yeah,
Looking for my local Kessel Run I found out there are only 2 stores listed in London (UK)
http://www.esdeviumgames.com/news-and-press/

One Store Leisure Games (London) is way over on the other side of town (1hour trip I used to buy magic cards there.. good store )
update #1 : Leisure Games are not giving away the Prize support… They are keeping the Prizes!

The other store OG Games (London) is a online store?? I've facebooked them about Kessel Run.
http://www.facebook.com/oggames/posts/439246402801682?comment_id=65627821¬if_t=feed_comment_reply
Update #2 : they have a club night run in a pub… So far there is no actual detail of running Kessel Run at the club.

Looks like If I want wave 2 early I'm playing Kessel Run via eBay?

This deal is getting worse all the time!

Panic…

Wow! That's still quite a list of participating stores in England! I'm hoping just to find one or two around Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Actually the problem is with Esdevium, that list is inacurate and is in fact just a list of stores that sells the product. I have spoken to several store owners on the list who just had no idea such an event was even being run.

Stormtrooper721 said:

We are having an event in Saskatoon on the 28th of Dec. if interested. Contact me.

I hope that FFG calls every store and verifies that it will be ran, and tries to attend random tournements. I think this would be a great show of support for Xwings, and also get the stores that FFG selected that didnt follow through with what they have been given, black-listed from events that limited numbers were allowed to participate in.

So,
The guys at OGgames FaceBook don't seem to know about kessel Run and think it is probabily being held at their 'club'!

It turns out that OGgames Club is held at a pub in Wansworth. On Monday and Thursday nights. and costs £2 to play.
It looks like a cool club they have a stock of their own games bought by the members entry fees…

Their are lots of issues with this?
1st - under 18s will most likely not be able to play as it's in a Youngs pub - youngs are a chain of old style / old mans ale serving public houses.
2nd - I thought Kessel Run events were free? This club is £2 entry… I guessing to cover the private room hire.
3rd - Kessel Run says it will happen at the week ends? This club meets on Mondays and Thursdays??
4th - This is a club that it seems is run by the stores customers for the customers -
I have a 'club' of friends who have a stock of our own games… wheres my kessel run pack!

I'm starting to think that either their supplier just signed them up / or the club applied to get hold of the expansions early (can't blame them!)

But it seems That this is not the publically available Kessel Run event as promised by FFG!

Panic…

yeah,

So I checked out the details of Kessel Run at Leisure Games (the only other store in London doing the Event)
they have this quote on their websites event calendar:

"The FFG web site states that the ships used in this event will be given as prizes, however we want to give more people a chance to see and play with these fantastic miniatures so we will be using them for other events."

So they are not giving away the Prize support as prizes!?
So I've got NO chance of Winning a wave two ship here in London…


FFG! need to sort themselves out… it's just one disappointment after another.


Panic…

I would not blame FFG on this one. They want to get a few of the ships to fans. They set this up do that can happen. This is the only way I see, besides them setting up events, that they can do this. They can't check every game shop that says they will hold the event. That would take to long. Ultimately it's up to the game shop I they will just keep the ships.

pitsch said:

No, but they can check every event via contacting. I just hope they get blacklisted when something else happens that is rather awesome.

The Leisure Games thing is outrageous. You don't get the luxury of getting prize support from FFG for this tournament only to choose to pocket them for your store. I'm pretty sure doing so is tantamount to fraud, considering the whole point of this tournament is to get these ships into fans' hands sooner than February. I have sent out some PMs and emails to figure out if there is any way to report a retailer who is fraudulently running a tournament, as I will be doing so in this case.

Isn't it fraud - albeit a petty one - to get a load of free stuff from FFG and then just keep it?

yeah,
I think it sucks big time!!

pitsch said:

1st pack has been sent to a private gamers club
2nd is being kept by a gready Store Owner - 'for future events'

pitsch said:

Golden tickets hidden in chocolate bars would be better than what the've done so far…

Panic…

Like I said earlier, the Esdevium list is incorrect. That first retailer almost certainly did not get a Kessel Run pack, which you have to purchase via Esdevium btw and it not sent out to retailers for free. The game club would not be able to get a Kessel Run pack, the shop would need to directly buy it from Esdevium, and if they're saying they don't know anything about it then they are not getting one.

For example Mana Leak is also listed on the Esdevium list, however the owner of the store, Tu N'gyuen, knew nothing about this event or its availability and is not holding one. If you also check out the map below the list it has every single retailer of X-wing in the UK on it.

The second store is a different matter. I am pretty sure that is just straight-up wrong but we'd need to get official word from FFG on this one. Remember the store does actually need to buy the Kessel Run pack, so maybe they have some discretion in it's use, although I doubt it.

Pretty sure the same thing is going on here in Missouri. A shop called Thompson Productions L.L.C. -Warrensburg, MO in the middle of now where is hosting an event. They have no website even. It's also great that they gaves Kansas City area 3 events, but my area 0, I have to drive at least 100 miles.

Here's my answer from Esdevium Games:

*****

Hey Cody,

Thank you for informing us, nothing underhand is happening here. As the Kessel run and indeed the X-wing game are proving to be very popular, some stores want to run more than one event, though due to availability obtaining multiple kits for stores is not practical. Leisure Games is intending on running 2 events in 2 locations, the later one they will be making the ships available as prizes.

Kind Regards

Oliver McAllister
Telesales Manager
Esdevium Games Ltd.

*****

So apparently this store is okay since they will still be giving them away… but that begs the question… What's the point of playing in the first tournament? And if I were a winner of the second event, I might be a little concerned with how many people they were allowing to manhandle my Falcon or Slave I. Still, at least there isn't any out and out fraud here.

sverigesson said:

Still uncool if you ask me (against the spirit and probably the letter of what they had to agree to to get an event). I am going to write FFG about this, too. I encourage anyone who is running into this sort of problem to contact FFG ASAP.

Its one thing if they had a "preview" event, then on the kessel run weekend they had the official tourney… but 2 "kessel run" events where only 1 will get you prizes is pretty lame.

Just to correct some points which have been made.

Leisure Games has not entered into any agreement with FFG regarding the Kessel Run kits, so we are not proposing to break any agreement, and so 'fraud' is an extremely strong word to use, and I do not like it being associated with Leisure Games. Please do not use it unless someone points out how this is fraudulent.

We, the same as all other retailers, are paying for the single kit that we are allowed to buy. They are not free promotional items.

Our intention has never been to keep for ourselves these miniatures which we are buying.

What we do intend to do is to get more people playing the game and previewing the new ships. We thought, and still do think, that the main objective of this event should be to get more people enjoying the game rather than focussing on getting free stuff.

Also to correct a slight misunderstanding, what we said is that we plan to award the miniatures after the second event. Maybe we did not make it clear enough that the winner of each event would receive a prize.

Somebody suggested that we are doing this to make more money. The miniatures will not be available to buy at the time of the tournaments, so we will not be making any money that way. We are not charging any entry fee, so we will not be making any money that way. We will be providing the kits, the venue (with lighting and heating) and the staff to oversee the events. We do of course hope that it will strengthen the local gaming community, and the awareness of this game, which hopefully in the long run will make us some return on this. We are, after all, a business trying to survive and pay our staff's wages.

If Fantasy Flight don't like this plan I am sure they will contact me and we can discuss it.

Leisure Games said:

Whatever your intentions are to 'grow the community', you've already annoyed at least one player by not participating in the prescribed manner. So, I fail to see how diverting from the advertised event's format is in any way beneficial. Expectations have been formed by FFG, and by diverging from that, you are doing more damage than good. I would personally advise that you stick to the program.

Panic said:

That is total and utter bullsh*t.

I know the guys who run the shop VERY well and they're not the type to do that.

You realy should get your facts right before spreading rubbish about honest people!

CaptainRook said:

it may not be a written agreement, but surely there would be some conditions that go along with ordering one of the 'Kessel Run' Packs that the pack is used in the final round of the tournament and that the winner will have 1st pick at one of the ships in that pack and the next 3 positions will be able to pick a ship each. With the final two going to the organizer rather than having two tournaments with the winner of the 1st day getting some other prize. If that was the case I'd only turn up on the 2nd day as should I enter a tournament and find I could not win on that day what was publicized as being the prize I would be massively p'd off.

You may not want to focus on the free stuff, but every one that has heard of the Kessel Run event will be focusing on the free stuff, and not to give it away at the 1st tournament will annoy people. Plus if multiple people will be using the new models in matches in both tournaments and people are a bit rough to win something that has been quite well manhandled may not sit well with people either.

Why not charge an entry fee as well? The event I'm heading to (I don't live anywhere near london) is charging £5 which I think is pretty reasonable I have no idea how many people will turn up as you need a tournament legal squad to enter. if only 4 people turn up then I'm guaranteed a ship for a fiver (a win for me) and I get to meet some new people and it gets some revenue back to the shop as well, if many people turn up then it is a definite win for the shop and for all involved.

I agree with CaptainRook that sticking with the prescribed program would be the best bet.

yeah,

Leviatham said:

I quoted this from the stores own website
"The FFG web site states that the ships used in this event will be given as prizes, however we want to give more people a chance to see and play with these fantastic miniatures so we will be using them for other events."

I may have exaggerated what they are doing with them.. exaggeration happens on the internet…
why are you getting upset?
My main point stands they aren't giving the Kessel Run Prizes to the Kessel Run Event Winners.
Which IMO actually doesn't seem all that 'Honest' when I think about it…

I don't understand what Leisure Games are doing? and as mentioned above I'd prefer it if the stuck with the program.
I wont be going to their Kessel Run. Which is a shame, it's been a while since I've shopped there.

And as FFG seem to have no other active Kessel Run Stores in London running the event as stated… its a sad times for X-wing gamers in London.

Panic…

I really can't understand how people can behave this way. I've read and re-read this entire thread and I just don't see why people are so venomous about this. Lets sumarize events here. There are shops that run events for free. You can come, use the shop's space, play games for free, in a tournament organized by the shop, and then complain that you're not getting free stuff essentially? Wonderful.

Ok, I get it, FFG said there will be prizes. Well, if FFG provided those prizes for free, they'd have some say in how they're distributed. Unfortunately, shops have to pay for stock to have the privilege of providing these prizes. But you know what? Leisure Games is giving them away and are not even charging for entry, just not quite how you expected it. Yet still you complain. I think it's admirable that they're trying to get more use out of those ships. London after all is a big place, and I don't think there's that much gaming space that they have. They want more people to have a chance to play the game and I see nothing wrong with that. So before you all start shouting 'I want my free stuff' have a good think about how you come across to everyone else. Shame on you.

Leisure Games said:

I agree with what others have said. When you applied you clicked the link on the page that explained the event (http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=3721). It is very clear that you are supposed to run the event in a certain manner give 4 away as prizes to the top 4 players. Deviating from the event rules just pisses people off and gives you a bad name. Some stores here in the US are charging $5 per person, and some are charging $10 per person. I think it is in the spirt of the event for stores to charge a small fee to cover the expense (I hope these stores even end up making some money because you get a lot of participants). But, your totally violating what is written about the event is wrong in both the spirit and letter of how FFG advertised the event (and, I hope they do discuss it with you if they have the manpower… but even if not it's not too late for you to do the right thing). Not sure if it is technially fraud (guess that depends on what you said and had to sign when you applied), but it is certainly very bad form.

EDIT: And, I think failure to offer prize support generally reduces and not increases participation.

El_Tonio said:

Why would that be? I could understand if the Players spent the time and Money to attend the event only to have these changes dropped on them day of. Yes, that would piss people off.

So the Game Store changes the parameters of the event., As long as it anounces the changes it well enough in advance for all potential players to decide whether they want to attend, I don't see where the problem is.

I would understand if FFG provided the LGSs the Prize suport free of charge. This is not the case. The Stores have to 'Purchace" the kits which, coinciidentally happens to be about the same cost as if they were purchacing them from FFG or their distributors. It's their goods, they paid for it, thay may do with it what they see best for their Business. As long as they are transparent well in advance, they may do what they please.

I find all the angst over this event very dissapointing. I mean really! One can't wait for two months for some Models? Sad.