Comfortably numb.

It's been a month since I left my hobby accounts on social media because I needed more time (and sleeping less isn't a real option) but that doesn't mean I've been living in a cave, not knowing about how GW screwed a lot of model painters and gamers (again).

Beatings will continue until morale improves.

Looks like I was right when I talked about the FOMO strategy directed to boost GW direct sales. After looking at their last report they are cashing a lot since the pandemic hit, and Brexit didn't make a dent on their ceramite suits. But the prices, oh the prices! Now Space Marines cost 10€ per model and a single sprue may sell for more than 100€ (Hello, Radukar's Court).

Looks like the strategy used in Indomitus, Piety & Pain and Cursed City is the new normal. A quick launch with little or no information about the product life (if it's limited or not), sold out in minutes, followed by a social media outrage; in part because of the scalpers doing their shit, but mainly because lots of working people miss the time window when the box is available (maybe you don't know, but some humans work on saturdays and others use 2 or 3 steps verification processes when buying online, and that's not counting site overloads and disconnections).

So, with the new releases is near to impossible to plan ahead if you are on a low budget. It's now or never (well, not never, but if you can't pay double it's indeed a no-no situation for you).

And this is how the new rumored Dominion box is coming. We already saw the Stormcasts and we're waiting to see the "spindly orcs" in a week. The hype train is running, lots of people want the new edition (limited ed) box and I'm betting on hundreds of people being disappointed by the fake scarcity again. Pay now or pay double.

And now add more limited edition models you can only buy at US competitions/ stores and you've got a legion of happy scalpers laughing at our faces.

So, all things considered, this goatish son of a witch will continue a very conservative approach to buying models and games. I've come to terms with myself and I've only bought one box in 2021 and zero bits or sprues for conversions (there's only a week left for June). That's a total record since I came back to model painting and, all things said, I'm not the only one in my circle doing this. GW made their numbers, we did ours.

I can't get over the fact that every painted model picture, meme, speculation tweet or article* is, in fact, free advertising for GW, but I think it's fair to speak out about this stuff and make things differently: All those "awesome release" and linked posts your heroes post every day are paid. Those links you click are the reason they get free stuff, so they're entitled to do that, but What's your excuse?

See you next week,

Wilbur out.

(*) Yes, like this one. Oh, the irony.