Maybe they do, but i know I've never seen one.

Though don't frequent any miniature site except this and gameboardgeek.

I just posted in another thread and that got me thinking so I decides to create this one

Has anyone ever seen any kind of marketing for this game.

I mean this game is really great. It sells itself, but what about branching out to those who may not be so lucky to stumble across it.

If I didn't happen to go into my game store looking for star wars figures I'd never would have seen this game.

Other than article I saw awhile back on kotaku, but again not everyone goes to geek websites.

I got to thinking if there was not to be any new players old waves would likely sit on the shelves eventually.

Not everyone ( though I know there are a few) need 5 Falcons and 20 xwing etc

Sure we will continue to buy the new waves but again as I pointed out in the other thread, once everyone in my area got their wave five ships the current stock at our store has not moved as people are very happy with one or two of each.

So only way to move old waves is new players have to buy into it.

Which again brings me back to why they never invest a little bit of money and advertise

TV spots though probably expensive, I would think a cool, flashy 30 second commercial would get new players intersted

May see a influx of younger people playing, but still if they are playing, then the game will thrive.

Honestly I fell in love with this game, and don't want to see it go the way of hero clix.

This is a game I hope to be around for years and years, though I'm probably going to be disappointed eventually someday when I read the announcement that x will be the last wave.

I would love to see this last like mtg, but they are like comparing tomato and a shop vac.

Mtg is based off of nothing so they can always come up with original content, where as this is star wars so they have to keep in line with the star wars universe.

Eventually they will exhaust all pilots and ships, so unfortunately this will not be around like mtg

So have you seen any advertisement for xwing?

If no

Do you think it's a good idea for them to market it more?

If you have seen ads for the game, where?

Discuss

Considering X-Wing minis are sold out everywhere (except evil mark ups on e-bay!!), I'd say whatever marketing they are currently doing is too much, lol.

Well yes, but it's not like they mass produced them like say mtg cards (again I know two completely different things)

But i mean eventually once everyone that currently is playing the older waves will eventually sit on the shelves.

Would they not?

I have no more need for firesprays for example, so I'll likely not buy any more

Once the current players are fulfilled with what they want the only way to move old waves would be get new pplayers.

Yes there is probably going to be new players, but i also think there is a market totally unaware of this game

I guess I should say if the new player market was to slow down then eventually older waves sales may slow down as well

They probably dont for the reason we never advertised on TV when i worked for marketing at Games Workshop.

The problem is if you get 'big' as a wargames company (and even GW are a small company in global standards) and hit the jackpot you do yourself more harm than good if you cant meet demand.... and they wouldnt be able to.

Consider *years* ago the 'thunderbirds' relaunch Tracey Island playset was a really big thing, thunderbirds were the new fad toy that christmas in 1992 (and again in 2000)... both times the manufacturers couldnt meet demands and annoyed a lot of parents and destroyed a lot of kids faith in Santa. And that was a proper big toy company that couldnt supply the demand when it was 'the thing'.

If X wing took off and became the 'must have' game for xmas or the holiday season there is no way FFG could ramp up production to meet demand (they struggle to meet demand now) and if they did once the bubble bursts they end up with massive production schedules and no market for it.

Niche hobbies are forced to stay niche by these sort of econommic/marketing problems.

Ya, you do make an excellent point

I was going to say they could meet the demand by opening more factories, but then if the market dies down, that is bad for them

I didn't know about X-Wing until I saw it on Tabletop. I kind of understand not going all out on something more niche like Blood Bowl Team Manager (which is their best board game IMHO), but Star Wars has so much crossover. I think they could/should do a little more.

Regardless, I'm glad I found it. My preciousssssssss.

It all depends on marketing demographics. Now there is advertisements for X-wing and other FFG products however they are more targeted than just a simple TV or movie spot that can cost in the billions of $. FFG tournament kits have announcement posters and there are advertisements post in niche publications such as GTM magazine. They make press releases about their activities at upcoming events such as Worlds and Gencon. Even this website gives spoilers that promote and generate interest in upcoming products so that as soon as the product hit retailers they will have buyers.

However all the people that browse the websites read the niche publications and attend those events are the market demographic (not to be confused with social demographics) who are likely to purchase the products that FFG provides. Strange enough as it sounds not everyone likes to play a board game on their free time. Some prefer social activities or outdoor recreation or spectate at a sporting event instead of playing a game like X-wing. When you market to TV you are hitting a broad demographic and a majority of that demographic might not have the interest in products that are being advertised.

Still because of the exposure TV spots give marketers, advertisements on TV cost a premium as in get out a check and don't forget all those 0 before the .00 because you will need them. That TV spot might not generate the sales leads to make up for the expenses.

Don't worry, no business worth their share of stock does not have a marketing department. They do advertise in their own way. To not do so would be committing corporate suicide, but marketing involves more than just ads you see in a magazine, website, or on TV.

They don't need to advertise. Enough of us share info about the game on so many social media platforms, and in person at game cons and our FLGS, that they get all the free advertising they could want.

They don't need to advertise. Enough of us share info about the game on so many social media platforms, and in person at game cons and our FLGS, that they get all the free advertising they could want.

There still needs to be some marketing in order to keep consumer awareness about products active that can promote and sustain business growth. However we are probably in agreement that FFG doesn't need mainstream advertising such as of the likes of a Superbowl commercial.

A superbowl x-wing commercial?

Wouldn't that be glorious tough?

Like is say, glorious but would probably create a five week fad that would cripple FFG

A superbowl x-wing commercial?

Wouldn't that be glorious tough?

A superbowl commercial didn't save Radio Shack from Bankruptcy.

I don't think it would be that good, you want steady growth the only people interested in sudden growth are investment brokers that live off of fire-sales.

Ferrari don't advertise.

All their (Ferrari) advertising is Formula 1 and word of mouth.

As someone posted, the miniatures are always sold out anyway, so they are doing something right.

A superbowl x-wing commercial?

Wouldn't that be glorious tough?

A superbowl commercial didn't save Radio Shack from Bankruptcy.

I don't think it would be that good, you want steady growth the only people interested in sudden growth are investment brokers that live off of fire-sales.

Oh i know

Word of mouth from nerd to nerd is already a powerful form of advertising and free, a happy player base will draw in more people.

Conversely if you treat the player base badly they'll shun a company as is happening now, where once people would bring people in they now actively warn people off of gw games.

Advertising on the web is not effective everyone uses blocking software, and on tv people skip the adds on dvr`s or are on their phones and tablets not paying attention.

The reason Netflix thrives is people don't want adds they just want to watch the **** show.

Advertising would mostly be a waste of money.

ever watch more than the mandatory first five seconds of a youtube video, no me neither...

mute the sound when photobucket plays the same advert 80 times while you upload holiday snaps... yeah me too.

There is a reason power consumption spikes in countries during ad breaks in the FA cup, Eastenders, Superbowl etc... everyone gets up to go to the toilet or make a cup of tea, turning on more lights as they go upstairs or flicking the kettle on (mid match million people at once 'brews' have caused black outs before!)

The point being is like HJ says people are savvy to adverts, there are the impressionable types who are easily swayed by them (im guilty of seeing a coke advert and immeditately wanting one... hey im weak) but most of us *know* were being manipulated and switch off or do something else while they are on.

for FFG...

If you're doing well, sellingout of product and struggling to get enough into the stores with *no* mainstream advertising.... well you'd be mental to hobble yourself by getting a million new players in instantly and exponentially exaggerating your stock issues.

I first saw this game a few years back at GenCon. It was this new game called "X-Wing" from FFG, based on a WWII dogfighting game. It looked interesting, especially with me being a Star Wars fan.

HOWEVER, I thought to myself, "It's pretty expensive and you only get 3 tiny ships." and also the crowd surrounding the demo table was too large. Plenty of excuses.

Then, years later (not quite a month ago), I rediscovered X-Wing Miniatures. I saw it at a game store, and said, "what the heck, it's only $40, I'll give it a shot."

I bought it and played it with a friend that night. 3 quick games. The next night, I discovered and went to a FLGS (that I didn't know existed) to watch organized X-Wing play.

Within two weeks, I had completed my collection of at least two of each small ship, and one of each large and huge ship. Although, only a single HWK-290.

Now, two other friends are starting to buy ships as well.

So, word of mouth is alive and well!

I tend to ignore ads completely. From decades of exposure to banner ads on the early interwebs, my mind no longer processes anything that's rectangular in shape and brightly colored.

I don't watch TV anymore, not in a normal sense. Netflix or newsgroup downloads is all I watch. I won't subscribe to Hulu because there are commercials.

im guilty of seeing a coke advert and immeditately wanting one...

Thanks, you dirty #$%, now I have to go get a Coke!

Likewise

I saw the game demo's at an open day i an at wargames foundry in the uk.

I didnt have much interest then.

Then my blogging mate Andy H (tales from the maelstrom blog) started playing it, i bought three A wings intending just to play those against him... ended up getting a core set too, then some imperials for the wife...

Then we took it to the 'rock sunday' thing we used to do at the local pub and all my mates started playing.

Now i have a group of about 25-30 friends who play in my town (only one or two do tournaments) and thats purely word of mouth and our local store 'chimera' being quite positive in their support for the game and good to the player base.

I tend to ignore ads completely. From decades of exposure to banner ads on the early interwebs, my mind no longer processes anything that's rectangular in shape and brightly colored.

I don't watch TV anymore, not in a normal sense. Netflix or newsgroup downloads is all I watch. I won't subscribe to Hulu because there are commercials.

im guilty of seeing a coke advert and immeditately wanting one...

Thanks, you dirty #$%, now I have to go get a Coke!

Mate, i'm *so impressionable* that i can be playing 'fallout new vegas' on my console... pick up a 'nuka cola' from a dead bandit and want a coca cola so much i'll have to go out and buy a bottle.

My wife finds it hilarious how impressionable i am given i'm a 40 year old man who is normally quite cynical and has spent a lot of time working in marketing.

I like to think of myself as 'easily enthused'

My wife finds it hilarious how impressionable i am given i'm a 40 year old man who is normally quite cynical and has spent a lot of time working in marketing.

I like to think of myself as 'easily enthused'

Perhaps it's because you're still so young.

Young at heart, creaky in body.

The write ups in Game Trade magazine and the like is also a form of advertising, but it is also target to specifically gamers and store owners who then can promote the game locally.

The posters sent with the OP Kits are also very localized advertising.

So FFG is advertising but not in a way most people consider it, via TV, radio and billboards.

Targeted advertising could still work in say the new Star Wars comics.

You see that would be sensible, advertising in a niche and targeted audience publication - ie star wars comic - *if* they were not already clearly at production capacity.

If you cant make enough to supply the demand, you dont create demand. Business 101 that is.