It looks like Games Workshop is not in charge of their releases anymore; with all these constant issues, they just can’t seem to get it right…
With so many delays, MTOs, and issues for almost every release (at least of some kind), it really feels like Games Workshop just doesn’t have anyone in charge of their releases internally per se.
But in a post-COVID world, should it be this way?
Check out our full series on the Games Workshop Product Strategy and how they may be changing right now.
- Games Workshop Is Changing, Here’s Why
- The New Games Workshop Sales Strategy
- How Games Workshop Could Change
Games Workshop is Not in Charge of Their Own Releases Anymore…
It honestly seems like GW can not get their internal teams to talk to each other (or at least communicate properly) about when releases are meant to go out, related product sales, stock levels, etc. Often the left hand seems to be doing something completely different from the right.
It’s hard to tell where things are breaking down, but when Warhammer Community or someone official will make an announcement, and then just weeks later, it still hasn’t happened. That is a problem for consumer confidence.
Worse, all the constant out-of-stocks, 180-day MTOs, paywalls on Kill Teams, Army Boxes with Codexes early, and bundle sets (with one new character most times) seem to be leaving people with a bad taste in their mouths.
We won’t even get into the Leagues of Votann NERF debacle, as the newest faction in years didn’t even get a moment in the spotlingt because GW immediately folded to external pressures.
Show Us The Releases!
Two recent examples of bad timing are, Lumineth and Ogors for Age of Sigmar. First, Lumineth was on the roadmap for Summer but came out in October. Then strangely, we saw the Ogors on the retailer pricing sheet a few weeks ago, but they obviously weren’t released then (and of this writing, still have not been).
This is just the tip of the iceberg, though, for delays, we’ve seen it for basically two or three years straight now.
Obviously, they have had some things go right and are still pumping out good-looking models, the releases are just so messed up it feels like there is just no one steering the ship, so to speak.
Hobbyists Tire of Constant Out-of-Stocks On Key Warhammer Products
GW really hypes up new releases, but then the problem is, if you don’t get it right away, you miss out for months and months. We’re going to take a look at a bunch of different game systems, but the same thing happens across all of them, the most wanted products sell out, and then somehow sit for months on the out-of-stock list.
Case in point, Horus Heresy. We covered this already, on how (at least here in the states) it’s still nearly impossible to get core products to build your army. Stores we polled report that it has affected the growth of the new edition of the game as well.
Furthermore, GW corporate stores don’t even carry Horus Heresy-branded miniature kits. It’s almost like they knew they could not produce enough for demand or that there would be no demand in their own stores.
Either way, it’s a problem for many here in the states.
While the transfer sheets aren’t too worrying, simple things like Drop Pods and Rhinos have been out of stock from the beginning, and the Forge World alternatives for key units are just too expensive to make them viable.
Plus, a lot of the stuff that provides actual value, such as the extra Contemptor arms (so you don’t have to buy a whole new kit), is also out of stock. While it was nice for a little while that GW went the other way and actually provided some extra value for the kits, they haven’t been in stock since the launch.
That really makes it hard on folks trying to collect and battle their legions of Space Marines.
Games Workshop Paywalls
Wow, this one got people quite angry (understandably) as you basically paid $160 for 12 minis… . If you had no intention of playing Kill Team, all the “extra value” was wasted. So, the value was terrible (as the minis were basically the same price), the Heavy Intercessors hadn’t been released on their own before this, and the new Flayed ones had never been released.
While you did get those early, the value wasn’t there. Next, the lead time after this box was revealed to the minis being available on their own, was about as long as possible. However, this wasn’t really the only paywall, not by far!
This box was insanely allocated and had two new characters inside. However, this was the only way to grab them for months and months. We mean like nearly four months. This might have been fine, but the allocations were bad not only was it was paywalled but also extremely hard to get from GW…
Made To Order (MTOs)
At first, we were somewhat behind MTO, but then instead of doing a full release followed by MTO, they just went right to MTO, which means 180 days to get it. So, if you want to wait for half a year to get your minis, then we guess you like this?
Especially for Horus Heresy, they have put almost all the upgrades on MTO, which means just another wait period for a game that had hype, and it’s dying down because people can’t get what they need.
Cursed City All Over Again…
This has happened a ton lately. However, the most recent was with Shadowvaults.
According to retailers, it looks like Shadowvaults was oversold and will not be reprinted as well, leaving many stores scrambling to try to compensate customers after being informed by Games Workshop last minute.
Games Workshop was great once, and we’re here for when they will be great again.
GW Current Woes With Pricing and Rules Development:
- GW is Not in Charge of Warhammer Anymore
- $200 Kits From Games Workshop Canceled the Last CEO
- Games Workshop Takes a Very Passive-Aggressive Stance
- Proof Playtesting Warhammer is a Myth
Do you think that Games Workshop has anyone in charge of their releases these days?
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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.
