Games Workshop needs to unify their message
In case you missed it: The planned Death Guard release has been pushed back into 2021, with GW stating that Covid precautions were the culprit. Fair enough. I'm happy to take them at their word.
But in its place was news of yet another Primaris Captain. This time, a named one: Uriel Ventris, an Ultramarines special character. Between the limited edition releases, boxed-set-only characters, and named characters 'crossing the rubicon Primaris' (the means by which a normal Space Marine becomes a Primaris Marine) we are now in double digits for Primaris Captains and Lieutenants alone. By contrast, Orks only have really 8 character choices in total. 4 of these are special characters. The Eldar have 15 (if you're not counting duplicates). And these are total HQ choices. The Captain and the Lieutenant are two choices out of a considerable range of generic Space Marine characters
So why is this a problem? How is this not just another 'but what about MY army' rant? Take into account the mantra that is drummed into every single GW store manager (I know, I was one): customer service comes first. The customer experience comes first). And the truth is that GW are not living up to this mantra if you're a customer that plays anything other than Primaris.
There are over 30 different Primaris options available right now - not counting upgrade kits and such. Then there are all the standard Marine choices. Tyranids have 46 kits, total. Orks have 54.
GW have gone from strength to strength during the pandemic; a fact I'm really pleased about.
But I'm worried that in making strides to keep their shareholders happy by preventing their shares from losing value, they have finally become the one-dimensional company they have been accused of being for some time.
If GW lived by the mantra they have taught their managers, we wouldn't be sat on age old Ork boyz. Have you ever tried putting stock boyz together? They're disgusting - and I don't use that word lightly. I think the current Aeldari Guardian models are older than some of the people I work with. And don't get me started on the Guard.
I get it - GW will make the ranges that make money, and ditch the ones that don't. You'll often catch me making this exact argument. But are these models not being updated because they're not making money? Or are they not making money because they're not being updated. I feel like we've reached the point where that isn't a question any more, but a statement of fact.
GW are failing customers who don't play Primaris - and I know this is just a new spin on the argument that has been made for longer than I care to think about that says GW are failing customer who don't play Space Marines. But their releases over the past 12 months - Primaris followed by box games followed by Primaris (and a SoB release that was planned over two years ago) makes the allegation undeniable.
Whilst there is the perception that a non-space marine release will never make as much money as one that is, does anyone remember the Tau release back in 2012? I do. I remember unboxing the delivery, holding up a box in my hands, and literally having them snatched by the twenty or so hobbyists who had gathered to grab what they wanted. Tau stock didn't reach the shelves for 6 weeks in my store.
And if that doesn't convince GW, they could always opt to release models for a bunch of different armies on the same weekend.
How about getting updated Ork boyz, Eldar Guardians and new Imperial Guard squads one week, then a new vehicle for each the next, then a new character for each the next. It's financially sound; taking advantage of releases across multiple ranges to ensure financial success. More importantly - it would be providing customer service to those whose armies have not seen a substantial release in literal decades. If the current Ork range could be updated to the standard of the newer Orruks in AoS, I'd seriously consider getting some. And the Eldar have the potential to be the most breathtaking army to put on a table across any model range, ever.
GW need to have the confidence that the quality of the sculpts and the (we hope) versatility of the boxes will be enough to make unloved ranges like 'Nids etc just as successful as Marines.
Gw need to start delivering on their customer service for every range.
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