Asmodee and Atomic Mass Games started off strong, but they may be making the same mistakes as Games Workshop now, which could be devastating…
With the recent announcement of the upcoming Star Wars Legion rulebook (which you can check out here) we started to worry a little about whether or not AMG will try and charge for it.
Not just that, but the pricing on their recent Hydra Terrain outpaced what Games Workshop charges for their terrain, which could be a cause for concern.
Asmodee Making the Same Mistakes As GW Now?
One of the most appealing things about AMG /Asmodee games is that they have a lot of free downloads. From the rules, points, affiliations, etc., for both Star Wars Legion and Marvel Crisis Protocol, it’s literally too easy, and mostly still “free,” compared to Games Workshop money, to get into either of these Asmodee games.
Star Wars Legion Battle Force boxes are a Great Buy
Recently though, we saw the pricing on the Hydra terrain for MCP, which was a little concerning to more than one internet commenter.
Now we have previews for the upcoming comprehensive Star Wars Legion Rulebook set to drop on January 16th, 2022. Some hobbyists are worried it will be something that Asmodee and Atomic Mass Games will try to “sell.”
Don’t get too worried yet, as they haven’t said anything about the price or if it will still be a free download. However, this decision could make them jump the shark and join Games Workshop in charging for rules.
Not that this is a “bad” thing, as GW has more or less gotten their customer base used to paying for rules. On the Star Wars: Legion side of things, people are just not used to paying for rules, and that’s a potential problem.
Expecting players to go from free to paid rules in the hobby space is tough.
A good example of what can happen when you try to charge folks for playing with their models when it was previously free was the mass exodus of players from X-wing when Fantasy Flight Games fumbled the release of X-wing 2.0 several years ago.
While having all the rules in one place, we think that trying to get $50 for a new rulebook out of every player could actually have a devastating effect on the player base. There is already some worry about changing the rules in the first place and what Shatterpoint could do to the development of the Legion in general.
It feels like if they charge for the rulebook, people may gravitate away from Star Wars Legion. However, for some, the opposite is true, and as long as the rules are available online for free, there are folks that would pay for a book just to have that “hard copy” for their games.
Another thing to consider is that some hobbyists will also buy new minis to fit into the new rules better with the recent balance that looks to be built in with the new points changes and subtle rules tweaks. AMG and Asmodee will already make extra money from just printing the rules for free.
Asmodee & AMG Versus Games Workshop Rules
Right now, they still have a ton of free rules on the site, which is awesome! So, we’ll just have to wait and see, but we really hope AMG doesn’t go the Games Workshop route and start charging for rules without still allowing free downloads…
Do you think AMG would charge for the new Star Wars Legion rulebook? If they did, would you buy it?
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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.
