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| End of the line for Games Days & Games Workshop? |
The Future of Games Days and Games Workshop
Part 6 - End of the line?
Finally, part 6!
It's been two weeks since Part 5 of our popular little mini-series "The Future of Games Days and Games Workshop" received it's latest update.
Many of you have sent me messages asking when the next part of this series would be posted and if you read these lines now, you KNOW!
We have been very busy here at our paintingbuddha living-room office, filming Season 3 with Chris Octive, an incredibly talented and totally hoopy frood from UK. Season 3 is scheduled to be released in 2014
Since there are a few hundred new followers on Facebook, I'll take the opportunity to once again say a few words about this mini-series. Well, if the walls of text I have thrown at you are any indication of the word 'mini', this is a fail in itself ^^
I describe myself as GW/FW Fanboy #1. And I mean it. The posts, especially starting with part 3 probably raised the question "Why are you a fanboy, if GW's business practices causes you to rage so much?"
Well, I guess that IS the definition of being a fan-boy of Games Workshop. You support them, no matter what.
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Do you love them or hate them? Or both? Why?
Comment below or we'll release the baby! |
And I know many of you share this love-hate-relationship. We love the hobby, we love the miniatures, we love the community, we even like most of the people at Games Workshop. We just hate how the GW management continues to needlessly fail on so many levels. And yet we flock to the stores, buy all the product we'll never need and turn GW profitable again. Just to get kicked where it hurts.
No wonder GW thinks they are doing everything right. Black snow, Baby! It's a fan-boy's life. Suffering for the greater good.
So, today, we will finally look at what caused this mini-series in the first place. A critical assessment of the recent changes to Games Days, how the frakk we got here and what I think the grim darkness of the future holds.
Brace yourself for another epic wall of text!
Engage!
The life of a nerd 2.0
In the grim darkness of the late 90's and early 2000's there was only work. And a lot of it. 24/7. Trying to wind down in the few private hours, I re-discovered my love for miniatures. In 2005, I visited my first of many Games Days in Cologne, Germany.
I got my 'Mega Ticket' VIP thingy that would allow me to get in an hour earlier than the non-mega-nerds, who were only allowed in at 10am. "Well, let's be there at 8, so I am in front of the line!", I thought to myself.
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| A full Games Day. Good ol' days - source: Lexicanum |
Good plan. In theory.
I arrived at the Gürzenich a few minutes past eight and headed straight for the entrance. The end of the line, which wrapped once around the whole building was a few thousand fan-boys & girls and a few hundred meters behind the entrance.
Being a good German, I just cut in line and entered the venue as one of the first happy nerds. Bad, sneaky Zaphod!
Success! Error 37!
Eight years and a few unbelievably 'successful' (oooh, I'm gonna give you successful! *rage*) marketing ploys later, at Games Day 2013, there were a total of 37 people waiting in front of the Gürzenich, waiting to 'storm' the venue.
37. Thirty-seven. Even Blizzard knows that 37 is not a good number.
It's not even 42, for crying out loud!
If you have not followed the rumors and leaked documents (courtesy of masterminis.net, I might proudly add!), back then there were two possible scenarios when Games Workshop announced its elaborate new International Games Day Codex rules (cancellation of GD Australia, France, Spain and to some extend Japan, increased prices and limited availability):
Either a) GW sells out the 2000 tickets within hours OR b) it would turn out to be a disaster. Well, GW sold just slightly over 1000 tickets. 1000. Remember the black snow from Part 5? According to sources at Games Workshop, the Games Day Germany was a great success. I'd call it a successful disaster - or disastrously successful. Let me elaborate.
Success and Failure are subject to definition
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At 4.2 centimeter, it
just SUCCs. |
There is only one way to know if you were successful or not. You have to set a goal, perform an action and check the results to see if it worked. (That's the kind of stuff you learn in first year University classes, go figure).
So, let's see.
As a fan, what would I think the goals for GW running an event like this could possibly be? Why does GW run these events? What's the purpose - or rather what should or could be the purpose?
First and foremost, a Games Day is a marketing event. It's marketed as a celebration of the hobby and its hobbyists. As we have seen in an earlier part, Games Workshop describes the hobby as gaming, painting and collecting of Citadel Miniatures. So far so good. As an additional fact, the community is geographically distributed and as such uses the Internet extensively.
Time for a quick excursion into the wonderful world of marketing! In short, marketing is the kind of common sense they 'teach' you at universities ^^
Marketing 101
Of course, we all know what marketing is, but for the odd chance that some GW HQ management reads this, I'll give them this very ancient and basic definition from Wikipedia, so they understand the basic concepts:
"Marketing is the process of communicating the value of a product or service to customers, for the purpose of selling the product or service. It is a critical business function for attracting customers."
Of course, since the days of Ford's Model T ("You can have any color you want, as long as it's black"), Marketing has evolved over the decades. I invite you to at least read the first page of the Wikipedia definition of Marketing, especially the section on "Earlier Approaches".
It should be painfully obvious that, when it comes to Marketing, GW still lives in the grim past of the 1950s-1980s.
This form of marketing is appropriately called "Selling" or - because it is so mindbogglingly basic - just "Marketing".
Holistic Marketing? Relationship Marketing? Social Media Marketing? Everyone judge for themselves. I don't sense any of that new-age-crap inside GW.
Branding? Yeah, maybe, but seriously GW: you're doing it wrong! Branding is not protecting your IP at all cost - and neither should you brandmark your customers. Not a good idea.
Everyone, just ask yourself: When was the last time you felt that Games Workshop as a company did something FOR you, just because they appreciate you as a customer?
Marketing 420
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| 1980s: Painting Nerds in a undisclosed Painting Revolution Camp |
Now let's leave the early 80s behind. For lack thereof, I feel offended by the disgraceful display of lush hair anyways. Let's enter the 21st century and how marketing should be done. Listen up, GW!
So we are a community of nerds, gamers, painters and collectors that use the Internet to share & enjoy our hobby. I guess we can all agree to that.
GW does not offer anything to this effect. No community platform, no more free hobby articles, no engagement with the community. Well, that is not entirely correct.
At some point the Marketing and Legal department seem to have fused and now the only interaction we as fans seem to enjoy from GW are 'Cease and Desist' letters and DMCA shut-downs of our favorite sites.
Price increases, Finecast, deserted Games Days. The social backlash for GW policy's impact on the community, aka Shit-Storm, forced GW to shut down their Facebook Fan Page. Even comments on GW Youtube videos are disabled by default!
Seriously? A fan-community based company of internet-savy consumers has to shut down all communication channels? SERIOUSLY? Does anyone else feel there is something wrong here?
No, of course not. It's a success. At least that's what GW will tell you.
Black Snow. Oh, lawdy! How I hate black snow. Ain't nobody got time for that!
As far as social media and online community management is concerned, GW is pretty much non-existent.
Success Stories: Back to Games Days
So, other than enjoying the Online Shop or going to a GW store, what is the one and only form of real community engagement Games Workshop still had left to their name?
"Games Days!" I hear you say? DINGDINGDING! We have a winner!
So, let's see if we can't totally FRAKK that up, too!
(I'll have a few nice things to say in part 7, though!)
Many lines ago, I asked the question about measuring success. Let's look at the Games Day again.
Target: Gamers, Painters, Collectors.
Mission: Engage as many consumer as possible with an awesome show and create a long-lasting, loyal fanbase to spread the word and secure future sales. In the words of Wikipedia, communicate the value of a product or service to customers, for the purpose of selling the product or service.
Marketing in good and bad times
I believe that it was the first or second lecture in Marketing at university where I heard that it is important to use marketing tools when you are not doing so hot business-wise. But what I won't ever forget is that marketing is vitally important in times where you are doing great.
Because if business turns south again, the customer will not forget.
Games Workshop is writing good profits again. They also skipped the introductory course in my Marketing class.
The P-word
Stress and nervous tension are now serious social problems in all parts of the galaxy and it is in order that this situation should not be in any way exacerbated that the following facts will now be revealed in advanced:
- Marketing events cost money. If done right, profits will follow.
And to further alleviate that nagging feeling that speaks from a rarely used portion of the manager's psyche, the 'common sense centre' I shall also reveal this little secret:
- Don't you ever try to make profits by running a marketing event or you'll frakk it up.
Having said that, what is the one word that seems to drive everything at Games Workshop? Wow, you guys are on fire! Yes, it's PROFIT! The P-Word!
Learning from the Pros
If you are a painter, and you visited Games Days to enter a miniature in a contest, you may have indulged in the consumption of a gummy-bear-like tasting, sugary liquid to help you finish your projects. That liquid that you consumed comes in small, but expensive cans of 100% pure marketing concentrate. Let's call it "Red Bull".
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Red Bull makes money by giving stuff away for free.
They don't charge you for looking at the car (or the
ladies) only to sell you a can at full price. |
What is Red Bull's business? From the looks of it, they are in the business of making funny Minis with large Red Bull cans, occupied by two rather lovely female carbon based, bipedal, life-forms who descended of an ape who pass out Red Bull for free.
Or is it the construction of all kinds of racing vehicles? Platforms to go to and then jump out of the final frontier?
So, is Red Bull's target demographic only racing drivers? Good looking people? Adventurers?
No. It's for us miniature nerds to help us cope with project deadlines. Although the 'good looking people' part quite obviously applies.
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Contrast this with the 2005 picture above:
Less gaming tables, less visitors,
50% grey shirts, 50% sales area and registers.
GW, where have all your gamers gone? |
Now contrast this with Games Days: You pay the hefty sum of 50€ to get in (not mentioning travel & accommodation), you no longer get a free T-Shirt or a collectible Games Day Miniature only to look at displays full of miniatures and entries that mostly have been prepared by you and your fellow nerds. Then you can proceed to buy full prize GW merchandize you can get elsewhere for 10-20% off.
But, of course, there are good developments, too: in recent years you can enjoy the beautiful-designed, creatively unique modular gaming boards that you can't find anywhere else - these replaced these dreadful, hand-made, IP-violating 5 story Imperial space ships some of the guys built as their gaming table. Frakking nerds.
Need more reasons why you'd rather drink a Red Bull and stay home?
BTW: Red Bull! Owe up to your loyal nerds and sponsor a hoopy project idea I have! If anyone who reads this knows anyone at Red Bull, shoot them my contact details :D
Miniature nerds sponsored by Red Bull - I WILL live to see that day! Pinky swear.
Where have all the gamers gone?
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These Battle Realm Gaming Boards are good.
But are they good enough to travel 1000km
just to have a look at them? |
As someone who claims to be a miniature painter (who is going through some rough 'dry' phases without ever finishing much), I gotta say that painters in general complained a lot about Games Workshop focusing primarily and solely on gamers. We sometimes felt forgotten, even though especially when it comes to GW Germany, the painting community has received great support by being allowed to put up live painting demonstration booths at the event - to our mutual benefit.
But let's face it, gamers - especially young ones - are the main focus of GW. A competition painter paints a miniature every month or so. (Except for Ben, who can do 30 of these in a month, using his not-so-secret-anymore wet-in-wet technique). A gamer buys dozens and hundreds of miniatures. So I really don't blame them.
However, the perceived ratio of 1 serious painter or less for every 10 gamers in recent years drastically changed in 2013. I would guesstimate that more than 21% of the visitors of this year's GD Germany were painters or at the very least primarily came for the Golden Demon competition.
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*kiddie: used as a term of
endearment, not derogatory! |
In addition, in 2013 you had to actively search for the typical 'kiddie'* (target demographic: 14-15 year old gamers) that flooded the halls in previous years. I would estimate the average age of this year's GD visitor was over 21 years. And it was not only my fault! Seems that GD failed to entice its target audience.
So, where have all the gamers gone?
I'll tell you! The very active, well organized and well networked gaming community has boycotted this Games Day - if you still don't know why, please re-read parts 1-5.
All I can say is: WOW. GW frakked up the impossible.
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| GD Germany 2013: Not exactly teeming with life. |
International Games Day Codex
The official word that GW staff in Germany received was that the Games Day 2013 was a great success.
Now, I have worked with UK and US based companies enough to know that rule #1 is: EVERYTHING management does is a success. Always. If it's not successful, rule #1 applies automatically. Black snow.
To be nice to GW for a change, i will disclose now that there were a lot of good developments - partly born of circumstance - at GD Germany, and even more so at GD US. But I will talk about this more in part 7 of the series. (By the way, I just decided that there will be 8 parts in total... :D).
So, as we all know, UK HQ is only interested in profits. The HQ has conjured up an internationally binding Games Day Codex, which demands that every Games Day Event has to be at least covering its cost, preferably be profitable, or else...
I have it on good authority that these 'new rules' were the main reason why GW France, Spain and possibly Australia actively decided not to organize a GD this year. The terms were to restrictive to actually be able to reorganize a good event in the short time-frame GW allowed them after the release of the 'Codex'.
The cost of loss
I don't know how much running an event like GD US or GD Germany costs, but I would estimate something in the area of 1/2 - 3/4 of total ticket revenue (leaving a 25% profit chance, if sold out). Again, giving the size of its container, my gut feeling rarely fails me.
For the German GD, especially due to its really nice location, personnel expense, travel, logistics that would probably come in at around 50-75k€. With ~1100 visitors, GW would have (re)covered that cost. Add the sales from Black Library, Forge World and GW and you make a nice profit.
Personally, I'd rather run an event with 4000 people who get in cheaper, give them some free swag and enjoy the sales they generate then limiting tickets and make sure the profit is covered by the 'cover charge'. Oh wait. That's a good one!
OH NO! Trying to make a profit at a marketing event?! Did Zaphod not warn you about this? Did he not label that big red no-no-button accordingly?
YES HE DID.
End of the line?
Gamers, the #1 source of sales for GW are boycotting a marketing event, primarily aimed at just these gamers. The Internet is full of rage about all kinds of things, again, parts 1-5 have covered that in enough detail, I think.
A company that makes over 20 million pound profit is not willing to sponsor an event in full or even hand out a few cheap goodies for it's loyal fanbase that stood by GW even when times were (financially) bad?
Is this the best that GW can do for an 'inspiring and memorable celebration of collecting Citadel miniatures'?
Is this the end of the line for Games Days and Games Workshop?
No. Simply because I am sure that I am not the only fan-boy. We bitch and curse and flame and still buy our daily dose of plastic. Whether the next generation of gamers and painters will endure the same is doubtful, however.
Citadel surely makes the best plastic miniatures in the world - but if the recent rise of beautifully designed, community driven and emotionally involved kickstarters and start-ups is any indication, there could be rough times ahead. I am not even gonna start talking about 3D printing - it's not around the corner, but I will live to see that day.
Other companies don't make the best quality plastic miniatures. They use resin. But they know how to treat their fan-base and engage them in internet based, social-media marketing campaigns.
The real secret is, that many of these start-ups don't even do this, because they think it's a cunningly deceptive marketing scheme. The secret is, that they believe in their product, they listen to the community and they embrace their inner nerd.
I know what I am talking about, because that's how we here at masterminis.net and paintingbuddha.com roll - big hugs for the inner nerd :D
Part 7: Mending the wounded Giant - good things about GW.
Build them up - bring them down - pick up the pieces and build em up again. Best advice for constructive criticism I can give. So in Part 7 I will talk about the good things of GW's Games Days 2013 - and there are some very promising developments. Maybe.
Find out why Games Days will be successful again, why France and Spain will likely be back again next year and where we will go in the future in our next exiting installment of "The Future of Games Days and Games Workshop".
And if you would like to give your inner nerd a big 'ol hug, why don't you indulge in supporting one of the best deals for miniature painters out there: Season 1.1: Target Identified.
P.S.: It takes hours to write these articles - and that is not because I write slowly in case some of you might not be able to read that fast. :D
So please take a few seconds and SHARE your thoughts in the comments for all of us to ENJOY!
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