank,
-New "Veteran" unit of Assault Intercessors
-Arduant Kits can make classic Powerfist and Bolter, but with each get a missile launcher on top)

 

[Captaniser]

24 minutes ago, RileyArlic said:

Also, on the 40k side some info apparently from Bolter and Chainsword:

 

New Tyranids beasts are always welcome, especially the Norn queen lite. I've wanted one of those creatures to become a model on the tabletop since i read their lore long ago. 

The new Spess Mahrenees seem to mostly just be reintepretations of classic kits and turned into Primaris. Hurrah for even more redundant units to take up shelf space.

[JerekKruger]

44 minutes ago, Aratark said:

With the luxuries bit, I completely agree. The sensible choice would be to pay the bills before looking at the plastic crack, however, as a business GW have to look at the welfare of their employees and their corporate responsibility to their shareholders.

My point is that if sales go down by enough as a result of this price rise, they may not be able to do that. Price rises do not necessarily lead to increased profits after all. Probably I'm being unreasonably optimistic/pessimistic, and GW have done some detailed business analysis to determine whether this will pay off or not, but it's not like they haven't over produced products that don't sell well in the past, so they are definitely capable of making a mistake in this regard.

But your point about shareholders is likely what this is all about. As a publicly listed company they are kinda at the mercy of shareholders: they have to convince them every year that they are still a good investment, otherwise shareholders seem shares to buy something else, the share price goes down, and GW suddenly find themselves in financial difficulties. Being able to say "were raising prices by an average of 6%" will likely look good in a shareholder report in this regard, regardless of whether it will actually work.

[JackStreicher]

1 hour ago, Aratark said:

welfare of their employees and their corporate responsibility to their shareholders

They are famous to give a s about their employees (underpaying as a standard).

We pay more so some inheritor of a fortune can even make more money. Once a company is publicly traded it‚s going downhill for everyone and everything around it except the shareholders and dome managers.

Edited February 9, 2023 by JackStreicher

[RileyArlic]

1 minute ago, JackStreicher said:

They are famous to give a s about their employees (underpaying as a standard).

We pay more so some inheritor of a fortune can even make more money. Once a company is publicly traded it‚s going downhill for everyone and everything around it except the shareholders and dome managers.

Only thing I'll say about the 6% price increase is...

[JackStreicher]

2 minutes ago, RileyArlic said:

Only thing I'll say about the 6% price increase is...

So? They operate at absurd margins, they don’t make less money, the money‘s worth is less. Also: Increasing prices during an inflation (usually a bigger increase than the inflation rate) makes inflation worse.

This is greed, that’s it.

[RileyArlic]

That's all I'd say about the topic. 

Any further argument or debate feels pointless at this point. There's no point or logic to make unless I acquiesce to "Ah, yes, you're totally right all the time, about everything." 

GW will reveal something in a week or two that will have people forget all about it and we can move on. 

[Aratark]

32 minutes ago, JackStreicher said:

So? They operate at absurd margins, they don’t make less money, the money‘s worth is less. Also: Increasing prices during an inflation (usually a bigger increase than the inflation rate) makes inflation worse.

This is greed, that’s it.

Many years ago, I ran pubs in North London. We had an average profit margin of 50% on what we sold. Would you call that an absurd margin?

 

For full.disclosure, I am more of a sell more at a lower cost than fewer at a higher, but I appreciate not everyone has the same viewpoint.

[KingBrodd]

3 hours ago, RileyArlic said:

Also, on the 40k side some info apparently from Bolter and Chainsword:

 

Really hoping this comes out to be true because Tyranids are the only 40K Faction Ive ever played and will have to dip back in if theyre getting a massive range refresh.

[pnkdth]

2 minutes ago, Aratark said:

Many years ago, I ran pubs in North London. We had an average profit margin of 50% on what we sold. Would you call that an absurd margin?

That would depend on scale. Unless you ran a lot of pubs GW operate on a different level. My very limited experience with the restaurant/pub industry is that it is quite volatile too. You need those margins to cover for the ups and downs.

 

12 minutes ago, RileyArlic said:

GW will reveal something in a week or two that will have people forget all about it and we can move on. 

That is what they're banking on, yes. It'll work till it doesn't. I'm hoping for a WotC/D&D moment where we collectively say 'enough is enough.' For now, you're probably right but I gotta say, this announcement has put a real dampener on my excitement for AoS. Especially since at this point I know I will never ever get my friends into the hobby. Indeed, the only people who seem cool with the price increases are people who are already knee deep in the hobby.

[Sigmarusvult]

More clarity about the price increase (seen on  Facebook)

Edited February 9, 2023 by Sigmarusvult

[Freemeta]

it's not possible to recommend this hobby to new and young customers. each time it's heart breaking. so people are moving to 3d printing and it hurts lgs. there is a tournament in a lgs near me and they have to check army to see if there is counterfeit miniatures...and allow 1 unit 3d printed/3rd party. maybe we should just move to 9th age at this point.

[Draznak]

23 minutes ago, KingBrodd said:

Really hoping this comes out to be true

Tyranids range will refreshed but i think that list is pure made up. Too things, too new minis.

 

[RileyArlic]

28 minutes ago, Draznak said:

Tyranids range will refreshed but i think that list is pure made up. Too things, too new minis.

 

some in other forums have lined up the releases and actually it's about as much as Necrons got. 

[sandlemad]

1 hour ago, JackStreicher said:

They are famous to give a s about their employees (underpaying as a standard).

We pay more so some inheritor of a fortune can even make more money. Once a company is publicly traded it‚s going downhill for everyone and everything around it except the shareholders and dome managers.

Yeah, unless they're actively increasing pay for staff in line with inflation, then it has nothing to do with responsibility towards their employees or even adjusting to inflation, really, just extracting more profit.

[RileyArlic]

33 minutes ago, sandlemad said:

Yeah, unless they're actively increasing pay for staff in line with inflation, then it has nothing to do with responsibility towards their employees or even adjusting to inflation, really, just extracting more profit.

They do give their employees raises, bonuses, and other things, yes. 

Edited February 9, 2023 by RileyArlic

[Ogregut]

36 minutes ago, RileyArlic said:

some in other forums have lined up the releases and actually it's about as much as Necrons got. 

This is why I believe an army like Skaven would benefit being in the 4th Ed launch box, so many lovely new kits to give a iconic race new life. 

[DinoJon]

Busy day today! 

I'm curious if Seraphon will get more than 7 new releases. Do we have how many kits Soulblight got... minus the 3 or 4 heroes that were supposed to be Cursed City models?