Annual Price Rise Bitching?

So that time of year has come again, the season when GW decides that they need to raise thier prices, again. Many have pointed out that GW does this annually, and every year gamers whine and bitch, then keep buying the products at the higher prices.

I really hope this year fills the hole as the proverbial straw on the camels back. I am certainly noticing a distinct difference in a number of posts within the wider blog-o-sphere, with a level of animosity that seems more intense than years earlier. Here is a nice swathe of blogs I have read, and refer other readers to.

• Kirby at 3++ has an open letter to GW
• My friend James at 4Ones copies Kirby's letter
• Lord Shaper has a nice writeup here
• C Swizzy voices his thoughts
• Ramblings of a Mad Gamer has a good link to the price changes

So this is my blog, let me get some of my thoughts out there for those who are interested. I curtailed my GW spending last summer with the price rise in 2010. I recently posted on a Facebook comment thread that since May 2010 I have spent less than $200 on GW products. This is not entirely true. I did some thinking and here is my support to GW directly:

• Tape Measure and Templtes for a game at the GW St. Thomas store (supporting the Manager there) - $30
• 3 Ruined Towers and 1 Witchfire Tor from Huzzah Hobbies (my local game store - GW is at a 10% discount here) - $155.25 retail
• Grey Knights Codex from Huzzah Hobbies (my local game store - GW is at a 10% discount here) - $29 retail
• 1 can Chaos Black Primer, 4 pots of Citidel Wash, 2 pots of Citidel Paint (my local game store - GW is at a 10% discount here) - $37.20 retail
• 2 Island of Blood box sets (my local game store - GW is at a 10% discount here) - $180 retail
• 1 box Dark Eldar Reavers (my local game store - GW is at a 10% discount here) - $34.75 retail

So there we go, a total of $466.20 retail of which I actually spent less than that due to discounts at my local store. I know, thats an awful lot of money for curtailed spending, I agree. It actually makes me sad to see I even spent that much, although I can say its far below what I have spent in years past. From an economic and business standpoint for GW, I am one of the loyal customers I imagine they do not want to lose. My typical GW spending from 2007 - 2010 was on average $150 per month, plus around $500 for Christmas specials, plus paints, glue, and primer as needed. Lets see, that is an average of at least $2,300 per year, plus the odd $3 purchase of hobby supplies.

Is the assumption that I spent less money on my hobby last year than I did in the years before? I can say that I have not. In fact, readers of this blog are very aware where the bulk of my money has gone. Its gone to Malifaux. I have also picked up a used Privateer Press hordes army, and picked up some Forge World.

So, lets talk about Forge World for a moment. Forge World is making resin and on average, their resin is overpriced, especially when you look at what Spartan Games and Privateer charge for their resin. Add to this the other companies who work with resin, and there is a distinct "tax" to purchasing the Forge World resin models, a GW Tax. FW is in the process of working through and releasing a new Imperial Armour book, and a line of new models for the Eldar. I love my Eldar army, and this really excites me.
 It also saddens me, as I am now stuck with the conflict that as long as I keep purchasing Forge World I am also supporting the overall sales and business practices of GW. FW is part of GW and profits and success on the FW side only reinforce overall practices at GW central. I fear what impression the GW management would get if FW sales spiked while their own fell.

So what does this mean overall? Does it mean I am joining the ranks of interwebz bitching over a price rise. Well, yes. Honestly, I am disgusted with GW's treatment of the Australian market. I am disgusted with the continuous price hikes with no real reason. To that end, I am endeavoring to purchase no additional GW products over the next year. P3 or Reaper paints, Krylon sandable primer, and no more models or Army books or Codex's. Malifaux is simply a better game anyway, and I love the support the company gives.

Will I be getting rid of my Eldar? Simply no. I have a 5th edition 40K rule book and my existing Codex's. Basically I am confining myself to playing with my local group once the game progresses into a new edition or new codex's come out. Will I buy the new Eldar codex once it is released? Probably not. I will find a way to continue to paint on the DTP and if that means stopping playing 40K so be it.

What about WHFB? Well, I have 2 armies. I have Dwarves that are assembled and painted. I have High Elves who are un-built and waiting for my attention. This should be good for years to come. But what happens when those new Army Books are updated and released? Same as 40K, I either play with the old books in a local group, or they also get shelved and I spend more time playing other games.

So what about FW? Lets be honest here, I am going to pick up Imperial Armour 11 and some of the new stuff coming out. I will be giving it a much closer look and thought before picking it up. I have a Titan, maybe I will pick up a second. I want a Phantom, but may not end up buying one next year as planned. A lot will depend on the climate of 40K. I will probably pick up another Reveneant, as a pair would be nice on my shelf. FW also adds into playing in a local group with friends, as I can use the modified rules there and not in larger games.

So whats the future? Well, it looks like more Malifaux (if that's possible) and an increase in PP games. I have a Legion army, time to look to more games there. I will continue to work on my DTP until its completed, and I owe some pictures to the readers.

Thus go my thoughts.