75 replies to this topic

[hunterfairbanks]

This just announced in latest Amersand

http://www.wizards.c...amp/2011January

"We have made the decision to depart from prepainted plastic miniatures sets. Lords of Madness stands as the final release under that model. We will continue to release special collector’s sets (such as the Beholder Collector’s Set we released last fall), as well as make use of plastic figures in other product offerings. Check out the Wrath of Ashardalon board game next month for the latest example of this. Moving forward, we will continue to explore more options for players to represent characters and monsters on the tabletop, including Monster Vault and other D&D products that feature monster and character tokens.

[hunterfairbanks]

I have purchased a few of the Reaper PPPMs and am pleased with them. I would like to give some of the money that has been going to Hasbro to Reaper instead if you can get some more goodies out.

[drow]

it's a big open battlemap, now...

[Arkhein]

That seems like an odd move from WotC, but I suppose it's all about Hasbro's bottom line. Wow.

- Ark

[Leader of the Rats]

Well I hope they still make them for their boardgames. I loved Castle Ravenloft, and I will probably love Wrath of Ashardalon too. From what I can see about it though, it looks like they used the same tiles as Ravenloft, (dungeon floor). That's a dumb move. They should have made new ones, cavern tiles I suppose, since the theme is taking place inside a mountain lair (I think).

I'm interrested to see what way they go now especially with the boardgames. As far as I know, Ravenloft sold really well.

[Amalor Myrnnyx]

Considering the quality (cough) of the WotC plastics, I'm surprised they lasted this long, truth to tell.

Oh well. Time to order more primer, I suppose :)

[JoeGKushner]

The scray thing is that the DDM line could have been making money.

Just not 'enough' money.

Then again, with the slow crawl of the Reaper figures, it's not long live Reaper, it's, can Reaper take advantage of this situation by getting some product on the shelf.

Magic 8 ball says shake again latter.

[Inarah]

I'm sure it had as much to do with supporting the tournaments as it with the manufacturing and sales. WotC put a LOT of time and money into tourneys.

[drow]

they put the same time and money into MtG tournaments, though. minis just not as popular in comparison?

[Leader of the Rats]

I'll bet alot had to do with the collectability factor. Everyone I know hates it, the collectable cards, minis, anything where they have to buy a box and hope they get something cool inside. It seems the sales for individual minis on ebay is doing well.

[Nanite]

Let this be a lesson to everyone:  Blind boxed minis are a failure.  Never try it.  Prepainted Plastic?  Fine.  Just for the love of all that is polymer don't make them random blindboxes!


There are only three remaining random miniature lines I can think of:

That one fantasy historical wot I don't recall the name of.

Monsterpocalype

HeroClix

Good odds two of those are not long for this world.

[Leader of the Rats]

I just read that WOTC shut down HeroScape too! That was a product that seemed to sell really well, at least I always had a hard time finding stores that had any stock left (that means it sold well right?) and acording to boardgamegeek, alot of people there are upset about it.

[hunterfairbanks]

DDM-KIA
SWM-KIA (star wars)
Heroscape-KIA
Dreamblade-KIA

Axis and Allies minis is the only pre-painted plastic minis game Hasbro has left I think.

As far as I know for pre-painted plastic minis Reaper is al that we have left.

[Doug Sundseth]

Let this be a lesson to everyone: Blind boxed minis are a failure. Never try it. Prepainted Plastic? Fine. Just for the love of all that is polymer don't make them random blindboxes!

Disagree.

Say what you like about whether you like randomized miniatures (and many people have said many uncomplimentary things), the random reward structure of collectible cards and miniatures sells product. (The strategy hits the same reward triggers that slot machines hit.)

WotC sold huge numbers of boxes of random figures and many fewer boxes with partially random figures. And Reaper hasn't sold anything like those numbers* of unrandomized figures, even though their sculpts and paint jobs are orders of magnitude better.

* Speculation; I don't have access to either company's sales figures. But I'd put fairly serious money on a bet that I'm right.

[Nanite]

Let this be a lesson to everyone: Blind boxed minis are a failure. Never try it. Prepainted Plastic? Fine. Just for the love of all that is polymer don't make them random blindboxes!

Disagree.

Say what you like about whether you like randomized miniatures (and many people have said many uncomplimentary things), the random reward structure of collectible cards and miniatures sells product. (The strategy hits the same reward triggers that slot machines hit.)

WotC sold huge numbers of boxes of random figures and many fewer boxes with partially random figures. And Reaper hasn't sold anything like those numbers* of unrandomized figures, even though their sculpts and paint jobs are orders of magnitude better.

* Speculation; I don't have access to either company's sales figures. But I'd put fairly serious money on a bet that I'm right.

I think it's an apples and oranges.  While yes, the compulsive, collectible, aspect may encourage sales initially, it's an unsustainable model with miniatures.  Especially miniatures that tie into a game.


Miniatures are not trading cards.