However, the hammer has dropped on the former - for the 2012-2013 official BF tournament season only BF models will be allowed!
The final change we are making is that from the new season all the events we run with will be only allowing Battlefront miniatures to be used. This is bound to cause some debate, so let me be clear as to why we have chosen to go down this path. Joe, Gareth and our events cost a great deal of money to run: a little over a quarter of a million American dollars this year alone. And, although it seems childish to draw a line in the sand and say, “If you want to play at our events and support the FOW hobby, you should not be bringing other people’s models along,” it is absolutely that simple. Our business is a business and we want Flames Of War to grow; we intend to give it the best support we can, but this support has a cost.
Even though its apparent to anyone familiar with the industry that BF's sales are hurting from stiff competition from PSC et al., this is an incredibly bad business decision and is engendering a storm of ill will against BF. It's also rather insulting to the historical gaming genre that, in the press release article, Chris uses the term "the FOW hobby" - another hare-brained "marketing strategy" that goes against the very notion of historical games being resistant to IP branding.
If you are opposed to this decision (and really, why wouldn't you be?), be sure to make your voice heard on the FOW forum thread.
Until BF reverses this decision, I'll be boycotting their products.
5 comments:
Well, several of BF is former GW people, so this is no shock of their policy, GW did the same thing for their events.
I see their point on profits, they are a company out to make $. Support and such is not free, there is no tooth fairy folks. That money has to come from somewhere and they have bills to pay (company and family to support).
On the flip side, if they don't make a model, then well that is hard to argue. It should be allowed.
I had considered giving FOW a try when I saw PSC getting into the act, then hit the brakes after seeing early rumors of this. They make a good product and a great price. If anything they should try to offer to buy the company or work out some type of rights deal between the two.
You clarified in your fb post to me why these are bad decisions and don't fit with the game, and I understand that reasoning (unreleased models, etc.) However, I think the meme you use in your post is supposed to be someone being irrational, which is not how I read your response to this movie (or at least, I shouldn't read your boycotting of BF products as irrational). Just a thought.
The picture does make me smile, however
"The picture does make me smile, however"
That's all that really matters in my life.
What BF needs to do is realize that they need to change their business model to compete with the likes of PSC, what makes PSC successful? they provide a good product for a reasonable price, something the BF is not doing, the answer is simple, invest in bringing out a product that is good value, and try and sell more, after all, this is not like GW, BF can't patent a panther or Sherman, anyone can release similar products.
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