GW's business model - the future and 3D printing

[MegaVolt87]

Much like airbrushing, 3d printing is still out of reach for the average hobbyist. Its a lot of commitment, learning etc. Also effort. For example, if I want an OOP FW model why would I buy a 3d printer, chase a good file etc when I can just use a aftermarket caster to mail it to me? If I want official GW bits, why waste the setup time + expense when I can go on ebay and buy what I want? Also consider, people just don't have the space for a 3d printer to store/ ventilate safely. Maybe a group/club puts in collectively for a really expensive, quick printing one and have a schedule for use etc. I know some D&D groups, one guy has a printer, the others put in cash for the resin and he prints the campaign minis and whatever else do-dads that game uses. Ten years ago people were saying 3d printing will change things, I would say maybe in another ten years. 

[XeonDragon]

We've been here before. I just hope GW realises this.

 

I have an old friend who was a (for the industry) young and fairly high ranking executive in the music business in the US when Napster was a thing. I remember catching up with him shortly before the launch of iTunes. He had been shunted sideways into a '3rd tier' rap label, because he had been pushing hard to get the major label he was working for to sign up with Apple, prior to the launch of iTunes. His key argument to head office was: people will pay 99c for song instead of pirating it. Even if we only get 66c per song, it is a stable revenue stream. The 'rivers of gold' era of CDs is over, we need to lock in revenue and re-focus on live gigs, tours and merchandise.

 

With the benefit of hindsight, it sounds visionary, right?

 

Well, in 2007 we caught up again (I was living in Asia at the time, he was still in the US), he signed that label up to iTunes in mid 2001 (I think), and TL;DR, he was right, the parent finally company saw it, he got promoted back into mainstream labels and is living his best life. He also drove using MySpace as a direct-to-consumer marketing for music, and later, Facebook.

 

Yes, music business revenue took a hit for more than a few years after the 'river of gold' CD era dried up. The profit per song, per album dropped. But the 'tail' for music releases is longer. So less, but more stable revenue. Tours were primarily a marketing mechanism in the 90s and 00s - now they still are, but they are also a more substantial revenue driver (in % terms) than during the CD era, particularly in some genres. My mate often tells me that artists (especially "2nd tier" ones) have to work harder, perform more gigs, than he has ever seen (apparently old foggies liken it to the 60s before music videos were a thing). 

 

So what does this story have to do with GW you ask?  History has patterns. We've been here before. Sharing STLs of scanned GW models is the new Napster. Big name game/model companies selling STLs direct to consumers will be the new iTunes.FLGS with organised semi-competitive pay-to-participate leagues; major  pay-to-play events/tournaments where merchandise and exclusive *real* models are sold are the new gigs and tours. YouTube and Patreon videos are the new "behind the scenes" pay-per-view or special 'documentary of the tour' movies.  Discords with paid chats are the new 'meet the star' events and so on.

 

Really, if GW can't see the writing on the wall, they deserve to go the way of MGM (MGM tanked for many reasons, but one major one was getting too in bed with sci-fi channel and not getting hooked into streaming until too late among others) or music businesses that "held out" against the iTunes era. That would suck. I really, really hope that they see where the future is heading. 

 

Honestly, if I had the $$$ I would buy myself a enough shares to get a seat on the board of GW and push this agenda:

1. Take our current super-profits from the last gasps of selling models and invest heavily into leading 3D-printer manufacturers and resin suppliers. As 3D printing takes off, GW will at least have a slice of that profit pie.
2. Move to selling STLs for all models, ala iTunes model.
3. Invest heavily in talented designers to release loads of new models, not necessarily new units with new rule, but new models. Love Raven Guard? Here is a STL of a Sergeant Oron Korvarac, an intercessor with chainsword and auto bolt rifle, complete with scaring and battle damage. Print him today to lead your intercessor squad! or Love Blood Angels? here is an STL of Lieutenant Agnolo Beriar with jump pack, thunder hammer and inferno pistol, with a Drukhari knife blade imbedded in his left thigh. $5 and he is ready to lead your jump troops into battle! No special rules, just really cool models to allow players to customise their armies.  
4. Invest heavily into game writers with a focus on balance, diversity of viable play styles and so forth.
5. Where zoning laws allow it, install 3D printers in GW stores - offer a printing-on-demand service in-store. That would bring people in. Not everyone has the space for a 3D printer. Buy the STL, click option to print, select store, pay, pick-up later that day. Sweet.
6. Merchandise. Movies. Games.

So yeah, we've been here before. If GW realises this, and are smart, they would be planning to go all-in on digital delivery and in-store 'experiences' to push the hobby. Time will tell! 

Edited October 1, 2021 by XeonDragon

[Jorin Helm-splitter]

I think 3d printing will need to become more mainstream before GW needs to worry. Right now the market for them is business owners, and enthusiasts.

 

At some point they'll become common place and probably have a profound impact on society... trust me GW won't be the only business that needs to pivot. That said I think it's going to take awhile to reach that point.

 

Just as an exercise ask yourself how much you would have used one this year for non hobby reasons? I couldn't justify one, GW will be in trouble when I can lol.

[Kastor Krieg]

I think 3d printing will need to become more mainstream before GW needs to worry. 

If you think it isn't there yet, you're behind the curve, try to "hold out against iTunes".

 

It's trivial to buy and setup a printer and about 3 times cheaper than a year ago. At this rate, 2022/23 will have the printer about as common as an airbrush or more.

[XeonDragon]

The thing about "holding out against iTunes" is that some will, and some will profit from it. Vinyl record stores are a thing and are booming as a business. There will be a market, post 3D printing files becoming "iTuned" (so to speak) for "old school" plastic and metal models. But, like vinyl record stores, even if they become a thing and boom, that boom will be tiny compared to the STL iTuned 3D printing market. 

 

Hold-outs always find ways to build forts ;)  

 

 

I think 3d printing will need to become more mainstream before GW needs to worry. 

If you think it isn't there yet, you're behind the curve, try to "hold out against iTunes".

It's trivial to buy and setup a printer and about 3 times cheaper than a year ago. At this rate, 2022/23 will have the printer about as common as an airbrush or more.

 

[Jorin Helm-splitter]

 

I think 3d printing will need to become more mainstream before GW needs to worry. 

If you think it isn't there yet, you're behind the curve, try to "hold out against iTunes".

 

It's trivial to buy and setup a printer and about 3 times cheaper than a year ago. At this rate, 2022/23 will have the printer about as common as an airbrush or more.

 

 

I might be behind the curve, but I think most of the people who are buying 3d printers for minis were already looking for an alternative. The reason they view 3d printers as a good deal is because they're comparing the costs of 3d printing to GW prices.  

 

That said you brought up itunes, and I think its important to mention that if you had computer you could download the itunes software for free. You could buy a song for dollar instead of buying a cd for 15 that had three songs you liked. The opportunity cost was really low, you didn't even need an ipod you could just burn those songs onto a CD. It was a process that didn't require a lot of effort or risk. 

 

For a 3d printer your gonna drop a fair amount of money upfront, then you have to figure it out, deal with gross materials, and be patient. IMO GW isn't losing very many customers to them, what they need to worry about is when 3d printers get efficient enough that we view them as an appliance. I think that will happen during my lifetime, but i think its going to take awhile.

[Inquisitor Eisenhorn]

 

 

I think 3d printing will need to become more mainstream before GW needs to worry. 

If you think it isn't there yet, you're behind the curve, try to "hold out against iTunes".

 

It's trivial to buy and setup a printer and about 3 times cheaper than a year ago. At this rate, 2022/23 will have the printer about as common as an airbrush or more.

 

 

I might be behind the curve, but I think most of the people who are buying 3d printers for minis were already looking for an alternative. The reason they view 3d printers as a good deal is because they're comparing the costs of 3d printing to GW prices.  

 

That said you brought up itunes, and I think its important to mention that if you had computer you could download the itunes software for free. You could buy a song for dollar instead of buying a cd for 15 that had three songs you liked. The opportunity cost was really low, you didn't even need an ipod you could just burn those songs onto a CD. It was a process that didn't require a lot of effort or risk. 

 

For a 3d printer your gonna drop a fair amount of money upfront, then you have to figure it out, deal with gross materials, and be patient. IMO GW isn't losing very many customers to them, what they need to worry about is when 3d printers get efficient enough that we view them as an appliance. I think that will happen during my lifetime, but i think its going to take awhile.

 

I see it this way too.  Even as printing gets cheaper and easier, it's still a lot less easy than just buying a box of high quality plastic miniatures.  Of course GW will need to monitor and adapt to printers existing and it will open up new markets for bits and probably terrain etc., but I'm pretty confident in them having plenty of people to buy GW physical kits for the foreseeable future.  That they are taking a push to leverage their IP more is something that I think doesn't have to be related to them being concerned about printers. 

[Magos Guilderius Davvarel]

Hello there folks !

I'm not in the hobby since as long as most of you are, and I'm aware my opinion might lack a certain.... point of view of things. Plus, I'm french, so my knowledge on the matter may be blurry to say the least.

 

Anyway, due to the fact that GW has been in the game for the last 40years, enduring all sorts of crisis, competition from other games/editors, etc I tend to think that, even if most players are displeased with their business model, it works. And damn well !

 

So what about 3D printing ? It's a very interesting thing, fun and quite cheap (at least, cheaper than it was a few years back !). Still, I'm not sure I'd be able/ready to put as much time/efforts in 3D printing/prepping models.

Thus, GW is perfect for me, and even if I'm sometimes disappointed with their politics/choices, I'm fine with it as long as they continue to produce amazing lore and models :)

 

Praise The Omnissiah !

[Arkaniss]

I get where you guys are coming from when you talk about how far away this may be - but just because it's in a nebulous time in the future doesn't invalidate any of the things people have talked about. The point is that 3D printing is becoming more accessible and we are attempting to extrapolate what that may mean in the future if things continue with this trend.

 

XeonDragon may talk about the music industry but is absolutely spot on with regards to the similarities of what could happen. The industry will change and will GW be ahead of this or not? Likewise saying you don't have space for a 3D printer or have no desire to get one is anecdotal. On a topic such as this we're talking in broad strokes. I could talk about people I know with no design/manufacturing experience, knowledge or interest having got 3D printers and are merrily printing everything they can short of a new kitchen sink.

 

Perhaps everyone is getting too fixated on the model printing. I was talking a page ago about 3D printers becoming everyday household appliances - so people would have them for all manner of reasons, not just getting one to print models. Let me try and explain where I'm coming from:

 

Let's say one day in the (far?) future little Timmy sees some cool sci-fi models and finds out it's a super neato game as well he can play! If that were today he'd have to ask his parents for a not-insubstantial investment to find out if little Timmy really likes this game or if it's a passing phase. Now, in my hypothetical far future scenario his parents can just flash up the family 3D printer and print a load of models for little Timmy to play with. It would be a small investment in time and funds to do so.

 

That's what I'm thinking about whenever this topic comes up. When 3D printers aren't something unusual and are as common as a PC at home is now.

[Domhnall]

One thing to note on the itunes analogy, is this is a good example of a 'survivor bias'*. What I mean is that this one example that did indeed change the industry. 

There have been countless other examples that have failed to change the status quo*, and so get forgotten about or didn't impact as much as thought. 

Home paper printers being a fine example. Printing at home means nobody had to buy this that and the other! Wow! such progress! 

They didn't work all the time (most people weren't tech savvy, so couldn't figure out past the 'error' screen), they jammed, ink was expensive, and usually dried up up before they were fully used. 
So the boom in home printers died off a good while back. Yes, some people still have them, but most don't. Online documents and kindle etc also helped end them, but that's another topic! 

 

3D printers I think will be much the same. A lot of people will get them during the boom, then it'll die down, and go back to the dedicated folk who enjoy doing it, have the technical knowledge to work them properly, and can be bothered with the faff^ rather than buying whatever they need from a shop (online probably).

 

For perspective, I'm now in my 40's. My days of keeping up with the new trends in technology are fast dwindling, and I'm becoming my parents 

I'd expect my children to be right into the 3D printing thing though, as it's your/their generation that'll push that forward.

  

 

* - I'm not wishing one way or the other, I'm just pointing someting out, and only once it's become a game changer or not, will we know the outcome. 

 

^ - (joking here!) Anybody saying 3D printing is easy, not that messy and is easy to do, hasn't met most of 'the people', who find walking 3 paces to put something in the bin too much effort, operating a smart phone past whatsapp and phonecalls is far too technical, and replacing an ink cartridge as too messy.     I applaud you people for your abilty to work with it, and have the time/patience to do so  , but a lot of us don't unfortunately 

[AenarIT]

Sorry if it's only tangentially related, but when exactly did the boom of paper printers die? I know literally nobody who hasn't got at least one at home.

Paper books still exist and I buy a lot of them, as I don't use mine to print books, so it could be an analogy with plastic kits still being relevant even in a world where 3D printers are as common as paper ones. 

Edited October 1, 2021 by AenarIT

[Evil Eye]

I honestly feel like 3D printing/selling STLs could be a good way of filling the niche of "classic"/Imperial Armour era Forge World- that is, a way to make models that are too obscure/specific to justify the expense of creating plastic kits but still have some demand for them. Weird backline/support/non-combatant vehicles, alternate patterns for existing units, upgrade packs and conversion kits, terrain, lore-only units etc. There'd be no need to maintain molds or make inventory space for kits that may or may not actually sell, and short of doing test prints to make sure the models actually worked, it'd be minimal investment for a potentially large amount of revenue. Actual production costs would be zero after all. Plus it would completely undermine the recast market due to the lack of a supply and demand problem, especially if they started making stls of classic OOP models. If I had a printer and this service existed I guarantee I'd be buying and printing the classic FW Hive Tyrants.

[Domhnall]

Sorry if it's only tangentially related, but when exactly did the boom of paper printers die? I know literally nobody who hasn't got at least one at home.

Paper books still exist and I buy a lot of them, as I don't use mine to print books, so it could be an analogy with plastic kits still being relevant even in a world where 3D printers are as common as paper ones. 

 

I think I might have overexagerated slightly calling it a 'boom', but back in the early 2000's everybody I knew just had to have one, because of all these projects and things they were going to use it for. After a year or so, they were sitting doing nothing. Most people I know still have one, but very few people 'use' them other than the occasional recipe print off or such. 

 

Also yes, my post was a rambly way of saying that I think plastic kits and 3D printers are eventually both going to exist together happpily, but (in my opinion) only after a bit of trouble finding their place. 

 

Paper books are also far superior. 

[The Neverborn]

 

A part of me feels that if i ever did want to use 3D printers, i'd be doing at least partly to spite Games Workshop.

 

How up is that?

 

Why, I don't like the actions, they've taken. There's a long boring list that you've probably all heard before

 

Wasn't there a time when GW used to encourage people to make their own minis?

837 years ago when GW was 3 people in a shed,

 

They are a huge corporation now, time to stop carping on about the Ye Olden days. If you despise them so much, go somewhere else. Plenty of competition now,

 

 

Bringing this back round to the topic to hand and I think this may have already been covered. It seems like 3D printing is a medium between going somewhere else and enjoying games workshop.

 

Unless it escalated to a point where GW couldn't sell their own models. But i think we're along way from that. 

Edited October 1, 2021 by Battle Brother Abderus

[Dark Shepherd]

Would GW want the hate of people upset over how the files printed out?

Being deadly serious lots of people spreading pictures of their transporter accidents of 3D printing cos they got something wrong would make the rest of the models look bad by compariso

[Jorin Helm-splitter]

I get where you guys are coming from when you talk about how far away this may be - but just because it's in a nebulous time in the future doesn't invalidate any of the things people have talked about. The point is that 3D printing is becoming more accessible and we are attempting to extrapolate what that may mean in the future if things continue with this trend.

 

XeonDragon may talk about the music industry but is absolutely spot on with regards to the similarities of what could happen. The industry will change and will GW be ahead of this or not? Likewise saying you don't have space for a 3D printer or have no desire to get one is anecdotal. On a topic such as this we're talking in broad strokes. I could talk about people I know with no design/manufacturing experience, knowledge or interest having got 3D printers and are merrily printing everything they can short of a new kitchen sink.

 

Perhaps everyone is getting too fixated on the model printing. I was talking a page ago about 3D printers becoming everyday household appliances - so people would have them for all manner of reasons, not just getting one to print models. Let me try and explain where I'm coming from:

 

Let's say one day in the (far?) future little Timmy sees some cool sci-fi models and finds out it's a super neato game as well he can play! If that were today he'd have to ask his parents for a not-insubstantial investment to find out if little Timmy really likes this game or if it's a passing phase. Now, in my hypothetical far future scenario his parents can just flash up the family 3D printer and print a load of models for little Timmy to play with. It would be a small investment in time and funds to do so.

 

That's what I'm thinking about whenever this topic comes up. When 3D printers aren't something unusual and are as common as a PC at home is now.

 

I agree that it being far off doesn't invalidate alot of the points being made, but I don't think GW will see it as a threat until it is. I also don't see their emphasis on media is a reaction to 3d printing. I think it has more to do with having the resources to take the risk, and trying to more money.

 

That said I really think 3d printing when it becomes main stream is going to dramatically change our lives, and probably result in a lot of people losing their jobs. 

 

Would GW want the hate of people upset over how the files printed out?

Being deadly serious lots of people spreading pictures of their transporter accidents of 3D printing cos they got something wrong would make the rest of the models look bad by compariso

 

I doubt they would but I don't know if that anger would be directed towards them or the printer. 

[The Neverborn]

We are in for a change you're very much correct about that.

 

in 1995 if you said that in 20 years blockbuster would be dead, stone dead from new technology. People would have probably dismissed you out of hand. (yes i know they tried to launch a streaming service, but it was too late then)

 

If 3D printers did become available for the price of a regular printer. A business like GW could be quite vulnerable. Well at least in the current set up. 

 

Sounds crazy, but new technology and all...

[Bryan Blaire]

I feel like GW has done what they feel like needs to be done “right now” regarding 3D printing, and we really don’t have a good way to predict what they may do in the future.

 

One of their big tag lines in their financial statements is “We make the best models in the world and will continue to do so forever” or something like that (yes, it’s paraphrased, if someone has the actual line, cool).  They’ve been making big investments in production capacity, so it doesn’t seem like GW feels like 3D printing is a threat at all to them right now, or in the next 10 years, etc.  They’ve also been working to shore up their IP, and limiting what can be used in their owned/run venues.

 

I don’t believe they’d be making those big claims and moves on production if they felt this was going to come crashing down due to 3D printing any time soon, and they’ve taken some steps to try and insulate from that anyway.

 

What the tech does going forward will determine which predictions on all of this come true, and while it seems like we are on the cusp of a change, we haven’t fallen over that tipping point just yet or know which way we’ll roll down the other side.

[Shard of Magnus]

I suspect there is some consideration in GWs approach related to the targeted age groups, how people get in to the hobby, potential market loss of 3d printing vs current impact of recast era, + the more subjective aspects of people’s free time, ease of handling (toxic) resin, ability to support/availability of pe-supported atlas, etc. Personally, I wonder more what longer term impact 3d printing will have on local game stores - that was how I got in to the hobby and got hooked so many decades ago. Not to discount what it means for GW, there are certainly a number of high quality options for 3d files competing with their models. Need to think on this more when I’m not exhausted from work.

 

* Disclaimer - I do 3d print (free and paid for designs), and continue to buy GW/FW.

[XeonDragon]

Couple of interesting titbits to give context to the iTunes/STL analogy. 

 

In 2001, when iTunes launched, an iPod was $399 (USD). A PC was about $700USD new.  CD burners were anywhere between $100 and $300 IIRC at that time. So in 2001 if you wanted to ditch CDs entirely, you needed at least a computer (not necessarily new) and an iPod. If you just wanted to rip MP3 music files and make your own CDs, you still needed a PC and a CD burners, plus materials. 

 

So either way, you either already had or needed to get at least a few hundred dollars of gear to ditch purchasing music in physical format. So, when you think about it, the entry price points for 3D printing STL files are approaching a similar level. I do suppose, however, that a key difference is many people in 2001 had a PC and purchasing a CD burner wasn't a big deal, or had a Mac and hence getting an iPod was likewise was a no brainer. The technology was an 'extension' or 'add on' (if you will) of what many people already had. A 3D printer might, to some (many?) people, seem a little more than a mere add-on, extension or 'next step' in terms of home technology.

 

Still, the entry costs for 3D printing (at least for terrain) appear very similar today to what leaning hard into iTunes with the latest gear would have been in 2001. 

Edited October 1, 2021 by XeonDragon

[Captain Idaho]

I get where you guys are coming from when you talk about how far away this may be - but just because it's in a nebulous time in the future doesn't invalidate any of the things people have talked about. The point is that 3D printing is becoming more accessible and we are attempting to extrapolate what that may mean in the future if things continue with this trend.

 

XeonDragon may talk about the music industry but is absolutely spot on with regards to the similarities of what could happen. The industry will change and will GW be ahead of this or not? Likewise saying you don't have space for a 3D printer or have no desire to get one is anecdotal. On a topic such as this we're talking in broad strokes. I could talk about people I know with no design/manufacturing experience, knowledge or interest having got 3D printers and are merrily printing everything they can short of a new kitchen sink.

 

Perhaps everyone is getting too fixated on the model printing. I was talking a page ago about 3D printers becoming everyday household appliances - so people would have them for all manner of reasons, not just getting one to print models. Let me try and explain where I'm coming from:

 

Let's say one day in the (far?) future little Timmy sees some cool sci-fi models and finds out it's a super neato game as well he can play! If that were today he'd have to ask his parents for a not-insubstantial investment to find out if little Timmy really likes this game or if it's a passing phase. Now, in my hypothetical far future scenario his parents can just flash up the family 3D printer and print a load of models for little Timmy to play with. It would be a small investment in time and funds to do so.

 

That's what I'm thinking about whenever this topic comes up. When 3D printers aren't something unusual and are as common as a PC at home is now.

This is exactly my position and I couldn't have said it better. Right now the threat is marginal at best since it's a niche item. When technology improves to the extent folk have access to 3D printers and use it for lots of everyday items as well as Warhammer? Different story.

 

Another possibility is 3D printers are easy to access and the idea GW has their own in store is an interesting one. They could feasibly have smaller stores at that point and concentrate on hobby, though I doubt that would be economically viable so the loss of stores is a very real threat.

 

Hopefully the visibility of the store as a hobby centre will be paramount but with digital visibility I doubt it.

 

I agree that many jobs are potentially at risk. Maybe retailers will end up largely 3D printer repairmen!

 

We definitely don't know what they will do in the future but I'd say with technology changes it is inevitable that something will need to be done anyway, sooner or later. Businesses that can't move with the times get left behind.

[Antarius]

3D printing is obviously becoming better, cheaper and is very likely here to stay. It certainly seems like it will have a bigger role in the hobby in the future and I think believing otherwise would be naive.

 

However, I don’t think the digital music/media analogy holds completely, simply because many of the metrics are reversed:

- With music, you have an essentially non-physical product where the physical side of things is only there by necessity

- With the digital format, you went from your media player and collection taking up lots of space to taking up much less space

- With the digital format, you went from a highish cost of entry to very low/no cost of entry

- With the digital format, you went from more to less effort needed (relatively speaking) to get/play/maintain your media collection

 

I’m not saying this to rail against 3D printing. I certainly think it will become more or less as prevalent as airbrushes or similar hobby equipment, I’m just not seeing the demand for “regular” minis going away. If you’re a “super hobbyist” it’s easy to forget, but not everybody has or even wants an airbrush.

 

In the same way, computer games have not replaced board games or tabletop RPGs, even though many people were certain that that was “obviously” in the cards. In fact, it is surprising to how small a degree that has happened.
Sort of, but not quite, like how building your own terrain is still a thing, simply because people enjoy it.

 

I think there will be continue to be a market for selling physical plastic minis. But the 3D printing technology will no doubt become a bigger, more integrated part of the hobby than it is now.

[Special Officer Doofy]

So GW went away from PDF codexes, a move that greatly upset me and some other customers, but they did it so people couldn't share files which makes less revenue. It's something alot of us don't like, but it was a rational decision. You guys really think they are going to let their printing files (miniatures) be pirated if they won't let their rules be pirated? I personally don't ever see GW selling printing files over selling you the kit. Maybe in another lifetime. I don't see Warhammer+ blowing up, GW is not going to be the next Marvel being bought up by Disney. And I don't mean that as a way to insult GW, it's just that Marvel and Disney's main market is young children, which is a goldmine. That's something GW can't really tap into. Looking at you Slaanesh!!! Some people who eat up everything GW like the app and Warhammer+ think they are going to become hugely successful off that and will shift their profits away from selling plastic, which would be one of the only ways for them to even flirt with the idea of selling printing files instead. I don't see it. Between my brother, coworkers, friends and gaming group, not one of us subscribed to the app or Warhammer+ (or white dwarf and other GW things). I think some people think too highly of all that, there's a chunk of the market who don't care about that and just like painting their miniatures and playing their game(s). But I guess time will tell.

 

But I do think it is silly when people say 3D printers will kill GW (so the opposite of my above thoughts). That will only happen if plastic is still their main revenue and then they are silly enough to sell customers printing files instead of plastic. To copy what many fraters before me have said, most homes have kitchens in them, but the restaurant business is doing fine (pre covid of course).

[Captain Idaho]

I don't think it's silly at all to think about a revolutionary new technology can cause a major shift in the economy. All ahead full and damn the torpedoes will sink a ship.

 

Blockbuster is dead because they failed to adapt. The analogue of a restaurant is less accurate than an expensive luxury item, a more similar one is the digital and Internet revolution impacting those who didn't move on.

Edited October 2, 2021 by Captain Idaho

[Special Officer Doofy]

I don't think it's silly at all to think about a revolutionary new technology can cause a major shift in the economy. All ahead full and damn the torpedoes will sink a ship.

 

Blockbuster is dead because they failed to adapt. The analogue of a restaurant is less accurate than an expensive luxury item, a more similar one is the digital and Internet revolution impacting those who didn't move on.

I find that to be an even worse example though, trying to compare 3D printing to the internet. I know one person with 3D printers, and just about everyone in developed nations use the internet regularly. If a business didn't adapt to the internet, yes it negatively affected them or closed them. Let's not pretend 3D printing is as vital, useful, accessible or needed as the internet is.