>From: "Peter Ramos" <pramos2_at_...>
>Reply-To: netepic_at_egroups.com
>To: <netepic_at_egroups.com>
>Subject: Re: [NetEpic ML] Epic what form will it take.?
>Date: Fri, 12 May 2000 09:04:02 -0500
>
>Hi!
>
>As a corporation GW has every right to make money and be robust. Of course
>its the way they go about it and their market strategies that are flawed
>and perhaps in the end will be their undoing.
>
>I remember in their heyday when I also retailed their stuff how easy it
>could have been for them to literally wipe out the competition. Although
>they are top dog, the growing discontent and the appearance of other
>alternatives to distract their target audience (kiddies) seems to slowly
>but surely causing problems. It does not take a rocket scientist to have
>predicted this. Those who have been in the hobby a long time know that its
>a small niche, it cannot compare in gross amount of money made like true
>giants like the computer business, food ,clothing, etc. Their is only so
>much the market will bare before it levels off. For GW I think it has
>reached that point and as the saying goes "when your at the top there is
>only one way to go". GW has never understood that word of mouth in the
>minis business is very powerful. The dissatisfaction of older gamers with
>their company and practices can be heard in most stores you go to. It is
>also a relatively simple matter to sway the kiddies into non-GW stuff
>(Pokemon). Since GW has no loyal base of gamers (having alientated them
>over the course of the years), its either gather a fresh crop of new poeple
>every so often of perish. Perhaps their recent stock dvaluation and
>narrowing profit margins are an indicator that they must re-evaluate their
>practices or die.
>
>As much as I have grown to dislike them I would not want to see them go.
>They have produced games we like and I think if guided appropriately they
>will continue to do so. But they really must change theri philosophy. Heck
>if they were more intelligent they could make games for both their kiddie
>market AND long time gamers, it all takes but some commitment. Instead of
>making all these games that are "here today gone tomorrow" why not support
>a couple of smaller lines for gamers who like more in their games and keep
>those available at a low production rate, while their cash cows brings in
>the money. Of course somehow I doubt they would even try this until their
>backs were against the wall.
>
>What form will epic take? I haven't a clue. It will resurface, have no
>doubt of this. I'm guessing later 2001 or spring 2002. I think it will be
>an all new system, one can only hope with some thought put into it this
>time. As for the mini size, I really do have a bad feeling that 10mm is the
>way they will go. This is in keeping with their tradition of making new
>games where the old stuff is difficult to use as is and it gives them the
>widest base of potential customers (everyone, since no one has 10mm epic).
>
>We'll see and net epic will be there waiting.
>
>Peter
>
> Well, I agree. GW is in it for the money, and wil do whatever it takes
>to make money out of a new/old game. But if they change the minis, it
>wouldn't really be Epic would it? It would be a whole new game and totally
>uninteresting. We cant use the minis, and the rules wouldn't be better
>than the ones we make up here. Just what one could expect from GW.
>
> The rules would be simpler, after all you cant intoduce a kiddie to
>netepic wich has hundreds of pages of rules...
>
>
>
> The moral is; dont let GW get any ideas, don't buy warmaster!
>
>
>
Nice point of view, with some good points. It'll be interesting to see where
Gw goes in the next couple of years.
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Received on Fri May 19 2000 - 00:57:01 UTC