Is Warhammer getting too expensive? Or is it actually an affordable hobby?

[Brother Tyler]

Unfortunately, it's time to put this discussion to bed. We have strayed from the affordability of the hobby (subjective and personal) into capitalism, which is inherently political in nature. While there was a lot of the simplistic “corporation=evil” commentary that we’ve seen in similar previous discussions, there was a refreshing amount of data provided this time around, providing a bit more nuance and objectivity. In the end, we are left with some basic facts:

 

• Prices of Games Workshop products have increased over the years, at a pace that outstrips inflation.
• The quality of Games Workshop products has increased over the years.
• The range of Games Workshop products has similarly increased over the years.

 

The component of the discussion that has been missing, however, has been the costs to Games Workshop. Costs include things like employee compensation, facilities, etc. In addition, while it’s de rigueur to demonize corporations and shareholders, those are the entities and individuals that assume the financial risk of the overall endeavor. We’re talking about a hobby, after all. None of us needs Games Workshop. We can't apply any judgment of Games Workshop relative to the price of its products without due consideration for the costs to Games Workshop to provide those products to us.

 

For those of us that find some catharsis in various aspects of the hobby (and I am certainly among that number), there are plenty of cost-saving choices and alternatives, most at much more affordable prices. Ultimately, we choose this hobby. By extension, we choose how much we spend on this hobby. Games Workshop offers products at certain prices, then we, the consumers, decide if we’re willing to pay those prices. If Games Workshop sets a price that enough consumers are willing to pay, the products are purchased. If insufficient quantities of products are purchased, Games Workshop will reduce prices (or not increase the prices for those products when they increase the prices for other products). While individuals might find product prices too high, the overall community agrees to the price. This system isn’t inherently evil, illegal, or unethical (though there’s certainly room for those judgments when the system is abused). Many of us appear to be lacking in understanding of microeconomics.

 

Speaking for myself, my hobby purchasing has diminished considerably. I first started in the Warhammer 40,000 hobby in the ‘80s during the Rogue Trader era. At the time, my income and living conditions were limited, which limited my purchasing power. I purchased models here and there (and still have some of them), but mostly focused on White Dwarf Magazine. Later, around the time of the game’s 3rd edition, my income and living conditions had increased sufficiently that I was able to spend a considerable amount of my expendable income on the hobby, collecting every rulebook and multiple armies (I was working on six or seven different factions, with enough models for two of those factions to support multiple armies). As the costs of the products have increased, my circumstances have also changed. While my income and living conditions are now greater than they were before, the other obligations on my resources (especially time and money) have also increased significantly, greatly diminishing the time and money I have to actually participate in the hobby. One downside to being co-owner and lead administrator of this site is that the majority of my hobby time is devoted to taking care of the Bolter & Chainsword. In that, I get to live my hobby vicariously through the other members; and you’ll see me focus my LIKES on hobby participation (e.g., painting models, playing games, investing work and effort in the hobby) rather than clever or informative posts (though I appreciate those, too). In addition, I have a monstrous pile of shame awaiting removal from sprues, assembly, and painting. Based on all of those factors, my purchases of Games Workshop products (indeed, of all hobby products) have reduced to less than 10% of what it was before. Practically speaking, Games Workshop has been producing larger quantities of higher quality products and I would really love to be able to purchase all of them. I can’t afford to do that, however, in part because the costs of the products make that untenable. More importantly, I just don’t have the time to do everything I’d like to do in the hobby. So I pick and choose what works for me (which is only a fraction of what I would like to do if my resources were unlimited). I place great value in the Games Workshop products that I have, but I have placed more value in this site’s ability to facilitate hobbyists’ enjoyment of the hobby. In this, I get to work with a great team and a global community. I get my own hobbying in when I can, but I find satisfaction in seeing the hobby efforts of others.

 

For those members of the community that find the costs of the hobby prohibitive, I recommend exploring the variety of options and alternatives, many of which have been pointed out already. It is remarkably easy to cut back on the hobby while still fully enjoying it. Reducing your gaming footprint to Combat Patrol, Kill Team, or Necromunda can reduce the costs to you while still providing you with ample opportunity to invest time and effort into converting, painting, and gaming. Applying time to fleshing out the background for your army/warband/gang/whatever can also broaden your hobby horizons. You can even use those smaller forces as starting points for larger armies, gradually expanding your collection over time. You’ll find that the hobby can be very affordable if you don’t let FOMO or meta-chasing drive your hobby expenditures.