2024 Pricing Update

[Captain Idaho]

7 minutes ago, Tyriks said:

That lines up with the information shown in the chart. That's 28.7% inflation, he has 27.4% inflation in USD since 2017.

 

Yeah but prices have gone up higher.

[Tyriks]

3 minutes ago, Captain Idaho said:

 

Yeah but prices have gone up higher.

Some have, which are noted in the chart. Many have not.

 

Ultimately, though, the issue is not whether it matches inflation or not. It's whether people have the money to buy models,  and want to use it that way. My own hobby spending is down, despite income being up, and that seems to be the norm in my group. And the proportion of what I spend that is going to GW is probably down on top of that. I buy a lot more 3rd party tools and paints and accessories than I used to.

[Captain Idaho]

True, it is a moot point when we consider overall costs to people on a day to day.

[Lord_Ikka]

The only thing I'm buying from GW direct are Necromunda gangs. At $55-ish a box (probably with the price increase), they are still a good value for the money. You only need a couple of boxes for a full gang, so they aren't as cost-prohibative as something like 40k army costs.

 

I can't really spend on GW prices to make a new 40k army- it just doesn't work for me. Even buying a new unit for an existing army is rough; instead of thinking about picking up a unit because it looks cool and I want to build/paint it, I now look at it from a more performance-based perspective. If I don't see myself putting a unit on the tabletop, I won't get it (example- I like SM Reivers aesthetics, but their lack of use means getting a box won't happen). It's too bad, as picking up a random box of minis to paint and integrate into my armies used to be a nice monthly thing.

[DuskRaider]

3 hours ago, Marshal Reinhard said:

Not if the entire IP is given the star wars treatment. Rather far away from that still.

 

In before someone says we're there already

That’s a bit different. The franchise was bought out by a company who still struggles to find a way to use it properly or even really understand it. Plot is a distant second to merchandising and it’s been evident more and more. 
 

GW has never claimed that the plot comes first, in fact they’ve said the opposite. It just so happens that they seem to hit more than miss when it comes to the fluff aspect of the universe, though they do stumble every now and then (and sometimes in spectacular fashion). 

[Tyriks]

8 minutes ago, Lord_Ikka said:

The only thing I'm buying from GW direct are Necromunda gangs. At $55-ish a box (probably with the price increase), they are still a good value for the money. You only need a couple of boxes for a full gang, so they aren't as cost-prohibative as something like 40k army costs.

 

I can't really spend on GW prices to make a new 40k army- it just doesn't work for me. Even buying a new unit for an existing army is rough; instead of thinking about picking up a unit because it looks cool and I want to build/paint it, I now look at it from a more performance-based perspective. If I don't see myself putting a unit on the tabletop, I won't get it (example- I like SM Reivers aesthetics, but their lack of use means getting a box won't happen). It's too bad, as picking up a random box of minis to paint and integrate into my armies used to be a nice monthly thing.

I agree with this, but I also come at it from the opposite angle. If a unit is good on the table but I don't like the models, won't buy it then, either. I would have at one point, but it just costs too much to buy products I don't like. I'll just find an alternative at that point.

[Redcomet]

I but so little these days, that I can’t be riled up to become angry 

[Deus_Ex_Machina]

My situation:

I have exchanged Citadel paints for Vallejo paints two years ago. My current Rust Bots project (Necrons from Command & Recruit box from 9th) has been completed and due to the nature of those sculpts having being utterly horrible to assemble and this upcoming price hike the decision to order further bots from Reaper a month ago was a good call on my part.

 

Apart from that currently on my painting table are my 30K/40K Iron Hands projects and my LI Iron Hands/Ash Scorpions project. After these three projects have been finished I have no ties anymore to the GW model range.

 

There are already models for an army waiting in line to be assembled for a R&F wargame (Hobgoblin) with a nordic, ice-themed bases in mind which I really am looking for to expand my hobby skills. Furthermore I have still crews for Freebooter´s Fate, Stargrave, Rumbleslam and even N18 to paint. So I have enough stuff to keep me busy in the next 3-4 years. 

[Ming the Merciless]

Is anyone really suprised at this? Personally I'm grateful for the extra weeks of current prices...

 

The increase will also help me adhere to my new year's resolution; buy less, paint more.

[One Paul Murray]

One thing I find endlessly baffling on this forum is how many people like to pretend that GW is awful, evil and psychotically greedy. Oh, and they are foul liars too for their introduction of Primaris Marines and the invalidation of older models.

 

If GW make money then they cease to exist. If GW make less money then they potentially can't afford to take a swing on spinning out World Eaters, or Votann. Maybe the Old World doesn't get made as the margins are too tight.

 

I get not liking price rises, and I think the costs of some of the products is ridiculous. So I don't buy them.

 

Expecting GW to make incredible models at a price point that reduces their operating margins, thus sinking their share price, potentially making it more difficult to service debt, etc etc, is unrealistic and in my opinion the hate they seem to get for this is totally unreasonable. 

[darkhorse0607]

I mean let's not pretend they're a small mom-and-pop store just getting by. They've posted record profits and are one of the UK's most profitable businesses. They posted a net profit of 134.7 million pounds in 2023. If they skip a small price rise they won't go out of business, especially, as GW likes to say, their customer base is booming

 

They have a duty to their shareholders to record growth as does every corporation, but they aren't tittering on the edge like they were a few years back.

 

Also if they didn't spread themselves so thinly like they are, constantly putting out new game systems that won't have the drive as the larger systems, minor factions (Kroot, Votaan) that could've been either a Kill Team or squad box, then their operating prices would be lower, people could buy the products they want and the customer base might (might) be happier.

[Redcomet]

10 minutes ago, darkhorse0607 said:

I mean let's not pretend they're a small mom-and-pop store just getting by. They've posted record profits and are one of the UK's most profitable businesses. They posted a net profit of 134.7 million pounds in 2023. If they skip a small price rise they won't go out of business, especially, as GW likes to say, their customer base is booming

 

They have a duty to their shareholders to record growth as does every corporation, but they aren't tittering on the edge like they were a few years back.

 

Also if they didn't spread themselves so thinly like they are, constantly putting out new game systems that won't have the drive as the larger systems, minor factions (Kroot, Votaan) that could've been either a Kill Team or squad box, then their operating prices would be lower, people could buy the products they want and the customer base might (might) be happier.

Some of those games are the most popular products GW make. Having something for everyone is a big part of the current success. 

[Emperor Ming]

So the morale of this story is

 

Buy GW shares

[Lord Blackwood]

I feel like there is certainly a point where you check out of the hobby. 

Especially if you have other things going on that are financially impactful and you have other expensive hobbies and  no one to actually play warhammer with. No stores or communities close enough to join. 

I was able to endure my store dying , my friends no longer playing , and I was still buying things up until one day  I needed to make a choice between buying warhammer stuff or paying for other things that were more essential , and then I took  a long break , and then  I moved and packing up all my models and supplies was a pain  , and then I just ..never unpacked most of my stuff , cue health issues , other expensive hobby that seemed more pertinent to invest in at the time because I had people to do it with.  Horus Heresy ends and the void of that series no longer being something to look forward to. 

I tried to get back into it , bought some solar aux stuff ...its unopened I lack the motivation. 

Honestly I think I might start just downsizing stuff , I'm getting older , I  dont have people to play with , everything ( everything )  everything is getting so expensive  and I  dont like Games Workshops direction. 

Its a first world set of problems for sure.  
Just feels like I got the enjoyment out of the hobby when I was part of it , and now it's time to focus elsewhere and that feeling sucks. 

[Matcap86]

58 minutes ago, One Paul Murray said:

One thing I find endlessly baffling on this forum is how many people like to pretend that GW is awful, evil and psychotically greedy. Oh, and they are foul liars too for their introduction of Primaris Marines and the invalidation of older models.

 

If GW make money then they cease to exist. If GW make less money then they potentially can't afford to take a swing on spinning out World Eaters, or Votann. Maybe the Old World doesn't get made as the margins are too tight.

 

I get not liking price rises, and I think the costs of some of the products is ridiculous. So I don't buy them.

 

Expecting GW to make incredible models at a price point that reduces their operating margins, thus sinking their share price, potentially making it more difficult to service debt, etc etc, is unrealistic and in my opinion the hate they seem to get for this is totally unreasonable. 

 

I think a part of what's happening here is that there is a societal trend of growing frustrations with big business, which is being laserfocussed here on the board on GW. 

[Kallas]

1 hour ago, One Paul Murray said:

If GW make money then they cease to exist. If GW make less money then they potentially can't afford to take a swing on spinning out World Eaters, or Votann. Maybe the Old World doesn't get made as the margins are too tight.

 

One of the things that I see a lot of when it comes to companies making money, is that lots of people (and the companies themselves) seems to miss the human factor.

 

The announcement GW put out, saying, "everything's more expensive, sorry, oops price hike" is tonal deaf. Maybe they didn't mean it that way, and that's not really my point - goodwill is a factor in how people perceive things, and putting out price hikes every year when (as has been stated already) business is booming for them and costs are rising for individuals is one way to generate illwill, it's why we get grumbling every time.

 

So GW put up prices, they squeeze some more money out of their customers. Or they could not put up prices, and customers would see that and be appreciative (especially because it's a super easy PR write up: "We see that everyone's struggling recently with all of these price increases in essential sectors. In light of this, we're pausing our yearly price hike that aims to match inflation and instead we're leaving our prices as they are - hopefully people will still be able to enjoy their hobby in these expensive times.").

 

There's always people saying that GW has to make money, so they have to put up prices, but the human aspect is always ignored: hell, if they'd come out and said, "Hey guys, the world's really expensive, so we've dropped out prices a little bit to compensate" they'd get far more goodwill and in turn they'd get more sales and more money that way. I don't know what the term for it is, but there's profit to be made in making something cheaper, because as you increase prices you slowly price people out of being able to purchase, as well as coming across as entirely corporate.

 

I don't realistically expect GW to ever drop prices, I'm more just making the point that raising prices every year isn't the only way to get money through the door. A bit rambly, but anyway. I guess it's the old infinite growth nonsense that all businesses/shareholders clutch tightly to their chests, but there's more than one way to go about it.

[phandaal]

10 minutes ago, Kallas said:

There's always people saying that GW has to make money, so they have to put up prices, but the human aspect is always ignored: hell, if they'd come out and said, "Hey guys, the world's really expensive, so we've dropped out prices a little bit to compensate" they'd get far more goodwill and in turn they'd get more sales and more money that way. I don't know what the term for it is, but there's profit to be made in making something cheaper, because as you increase prices you slowly price people out of being able to purchase, as well as coming across as entirely corporate.

 

Funny enough, and I shared one example earlier in the thread - been getting emails from proxy makers today announcing discounts, one specifically worded to match the recent WarCom post.

 

Times are tough, now here's a sale! Much better message than - Times are tough, so buckle up buttercup because you are going to pay for this one too!

[terminator ultra]

12 minutes ago, phandaal said:

Times are tough, now here's a sale! Much better message than - Times are tough, so buckle up buttercup because you are going to pay for this one too!

I vividly remember a catalog I got in around 2019, it was advertising a 'sale' if you bought soul wars and the paint set they would do you a 0% discount on both of them. and it was advertised as a bundle deal. anyone else seen this?

[Marshal Rohr]

1 hour ago, phandaal said:

 

Funny enough, and I shared one example earlier in the thread - been getting emails from proxy makers today announcing discounts, one specifically worded to match the recent WarCom post.

 

Times are tough, now here's a sale! Much better message than - Times are tough, so buckle up buttercup because you are going to pay for this one too!

As I pointed out earlier, doing a sale when prices are rising is the predatory kind of FOMO marketing 

[twopounder]

Their market cap went from millions to billions and they say they are hurting so bad that they need to increase prices. Funny that the average video game went down in price from $70 to $40 and the AAA market only saw one price increase in 30 years of $10.

[Marshal Rohr]

7 minutes ago, twopounder said:

Their market cap went from millions to billions and they say they are hurting so bad that they need to increase prices. Funny that the average video game went down in price from $70 to $40 and the AAA market only saw one price increase in 30 years of $10.

The worst games workshop products are still worth more money than any triple a video game. 

[Kastor Krieg]

1 hour ago, Marshal Rohr said:

The worst games workshop products are still worth more money than any triple a video game. 

The worst, really? You'd prefer $60 of those guys in precious Finecast than hundreds of hours of great fun in Baldur's Gate 3?

 

Or maybe $60 of Ceramite White pots instead of Jagged Alliance 3? Three Citadel Spray guns instead of Alan Wake 2? $60 of 500%+ up-marked Kneadatite rebranded as "GW Green Stuff" instead of current state CP 2077?

Are you well?!

Edited May 8 by Tyriks
dont be insulting

[Schurge]

6 hours ago, Robbienw said:

GW = Hotel California.

 

You can check out, but you can never (mentally) leave.  You can stop buying and gaming, but you'll still check in on the lore and models occasionally.  When you are an 90 year old man, you'll still think about Terminators punching Genestealers on a Space Hulk 

 

That is way too true, for me. And I've been holding off on making a thread the last couple of months speculating why that is. This game was never that fun. Something about it captures the imagination though.

[The Praetorian of Inwit]

6 hours ago, Lay said:

I know people who want to get into the hobby but can't simply because of the prices. Or rather, most are already into some aspects of the hobby (books, video games, fan content like lore videos), except for the miniature side of things.

To me, at least, it feels like, rather than serving as entries to the game, other media are increasingly being treated as alternative (and sometimes preferable) venues of the franchise.

This I feel is very true. It often seems to me that the IP has massively overtaken the miniature/wargaming side of things and now it is all about brand exploitation.

 

Much like the way the Glazers ruined Manchester United. 

[Mogger351]

Some European proce lists going round on Dakka, looks like vehicles, Marines and mostly old world are the ones above 5% increase.