Review of WH+ It's current state and it's potential

[tychobi]

I've really enjoyed Hammer and Bolter. It is probably my favourite content on Warhammer+ despite not having as many episodes as I would like, at least thus far.

 

It reminds me of "Love, Death and Robots" but it's obviously more cohesive by virtue of each story taking place in the same universe. Some of the episodes aren't as good as others, but the ones that stand out are really good.

 

I'm aware that the animation gets a lot of criticism at times, but I have no real issue with it. Maybe it's because it reminds me of the old "Spawn" cartoon - not sure if anyone has seen that or not.

 

Still, the content trickle is definitely too slow, but I'm hoping the service is ultimately a success. The only way it will improve is if the support is there to warrant a financial investment.

I think you have it backwards.  Rewarding poor work just breeds more shoddy products not better ones.  You are allowed to ask for better products to spend your money on.   

[Orange Knight]

 

 

I've really enjoyed Hammer and Bolter. It is probably my favourite content on Warhammer+ despite not having as many episodes as I would like, at least thus far.

 

It reminds me of "Love, Death and Robots" but it's obviously more cohesive by virtue of each story taking place in the same universe. Some of the episodes aren't as good as others, but the ones that stand out are really good.

 

I'm aware that the animation gets a lot of criticism at times, but I have no real issue with it. Maybe it's because it reminds me of the old "Spawn" cartoon - not sure if anyone has seen that or not.

 

Still, the content trickle is definitely too slow, but I'm hoping the service is ultimately a success. The only way it will improve is if the support is there to warrant a financial investment.

I think you have it backwards. Rewarding poor work just breeds more shoddy products not better ones. You are allowed to ask for better products to spend your money on.

It's not so simple. Many things have humble beginnings.

 

Take any new miniatures game company that isn't Games Workshop. The product they offer out of the gate could never compete with the range and wealth of options that Games Workshop can tempt you with.

 

By your absolutist logic, you should not support them. Obviously that's not correct.

 

GW are new to the premium content streaming scene. Their service will improve if it's viable for them to invest in it.

Edited January 14, 2022 by Orange Knight

[phandaal]

 

I've really enjoyed Hammer and Bolter. It is probably my favourite content on Warhammer+ despite not having as many episodes as I would like, at least thus far.

 

It reminds me of "Love, Death and Robots" but it's obviously more cohesive by virtue of each story taking place in the same universe. Some of the episodes aren't as good as others, but the ones that stand out are really good.

 

I'm aware that the animation gets a lot of criticism at times, but I have no real issue with it. Maybe it's because it reminds me of the old "Spawn" cartoon - not sure if anyone has seen that or not.

 

Still, the content trickle is definitely too slow, but I'm hoping the service is ultimately a success. The only way it will improve is if the support is there to warrant a financial investment.

I think you have it backwards.  Rewarding poor work just breeds more shoddy products not better ones.  You are allowed to ask for better products to spend your money on.   

 

 

Yeah, GW is just going to look at views and income to decide if W+ is successful. More or less anyway. They would probably like to see it get good reviews for their own pride.

 

And comparing Hammer and Bolter to the Spawn cartoons is doing Spawn a disservice. Spawn: The Animated Series won an Emmy.

[Domhnall]

 

I've really enjoyed Hammer and Bolter. It is probably my favourite content on Warhammer+ despite not having as many episodes as I would like, at least thus far.

It reminds me of "Love, Death and Robots" but it's obviously more cohesive by virtue of each story taking place in the same universe. Some of the episodes aren't as good as others, but the ones that stand out are really good.

I'm aware that the animation gets a lot of criticism at times, but I have no real issue with it. Maybe it's because it reminds me of the old "Spawn" cartoon - not sure if anyone has seen that or not.

Still, the content trickle is definitely too slow, but I'm hoping the service is ultimately a success. The only way it will improve is if the support is there to warrant a financial investment.

 

I think you have it backwards.  Rewarding poor work just breeds more shoddy products not better ones.  You are allowed to ask for better products to spend your money on.

I can't really agree with your first point, but I can agree with your second point.

 

It's not necessarily rewarding poor quality to make more poor quality. They will know that what they have isn't the best it could be. Very seldom does somebody come out the gate at the peak performance.

 

A closer (but different scale) analogy was with Netflix when it was starting off. I had subscribed quite early, but cancelled after about 6 months (pretty much as you say, there was better things to spend money on) because the quality of content available was poor, low quality rubbish, but a few gems mixed in.

Luckily, there was enough people to keep it going and now it's what I watch most of the time!

It would be silly of me to think WH+ will ever be anywhere close to Netflix, but I'm hoping enough subscribe to allow it to get better, before it dies too soon. Fan animations are pretty amazing and all, but most of the time it's a pet project, and astartes aside (the stars aligned for that one, probably why he's working for them now), there is some aspect of each that is a bit ropey (dialogue mostly, because that's most difficult without studio support or decent voice actors).

 

Maybe a generous and optimistic way to look at this, is at the moment WH+ is a kickstarter with early access

[Orange Knight]

I too was an early Netflix subscriber, and I do remember a time when the content was very limited.

 

The cost was low enough for me to keep my subscription, and Netflix grew into the giant it is today. Of course Warhammer+ will never reach such a height, but it will improve if people support it.

[Marshal Reinhard]

I have to wonder why they're still being coy about the year 2 minis

[Domhnall]

I have to wonder why they're still being coy about the year 2 minis

Most likely they will reveal them in summer when it's closer to annual renewal time. A tease here, a bit of leg there, keeps the interest going far better than just whapping them out aa soon as they can

[phandaal]

I too was an early Netflix subscriber, and I do remember a time when the content was very limited.

 

The cost was low enough for me to keep my subscription, and Netflix grew into the giant it is today. Of course Warhammer+ will never reach such a height, but it will improve if people support it.

Original Netflix was a DVD rental service that gave you as many rentals as you wanted per month without the hassle you got from companies like Blockbuster or Hollywood Video.

 

Then they moved into streaming at a time when the idea of streaming rather than watching cable TV was new, and they did it better than other companies.

 

Early Netflix was better than what it was competing with. That is why it grew.

[darkhorse0607]

 

I too was an early Netflix subscriber, and I do remember a time when the content was very limited.

 

The cost was low enough for me to keep my subscription, and Netflix grew into the giant it is today. Of course Warhammer+ will never reach such a height, but it will improve if people support it.

Original Netflix was a DVD rental service that gave you as many rentals as you wanted per month without the hassle you got from companies like Blockbuster or Hollywood Video.

 

Then they moved into streaming at a time when the idea of streaming rather than watching cable TV was new, and they did it better than other companies.

 

Early Netflix was better than what it was competing with. That is why it grew.

 

I find it interesting when people have this discussion because often it seems that defense (it being new) really only applies to GW products (most of the time).

 

When a new fan animation comes out, how many times do you see the comment "It's not as good as Astartes"

 

When Disney+ launched, it was compared against other streaming services and blasted for lack of content and features

 

When other companies produce miniatures, many comments often revolve around their quality, or lack thereof, compared to Games Workshop.

 

When video games, even from new developers, come out you see many arguments saying it's feature incomplete, or others do it better, etc.

 

But when Games Workshop does it, often the argument is that "they're new" or not wanting to directly compare it to the competition

[Orange Knight]

Disney are one of the biggest entertainment corporations on the planet. They probably spend more money on toilet supplies annually than the entire worth of GW.

 

It's all about perspective.

[darkhorse0607]

Not when it competes at the same price range

[Orange Knight]

Not when it competes at the same price range

True, but economies of scale come into play. Disney has millions of subscribers so can spend more on content.

 

A small family run Butcher will sell meat at a higher cost that a national market chain.

[Emperor Ming]

Atm for me the price is just too high for what you get, after 12 months I will have lost interest or not be bothered by the free model

 

I subbed for one month to catch up with current content but I'm up to date already lol. I did enjoy hammer and bolter eps and angels of death

Edited January 15, 2022 by Emperor Ming

[phandaal]

Disney are one of the biggest entertainment corporations on the planet. They probably spend more money on toilet supplies annually than the entire worth of GW.

 

It's all about perspective.

The perspective most people have is "is this better than the other thing I could watch/buy?"

 

That is it.

 

People like you and me, who have more of an attachment to the product, are less common than the average customer.

[Noserenda]

I think their choices setting Warhammer+ up (Right or wrong) burned a lot of that kind of good will unfortunately. 

Personally it a straw on the camels back rather than a deal breaker but the content is coming much slower than id like, im only staying on for the Vindicare and barring next years minis being stunning ill be pausing my sub once i get it.

That said, if they have any sense theyll stuff July/August full of bangers to retain the annual sub crowd.

[Lord Marshal]

I too was an early Netflix subscriber, and I do remember a time when the content was very limited.

 

The cost was low enough for me to keep my subscription, and Netflix grew into the giant it is today. Of course Warhammer+ will never reach such a height, but it will improve if people support it.

 

GW has shown consistently that if there's no incentive to improve, they won't.

 

It makes sense. Why pump more money into something people will happily gobble down just because it's got Warhammer on the title?

 

8th 40k and the other 'changes' to GW didn't come about because people went "I want to keep supporting GW and hope they improve so I'm going to buy even more stuff from them despite disliking the lack of quality!"

 

Sure, if W+ flops they might just decide to take what was already a controversial product out back and blow it's brains out, but equally they might incentivised to actually take the criticisms to heart in an effort to salvage it. People putting up with GW's messes out of some misguided brand loyalty for a billion-pound company is how you end up with sub-par products from them.

Edited January 15, 2022 by Lord Marshal

[Domhnall]

 

I too was an early Netflix subscriber, and I do remember a time when the content was very limited.

The cost was low enough for me to keep my subscription, and Netflix grew into the giant it is today. Of course Warhammer+ will never reach such a height, but it will improve if people support it.

 

 

GW has shown consistently that if there's no incentive to improve, they won't.

 

It makes sense. Why pump more money into something people will happily gobble down just because it's got Warhammer on the title?

 

8th 40k and the other 'changes' to GW didn't come about because people went "I want to keep supporting GW and hope they improve so I'm going to buy even more stuff from them despite disliking the lack of quality!"

 

Sure, if W+ flops they might just decide to take what was already a controversial product out back and blow it's brains out, but equally they might incentivised to actually take the criticisms to heart in an effort to salvage it. People putting up with GW's messes out of some misguided brand loyalty for a billion-pound company is how you end up with sub-par products from them.

Thats a bit harsh. They won't take it out back, they quietly take it to the basement and put it down. Then they expunge all records of it ever happening: 'nope never a thing. Don't know what you mean'. If anybody brings it up at a tournament, they'll be quietly, but firmly, told to leave.

 

Seriously though, as it stands, WH+ is lacking in many things, but has the potential to be really really good if given the chance and proper direction. Especially all the non animation things they could do with it to make it attractive to the more casual, or money sensible folks amoung us.

Personally, I think they should have postponed the launch for a year to allow for a back catalogue from the off. It would also allow the backlash from the fan animation thing to calm down (most animations seem to still be up, and new ones are being released). But I suppose they needed to jump on the streaming bandwagon before it left town.

[Dark Shepherd]

Not to cross streams but the app/IT problems are probably holding them back to some extent

 

But also as long as it breaks even theyll keep it, they know the salt theyll get if they ever send it to live in that great big farm in the sky

[Jorin Helm-splitter]

Not when it competes at the same price range

 

Sorta of, there really isn't a good comparison to warhammer + at the moment. From a monthly subscription view point they cost a similar amount. Disney plus doesn't come with a play aid app (which needs work to be fair), and still is a much better deal. 

 

I did the yearly subscription, I'm going to get a model that would probably cost at least $50 on ebay, I received a voucher for $16. I maximized the value of it by buying a character kit I'd say it was $10 better than the best deal I could get online. So, the streaming and app are effectively free. It just makes it really to hard review.

[Marshal Reinhard]

 

I did the yearly subscription, I'm going to get a model that would probably cost at least $50 on ebay, I received a voucher for $16. I maximized the value of it by buying a character kit I'd say it was $10 better than the best deal I could get online. So, the streaming and app are effectively free. It just makes it really to hard review.

 

This. I bought an unusual amount of kits recently too on account of my main army being updated. I got a nice set of vouchers, I'm also interested in one of the year end minis. Year one has already been an absolute smash hit in terms of value for me. and we're not half way in yet.

 

Yet I would have a vastly different opinion if I weren't interested in the end of year mini or had made those purchases.

[Orange Knight]

As long as the models are offered for annual subscriptions, Warhammer+ is basically free should you decide to sell the model.

 

I'm really looking forward to the reveal of the kits for year 2.

[Marshal Reinhard]

Seeing as I don't collect chaos, im not particularly

[LemanPuss]

I love warhammer plus, it's well worth the money imo.

 

I hope next year we get an exclusive squat model

[Noserenda]

As long as the models are offered for annual subscriptions, Warhammer+ is basically free should you decide to sell the model.

 

I'm really looking forward to the reveal of the kits for year 2.

I think you might be wildly optimistic on the second hand prices there, though maybe in a few years depending on how they continue these releases.

[Slave to Darkness]

Ignoring all the free stuff and yearly mini that they are trying to entice us with would you all say its worth it? Purely for the Animations, batreps and pdf's of old books etc? 

 

A lot of people I have spoken to recently regarding WH+ have all said the same thing, what they have atm ignoring all the extras isnt worth it. Batreps you can see on youtube and often they have better painted armies, the old books they have uploaded are already online (with all the rules etc they have left out), painting videos are on youtube and many of them paint to a higher standard to GW staff... All for free. 

 

Just dawned on me that the op mentions the potential WH+ has, potentially it could be great if they put more effort into it, tbh I think the whole thing was rushed just to get their foot in the door, they didnt have any new animations for how long?? If they just held off 6 months to a year more they could have dropped whole seasons of stuff at once and ngl I would have bitten their hands off if they did that, whole seasons of GOOD animations and a damn Chaos Terminator that looks like its based on one of my fave 2nd ed bits of art? That would have been easy money from me next year... Seriously, I would have thrown cash at them and got my missus a subscription even though we live together just for another Terminator. 

Edited January 18, 2022 by Slave to Darkness