Sorry not sorry, but GW delaying releases may actually be a good thing for the hobby overall. Here’s why we think so…
While people are upset about the Death Guard release being delayed, it shows GW is, hopefully, thinking about the overall picture more. Because, with the severe allocations of the last few releases, local game stores seemed to be suffering the most.
GW has obviously been hit hard, like everyone has, by the complications of COVID. But instead of delaying anything prior to this, they just went forward with the smothering release schedule, while putting out a cheeky post for thier investors saying everything is okay here, no worries!
The good news is, we’re not expecting any knock-on effects from the lockdown in England to our operations elsewhere in the world. Warhammer shops will stay open (wherever it is safe for them to do so), our webstores are standing by to take your orders, and our factories and warehouses are operating safely – so your weekly Warhammer new releases will keep coming!
We’ll clearly they may have misspoken, but in these challenging times, it’s kinda hard not too I’ll give them that. The thing that seems to tick off hobbyists and business owners alike, is their repeated pattern of behavior, not one isolated statement in the Covid era – although it’s funny to read this knowing what we know now, right?
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GW Delaying Releases Is a Good Thing
We are going to say, this is a good thing. Why? Because this means they realize if they try to keep up with thier release normal release schedule, not only will there be allocations, but some markets won’t even have stock available at this point.
See the latest Warcry release for evidence that product delays have hit the North American Market.
But what we really hope this means for moving forward, Local Game Stores will not be getting hit with such severe allocations. This sets a precedent that GW may follow in the future. If they don’t have enough product to supply all of their stores, their online store, AND the local game stores, they should delay the release.
Because with a ton of their releases in the COVID era, not only have the LGS been hit with allocations, the site even ran out of new sets super fast. We all love getting new stuff, but it’s more frustrating to see it come out, and then not be able to actually purchase any of it! With that in mind, it seems only logical they GW has only hit rock bottom on stock levels to push back an entire 40k release.
Does this set a new precedent for the future of not releasing stuff when they are not ready?
Why we Need Local Game Stores
The level that the wargaming hobby has come to is almost insane! To sustain this high water mark, we need local game stores to keep it growing They have also been hit insanely hard by COVID, and a lot of stores rely on new GW releases to keep the doors open. And if they just keep getting one or two boxes every release, over time that will negatively impact their finances.
However the other side of the coin is true as well, and if GW delays a release and then still allocates it, playing the shell game with their stock as they did with the Indomitus release debacle, that also hurts local game stores as well, because they had a missed opportunity to earn transformed into a throttled one.
Think about what would happen if local stores switch completely away from tabletop games like Warhammer because stock is too hard to get, and GW is too difficult to work with. It would become harder to get games in unless you play at home/ a buddy’s house? From the game store owners we have talked to, that trend has already started to happen with Warmachine/Hordes because of the choices Privateer Press has made, and it would be terrible for that to happen to all things Warhammer as well.
In short, we hope this sets a precedent where when GW delays something, it means the local game stores will get plenty of stock.
Because buying online is all well and good, but it is our opinion that wargaming really needs local game stores to keep growing and attracting new hobbyists.
How do you feel about the short releases? Do you think the delay is a good or bad move?
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About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
