Honestly if the prices go up (which they will) it won't really bother me. I still won't shop at my FLGS (because I don't play there), I'll just end up buying less X-Wing. A lot of the ships I buy now, I buy just because they are so cheap. I honestly wouldn't really mind less ships. I'm kind of running out of storage for them anyway.

My REAL issue with the whole thing is them talking about cutting online sales altogether. We won't find out for sure until April, but just the idea of it is a real GW move. I like ordering online because I like not having to drive to a store and dig through their stock to try and find what I need. I don't like talking to sales people. I just want my stuff.

So as long as I can still order products online (and pay reasonable shipping), I'm good.

I've never seen a LGS in any state I regularly visit (GA and MA) sell x-wing at anything less than MSRP to begin with so as far as my experience goes nothing will change on the brick and mortar front.

Honestly if the prices go up (which they will) it won't really bother me. I still won't shop at my FLGS (because I don't play there), I'll just end up buying less X-Wing. A lot of the ships I buy now, I buy just because they are so cheap. I honestly wouldn't really mind less ships. I'm kind of running out of storage for them anyway.

My REAL issue with the whole thing is them talking about cutting online sales altogether. We won't find out for sure until April, but just the idea of it is a real GW move. I like ordering online because I like not having to drive to a store and dig through their stock to try and find what I need. I don't like talking to sales people. I just want my stuff.

So as long as I can still order products online (and pay reasonable shipping), I'm good.

Same here. I tend to play only with my friends at our houses. Kids and a wife severely limit my ability to get out of the house and most of the game stores in my area have pretty crappy play areas. I'll buy online until the prices are too absurd to justify and then move on to other games that I've already found. X-Wing is getting kinda boring anyway with the focus solely on PVP and nothing else.

And a quick recap of the thread so far for those of you who can't be bothered to read the full thing.

1. The thread has begun to split into three distinct camps; the Guardians of Gaming Stores (GGS), the Internet Commerce Alliance (ICC) and the No Monkeys Here (NMH).

2. Each of the factions, with the exception of NMH, are becoming increasingly entrenched in their respective opinions. Their positions thus far are -

GGS - Asmodee/FFG are causing the sky to fall down and rightfully saving the hallowed gaming stores from the online shopping demon.

ICC - Asmodee/FFG are causing the sky to fall down and the right to ludicrous internet pricing is being denied to the consumer.

NMH - Will buy the models regardless, are looking for beer and games of X-Wing, and are willing to loan their copy of Palpatine to the highest bidder.

3. Hyperbole, conjecture and speculation are running riot. This is not unexpected as this is the interwebs.

I think that about captures it.

Cheers

Baaa

A nice and well humored take on the situation, but it is not quite like that, at least for me. But I got a good laugh off of this

This is how I see the current situation:

Turmoil has engulfed the Galactic Republic. The taxation of trade routes to outlying star systems is in dispute.
Hoping to resolve the matter with a blockade of deadly battleships, the greedy Trade Federation has stopped all shipping to the small planet of Naboo.
While the congress of the Republic endlessly debates this alarming chain of events, the Supreme Chancellor has secretly dispatched two Jedi Knights, the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy, to settle the conflict....

FWIW CSI just reduced their discount on wave 8 products to 25%. Sign of things to come? Getting ready for a Jan 1 MAP change?

It could also be that pre-orders hit the number where the price goes up. If a product hits a certain number of pre-orders, the price will jump. Considering the V1 isn't available for pre-order at the moment, I'm leaning toward high pre-order demand.

Well for the many people like me who purchase half at local game stores and half online the solution is easy.

Buy everything online and we will save even more money. Before I paid full MSRP for half then 35% for half. Around 17.5% savings give or take a bit.

In the future it looks like 25% will be the online savings from Cool Stuff and Miniature Market. I will just buy EVERYTHING online.

My wife is going to be real happy!

Thanks Asmodee! You guys really do care!

The prices already went up.

Or do you think them selling 3 of the recent small ships in the last waves at $20 was because it cost 5 extra dollars to print the 4 more upgrade cards they came with?

Geez, now I think the Starvipers don't include an illicit and system slot by default is because they couldn't figure out what ninth card to include. They aren't any bigger than a Defender either.

The next large ship is the $50 ghost. The Hound's Tooth wasn't any bigger than a Lambda shuttle, included no moving parts, but was $10 more. If they hadn't released the Hound's Tooth as a bridge, people would be a little upset that the large ships are getting close to the epic ship prices.

Doom and Gloom.

I do have 3 ships preordered. though.

The prices already went up.

Or do you think them selling 3 of the recent small ships in the last waves at $20 was because it cost 5 extra dollars to print the 4 more upgrade cards they came with?

Geez, now I think the Starvipers don't include an illicit and system slot by default is because they couldn't figure out what ninth card to include. They aren't any bigger than a Defender either.

The next large ship is the $50 ghost. The Hound's Tooth wasn't any bigger than a Lambda shuttle, included no moving parts, but was $10 more. If they hadn't released the Hound's Tooth as a bridge, people would be a little upset that the large ships are getting close to the epic ship prices.

Doom and Gloom.

I do have 3 ships preordered. though.

Only the preorder ships prices have gone up at CSI. The others are still the same price as before.

And they are all still the same price on MM...

It's what I tell all my tech and labor friends that complain they lost their jobs to outsourcing: If you're unwilling to work for 4 dollars an hour at a job that used to pay 30, you deserve to work at Starbucks.

It's what I tell all my tech and labor friends that complain they lost their jobs to outsourcing: If you're unwilling to work for 4 dollars an hour at a job that used to pay 30, you deserve to work at Starbucks.

What does this even mean

I think its an attempt at humor?

For those still concerned with this subject. Interview with CT Peterson about the changes.

http://icv2.com/articles/news/view/33369/icv2-interview-asmodee-north-america-ceo-christian-petersen-part-2

Part 1 is linked in the article but the main focus of this thread is in part 2.

Interesting how he refers to "selling to retailers at below MRSP" as a "publisher-granted benefit" rather than, you know, just doing business.

That's an interesting read.

It came across to me that he was saying "gaming stores advertise our products directly to our customers and we give them discounts to 'pay' them for it", followed by "online stores only supply the demand that brick and mortar stores create". So their pricing now works by charging the online stores 'more' to subsidize the brick and mortar stores for doing all the heavy lifting. Online stores have less overheads/more efficient. Brick and mortar have immediacy and community. I get the line of reasoning.

What I don't accept, is that this dichotomy is a result of the specific interface between retailer and consumer and nothing else. There is plenty of room in the digital space to do videos, plan events and generate community interest. Websites can promote the product and create a space for gamers to engage with each other, like hiring community halls for example. Physicality is no longer as necessary as its been in the past. There are also plenty of physical retailers that do nothing more to engage or promote in the community, other than a sign that says "xxx now in stock!!!!"

So while the brick and mortar/online is an aspect,it's not the whole picture by a long shot.

That's an interesting read.

It came across to me that he was saying "gaming stores advertise our products directly to our customers and we give them discounts to 'pay' them for it", followed by "online stores only supply the demand that brick and mortar stores create". So their pricing now works by charging the online stores 'more' to subsidize the brick and mortar stores for doing all the heavy lifting. Online stores have less overheads/more efficient. Brick and mortar have immediacy and community. I get the line of reasoning.

What I don't accept, is that this dichotomy is a result of the specific interface between retailer and consumer and nothing else. There is plenty of room in the digital space to do videos, plan events and generate community interest. Websites can promote the product and create a space for gamers to engage with each other, like hiring community halls for example. Physicality is no longer as necessary as its been in the past. There are also plenty of physical retailers that do nothing more to engage or promote in the community, other than a sign that says "xxx now in stock!!!!"

So while the brick and mortar/online is an aspect,it's not the whole picture by a long shot.

With that in mind, I wonder if any of the current online retailers - such as CSI and MM - would be able to setup tournaments via Vassal to satisfy the community building aspect and then continue to operate under their current model.

Interesting times.

A better way to get me to buy at my local game store would be if they didn't have a 50% mark up over buying online. :/ Wanted to buy a new Malifaux book yesterday, it ended up being 40 online, including shipping from a different country to 60 in store. I could get Star Wars Armada online, even at just a general online book store, for 90 euros compared to 130 in store. I want to support my local game store but a 50% mark up makes it hard. :/

A better way to get me to buy at my local game store would be if they didn't have a 50% mark up over buying online. :/ Wanted to buy a new Malifaux book yesterday, it ended up being 40 online, including shipping from a different country to 60 in store. I could get Star Wars Armada online, even at just a general online book store, for 90 euros compared to 130 in store. I want to support my local game store but a 50% mark up makes it hard. :/

Telling retailers how much they can sell a product for (other than suggesting a price, "msrp") isn't legal. You deciding to buy stuff somewhere else that is cheaper is perfectly legal, even if the local gameshops and Asmodee don't like it.

MSRP = Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price

I own a business and also having worked in manufacture and distribution on specialty food products I can say that MSRP is SUGGESTED price. Some stores would follow the MSRP, some would add 50% others would sell just above cost as a promotional item.

That's how the market is suppose to work.

Again please don't be weak mentally and think that Asmoodee gives a care about your game store. Its still about them reigning in $$$$$$ for themselves.

This is how I see the current situation:

Turmoil has engulfed the Galactic Republic. The taxation of trade routes to outlying star systems is in dispute.

Hoping to resolve the matter with a blockade of deadly battleships, the greedy Trade Federation has stopped all shipping to the small planet of Naboo.

While the congress of the Republic endlessly debates this alarming chain of events, the Supreme Chancellor has secretly dispatched two Jedi Knights, the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy, to settle the conflict....

...Prequel starships confirmed for Wave 9.

That's an interesting read.

It came across to me that he was saying "gaming stores advertise our products directly to our customers and we give them discounts to 'pay' them for it", followed by "online stores only supply the demand that brick and mortar stores create". So their pricing now works by charging the online stores 'more' to subsidize the brick and mortar stores for doing all the heavy lifting. Online stores have less overheads/more efficient. Brick and mortar have immediacy and community. I get the line of reasoning.

What I don't accept, is that this dichotomy is a result of the specific interface between retailer and consumer and nothing else. There is plenty of room in the digital space to do videos, plan events and generate community interest. Websites can promote the product and create a space for gamers to engage with each other, like hiring community halls for example. Physicality is no longer as necessary as its been in the past. There are also plenty of physical retailers that do nothing more to engage or promote in the community, other than a sign that says "xxx now in stock!!!!"

So while the brick and mortar/online is an aspect,it's not the whole picture by a long shot.

With that in mind, I wonder if any of the current online retailers - such as CSI and MM - would be able to setup tournaments via Vassal to satisfy the community building aspect and then continue to operate under their current model.

Interesting times.

I don't know about CSI, but MM has had monthly in-store tournaments for almost the entire life span of X-Wing.

Everything I know about x-wing comes from online sources I don't have a flgs close by I've never once been influenced by a bricks and mortar store and I don't see why I should pay more for a service I've not and never have gotten.

Because Asmodee seem to believe that there are less people like you, and more people that had their introduction and ongoing interest maintained by brick and mortar stores.

Maybe they're right, maybe they're wrong, maybe it's something else entirely. It would be interesting to see how much extra profit they expect to generate from taking bulk discounts away from what appears to be the bulk buyers of their product.

In the end, they feel whatever they get out of this has more value than the continued patronage of online buyers.

Everything I know about x-wing comes from online sources I don't have a flgs close by I've never once been influenced by a bricks and mortar store and I don't see why I should pay more for a service I've not and never have gotten.

You should get yourself to Element Games in Stockport, Hobo. Or Harlequins in Preston.