[venkelos]

WARNING!!!! This might appear as ONLY a complaining thread, even if I didn't intend that to be it's ONLY purpose. You've been warned.

So, I am wondering if anyone knows why the GW website has a tab for preorders? There is practically never anything there, and they can be trully abysmal with telling us anything about upcoming products, leaving Internet rumors to be or "best" source for "official" GW news. Take, for instance, new codexes. Now, I'm waiting for the new IG Codex, and that's not up there. This in no way suprises me because it is likely at least three months out, but the best stuff I've heard seems to put Codex Tyranids 6E in January, which it now is (Happy New Year! by the way ), and the website has NOTHING on it, nor does GW, if anything I am reading lately seems to be an indicator. If it was going to be coming out ANYTIME soon, one would think that the preorder tab would be a good avenue to use, both to announce it, without giving it a CONCRETE date, and to get an idea of how anticipated it is.

When the Space Marine codex came out, I don't have any memories of it being there, either. One day was nothing, the next, it was happily sitting on the New Releases tab, waiting for me to buy it. I'm sorry to be complaining, but I really get irritated at so many companies who basically refuse to give out any info on anything they are doing, prior to doing it. It's like if you said to Nintendo "are you working on a new Zelda game?" and they answer with "I'm sorry, we can't confirm, nor deny. We cannot comment on it." BS, you can't, and you should, to keep fans interested. I don't need deep details on it, but let me know it's happening. Here's a similar angle; Games Workshop is a big company that designs minis, books to go with them, and should have strict deadlines as to when their paid manufacturers of both should be good for delivery. I shouldn't HAVE to be waiting for crumbs of detail from websites that the next website will remind me are uncredible fools who put up any rumor they hear, and make a few more up, to flesh out their tabloid of a page. There should be a timetable that GW can put up that says what they are working on, with tentative, adjustable (if we are being realistic) dates, so we have an idea of what's coming, and when. When I was still being a sucker, thinking that Nids was due for November, and that meant IG might be January, I was stoked. Now, I'm still waiting for the bugs I don't play, so that they can get past it, and on to the next new thing. Oh, and I guess bitter enough to sit here and whine.

Thanks for reading, share how you feel?

 

[SJPhillyVT]

The pre-orders go up a week before a release. You'll see them Saturday for Tyranids.

 

[mpdscott]

GW's secrecy policy is somewhat dated and definitely extreme, especially considering that they aren't a cutting edge tech company.
They produce toys, but apparently are so paranoid about someone copying their detailed scuplting before it's actually released, that they feel justified in keeping all the information for upcoming additions, from their revenue stream...I mean customers. It has gotten beyond a joke.

 

[Klajorne]

I think the "Pre-Orders" section of their web-site might just be a holdover from an older GW, when they would release product with a little earlier than their current 1-week prior strategy they're following at the moment. Really, though, with the current fast-paced release of not just Codexes, but also digital releases, I'd imagine that "pre-orders" section often has something in it.

I am curious why all the companies are moving toward an "information silence". There's a lot of bean counters out there, and I'd imagine with the preponderance of such a strategy, there must be something to it.

 

[SJPhillyVT]

What I've heard is it makes people not hold on to their money. If someone knows something's coming in 2 months then they'll wait to spend their money then. If no one know when something's coming out they might go down to the shop and get a squad or two. It's a more consistent revenue stream rather than getting it in big bursts when there's a release.

Is one strategy better than the other? I don't know, but it seems to be working for them as they've been doing it for a while.

 

[venkelos]

The pre-orders go up a week before a release. You'll see them Saturday for Tyranids.

Yay!! And now I can complain just a little less. Not the army I am waiting for, but certainly something fun I'll get, just for the read, if nothing else, and maybe counter-planning.

GW's secrecy policy is somewhat dated and definitely extreme, especially considering that they aren't a cutting edge tech company.
They produce toys, but apparently are so paranoid about someone copying their detailed scuplting before it's actually released, that they feel justified in keeping all the information for upcoming additions, from their revenue stream...I mean customers. It has gotten beyond a joke.

People already do their own sculpting, until the "occasional" ban-hammer from GW stops them. On a corporate level, I'm not aware of too many other dedicated minis table-top games as advanced and successful as GW and 40K. One could argue, I suppose, that this means their policy is working, but I still get irritated by it.

I think the "Pre-Orders" section of their web-site might just be a holdover from an older GW, when they would release product with a little earlier than their current 1-week prior strategy they're following at the moment. Really, though, with the current fast-paced release of not just Codexes, but also digital releases, I'd imagine that "pre-orders" section often has something in it.

I am curious why all the companies are moving toward an "information silence". There's a lot of bean counters out there, and I'd imagine with the preponderance of such a strategy, there must be something to it.

Nope. The Dig books are separate, and available when they release. I don't actually remember the last thing I saw in their pre-order area.

What I've heard is it makes people not hold on to their money. If someone knows something's coming in 2 months then they'll wait to spend their money then. If no one know when something's coming out they might go down to the shop and get a squad or two. It's a more consistent revenue stream rather than getting it in big bursts when there's a release.

Is one strategy better than the other? I don't know, but it seems to be working for them as they've been doing it for a while.

I can see that. I don't like it, but it does make a certain kind of sense, from a corporate POV. Still, I'd prefer, as the consumer, to know if I should set some money aside, for something I NEED, rather than spend a bit less on something I kinda want, and then can't afford the new goods. Not that they'd notice, but my limited scope can see my failure to purchase the new big thing as being seen as a lack of interest, meaning that they can care less about that faction. Imagining if IG could sit in DE's chair, like it did for over a decade.


Well, at least there's a little head's up. Not sure where SJPhillyVT heard about the release, which I missed, but then, that's why we post here; enough scattered eyes can eventually see something the others missed. Thanks for the intel.

 

[SJPhillyVT]

Well, at least there's a little head's up. Not sure where SJPhillyVT heard about the release, which I missed, but then, that's why we post here; enough scattered eyes can eventually see something the others missed. Thanks for the intel.

White Dwarf Daily on GW's site puts up teaser videos when a release is coming. The date in the videos is when the pre-orders go up, and the release is one week after that. That's the pattern they've been following for over a year now.

Here's the one for Nids.

What's New Today | Games Workshop

To figure stuff out, you just gotta know where to look. I use threads here, and sites like BellOfLostSouls and Faeit 212 (there's tons more too) to find out what's down the pipe. Things aren't too solid past the next immediate release for either 40k or Fantasy. Most things are pointing to Imperial Guard being next after Nids for 40k, and following the every-other-month pattern for both of their games, we can expect them for March. That could change at any time but that's the expectations for now.

 

[Klajorne]

Well, at least there's a little head's up. Not sure where SJPhillyVT heard about the release, which I missed, but then, that's why we post here; enough scattered eyes can eventually see something the others missed. Thanks for the intel.

There's enough rumour going around, even if GW isn't doing official announcements. We've been seeing photos of Tyranids around the 'net for a couple months now, and a lot of talk about rules (which is really everywhere right now). In fact, we had so much info on the Space Marine release, that I can't imagine GW wasn't seeding the rumourmill themselves to build hype.

Unfortunately, not much talk about IG yet, but once Tyranids get released, then the next army in the pipe (which I believe is either Orks or IG) will start getting a lot of discussion.

 

[venkelos]

White Dwarf Daily on GW's site puts up teaser videos when a release is coming. The date in the videos is when the pre-orders go up, and the release is one week after that. That's the pattern they've been following for over a year now.

Here's the one for Nids.

What's New Today | Games Workshop

To figure stuff out, you just gotta know where to look. I use threads here, and sites like BellOfLostSouls and Faeit 212 (there's tons more too) to find out what's down the pipe. Things aren't too solid past the next immediate release for either 40k or Fantasy. Most things are pointing to Imperial Guard being next after Nids for 40k, and following the every-other-month pattern for both of their games, we can expect them for March. That could change at any time but that's the expectations for now.

Yeah, I hit that page yesterday. Either I missed the little video on the right side, or the lack of the word "Tyranids" through me off. Either is possible, really. Thanks

Does the video end with 4-1-2014? Is that saying TYRANIDS won't hit till April?

There's enough rumour going around, even if GW isn't doing official announcements. We've been seeing photos of Tyranids around the 'net for a couple months now, and a lot of talk about rules (which is really everywhere right now). In fact, we had so much info on the Space Marine release, that I can't imagine GW wasn't seeding the rumourmill themselves to build hype.

Unfortunately, not much talk about IG yet, but once Tyranids get released, then the next army in the pipe (which I believe is either Orks or IG) will start getting a lot of discussion.

I've poked around, and so much read seems to be BS. As for the Nids, I've seen stuff, too, and have known for a good while that they were next (hoping it'll be a good codex, even though I don't play Nids much), but I also thought that they were for November, and was a bit confused to learn that that was just more rumor-BS, which GW did little to assuage. Oh well, I'll have to try harder to figure it out, as time goes by, and at least there are people here, with a more vested interest in knowing, who can help me notice what's BS, and what's legit. Thank you.

 

[SJPhillyVT]

Yeah, I hit that page yesterday. Either I missed the little video on the right side, or the lack of the word "Tyranids" through me off. Either is possible, really. Thanks

Does the video end with 4-1-2014? Is that saying TYRANIDS won't hit till April?

Remember GW is based in the UK so they use Euro dates. The day is first then the month, so 4-1-14 is January 4th.

 

[venkelos]

Remember GW is based in the UK so they use Euro dates. The day is first then the month, so 4-1-14 is January 4th.

Oh, that's much better...and I feel a little silly. Oh well, we all make mistakes, yeah? And some of us post them online. :foot-in-mouth:

 

[SJPhillyVT]

Heads up venkelos, preorder tab is chock full of Nids.

 

[venkelos]

Hazaah! It is, it is. See, this is why I'm okay with being a severe pessimist; when I'm right, at least I was, and when I'm wrong, it's often a pleasant surprise.

Thanks for the head's up SJPhillyVT, and putting up with the whining, everyone.