They are going to do it next year but with the current market GW is holding off so it can let the Ind retailers grow.
blackwolf
· 10 months ago
Its too bad I have been going to the LA gt for the last 5 years but there is now way I will be driving 400+ miles to go to a battle bunker. What GW forgot is that people who live in the southwest went to LA but probably won't be able to go to any of the other ones.
Anonymous
· 10 months ago
Seriously, the LA Games Day is the only one I can go to and this was going to be the year I convinced my roomate to go to his first Games Day. This sucks...
Jaradakar
· 10 months ago
I don't understand the logic of "holding off so it can let the ind retailers grow". How does hosting a big conference that is all GW related going to hold back ind retailers?
I'd understand if:
A) Turn out was low and not covering the cost of location, etc. B) Too expensive to have etc.
But that excuse just does not cut it for me Darkwynn.
What's the real deal? Why no Game Day LA?
Anonymous
· 10 months ago
The site says that it's because there'll be a lot of expenditure in the LA region centered on expansion and development. I guess it comes down to opening more stores and holding off until there are more hobbyists in the area to better support the event?
Jaradakar
· 10 months ago
<Crosses fingers> Let's hope this means they'll be opening a store farther south... say the Spectrum.
Archaon's Pet Bunny
· 10 months ago
Let's hope they replace the current managers at the two LA stores. They are NOBS.
meow
· 10 months ago
HAHAHAHAHA totally! those guys have been there forever too. I used to go to the block and the manager was super cool. always giving out cool prizes for painting contests etc. then the current manager at the battle bunker took over the block and Fed it all up. its never been the same since
FabricatorGeneral
· 10 months ago
Did anyone SEE the MIDDENHEIM Table!? What part of Hollywood FX artists making wargaming tables don't they understand?! (!!1one!)
L33T
· 10 months ago
wot table i dint c it an i was there
oone11!!!
FabricatorGeneral
· 10 months ago
OMGWTFBBQ
But seriously. I would have gone had the price been lower. As it is, the dwarf slayer I got sits in the package and I gave the orc mini away to a friend. Anythign to get that price down and get more bodies through the door to pay for what we came for: gaming and big crowds, deafening WAAGHS! and being amazed at the time some people put into this "hobby"
Shin_Ra
· 10 months ago
>:( i im sorly pissed i missed my chance to go the last 2yrs though im still fairly new to the game i rly wonted to buy some forgeworld model there. . . i tihnk im giogn to cry
David
· 10 months ago
No West Coast love... Its disheartening to say the least. How about Seattle, Portland, or maybe SanFransisco?
Sixsystems
· 10 months ago
They don't really like us, David. You'll notice that they have done nothing to put a bunker in Portland, or even an official store. Over 2 million people in the greater Portland metro area and a thriving gaming community but no store, no bunker, no real concern. Sure we've got a wee modelling store or two that sell GW products, but the staff isn't really that into it IMO.
If they were really interested in increasing their business share, perhaps they'd try to gain more of a market share here... of course, I'm not that social of a gamer- so maybe there aren't that many players on the west coast...
Tim
· 10 months ago
they have pulled the store in Richmond Va too.... profitable store.... but the profit margin was too low I guess...
evil_bryan
· 10 months ago
Don't be too quick to sell Portland short. We have a thriving gaming community and local club. We have an annual Fantasy and 40K event that draws nearly 150 players from the Northwest.
I too find it shocking we don't have a GW store in the local area; but at least we have a strong collection of local gaming stores.
Sixsystems
· 10 months ago
Sorry- I didn't mean to sell Portland as a non-gaming community. I know that there are a number of rabid (in a good way) fans that can't wait to get together and kill the sh*t out of each others armies. I am just disappointed, as you are, that GW hasn't shown the slighted interest in our part of the country (read: Oregon).
Shoot me an email sometime- you seem like a decent person to game with. And, don't worry, I save being a jerk for the Internet (and traffic!).
Herald of Nurgle
· 10 months ago
When I entered San Francisco for the first time (British, so not many chances for me to go), I found ofc that they've even closed the GW in SF. Pure Unfiltered Annoyance, eh?
phill
· 10 months ago
you mean the one in the metreon is gone?
Bradley Wiggins
· 10 months ago
long gone! They closed it over a year ago. I loved the location, but I never actually played or spent money there...
Bradley Wiggins
· 10 months ago
I can attest to there not being a big interest here in the bay area. They've been shutting down more and more stores here.
Fulminata
· 10 months ago
Really? The only one I know of other than the Metreon that they closed recently was the Concord store in Sun Valley Mall and they just replaced that one with the one in Alamo a few months later.
It may just be that with strong independent stores, like Endgame in Oakland and Black Diamond in Concord among others, that GW sees less incentive to set up shop in an area that up until recently has been extremely high rent.
As for LA, it's become something of a Bermuda Triangle for gaming conventions. Costs are high, but the overall density of the gaming population doesn't equal that of the East Coast, which results in less revenue overall. GenCon could never make a go of it there either. GW probably figures that people are going to be even less inclined to travel there for a Games Day given the current economy.
Bradley Wiggins
· 10 months ago
I live in the south bay, and play with small group of people who have had difficulty finding other players. I have heard of groups on the eastside, so maybe there are just more players over that way.
CT
· 10 months ago
Too bad for the LA folks (I've really missed the Altlanta GD since it was cut). If we're willing to pay for plane tickets can we all stay at your place Brass? :)
Maine
· 10 months ago
My club in LA was planning to do a table, event, banner, costumes... sigh.
Games Day LA was a fun vacation for my wife and I... albeit too damned expensive in the end. Spent $1500 by the time it was all said and done... damn you ForgeWorld!
Faolain
· 10 months ago
Let's hope that expansion funding includes a shop in the Antelope valley. Unlikely, but I can hope.
D6Veteran
· 10 months ago
Here's to hoping they move the tournament into it's own hall/room. At the Chicago 08 Games Day the tournaments were in the same large hall and the noise was deafening. Couldn't hear your opponent, or the refs, or yourself think. It was liking trying to play a tournament in the middle of a circus.
LEGION3000
· 10 months ago
I doubt it. Every games day I have been to has always been in one giant hall.
Archaon's Pet Bunny
· 10 months ago
What a boring, piece of crap, predictable mini. If only there was another Space Marine.
What the hell is wrong with his helmet?
Forhekset
· 10 months ago
If by wrong you mean AWESOME, then yeah.
Archaon's Pet Bunny
· 10 months ago
No, by wrong I mean, the eyes aren't level, and it looks like a meat helmet made in Rangoon.
The eyes are fine the holes are just shaped differently.
Forhekset
· 10 months ago
What drugs are you on the eyes are completely level, they just have different details.
phoenix01
· 10 months ago
I'd prefer a Space Marine too, but I like that it's now optional with a lower entry price.
Anon
· 10 months ago
the actual reason is not 4 the ind retailers, but they are channeling that money for another wave of stores in so cal, not the ones opening in about 2 months.
valhallan42nd
· 10 months ago
I'm looking forward to it. It's been years since I've gone, and I'm finally in Baltimore again.
gwmaniac
· 10 months ago
hmmm....i read on the community site that they were focusing on expanding hobby centers in the L.A. area. Let's hope they reopen the Ventura one, I loved that place (mostly cuz I lived ten minutes from it), now I have to go down to the Glendale one that's an hour and a half away. As for the Games Day, I'm not too disappointed, I like going to GW Hobby Center events anyway, they're free and you still get a bunch of freebies (well, at least you do at my GW)
miniaturepeddler
· 10 months ago
The orphaning of the West Coast is disheartening!!
The purpose of Gamesday was to promote the game and to promote visibility of gaming groups and gaming stores in a neutral arena. So we lose another arena.
Local Gaming groups will not travel the 2000 miles to reach Chicago or even further Baltimore.
In fact Chicago is absolutely next door to the Toronto, and given the reports of the massive drop in attendence for the Chicago, event, it should have been the one dropped.
I have attended the LA Gamesday for several years and have seen it go from the LAX area hotel out to the suburbs of Ontario, neither one providing easy access to inexpensive local eateriers but at least providing local hotels.
Gencon Socal's mistake was to jump into a convention center that was heavily controlled by Unions and not small vendor/retail friendly. They saw a yearly growth of 5% a year, but demanded a 20% growth, so closed down. If they had instead started out with a convention orginally hosted in a hotel convention center and grown, instead of pretentiosly trying to be all and utilize a large city convention center, then they would still be around.
GW should have noted this and learned from it, instead they only hosted with a City convention center and flew massive numbers of employees from all throughout the region to work the event.
Hard to make money that way!
Scheel
· 10 months ago
I'm a bit disappointed by this decision also, I was hoping to take my friends kid down and get him even more excited about playing WH40K.
LEGION3000
· 10 months ago
What they need to do is make one that is nearly central. Since Atlanta shut down the south has been SOL. They should do one in Memphis. They already have a battle bunker there so interest must be pretty high. Not to mention it isn't too bad of a drive for everyone from North texas to Georgia up to St. Louis.
I used to ref the Atl GD and Baltimore too. Baltimore is an awesome setup, too bad the city is such an armpit outside the riverwalk and the fort. Once you have done that there isn't much to do without a car.
Such a shame about the LA GD. I have never been, but that is really cutting off a major portion of the country.
The drop in price is a genious idea. It was hard to talk friends into coming for $40 bucks a pop and a miniature you probably have no use for. (I probably got 4 unpainted orcs still in bags somewhere.) But for $25 I can see a lot more people coming just for a peek. And that is an extra $15 you can spend on something you really want.
AndyAkins
· 10 months ago
Yah, I was really bummed when they stopped GD Atlanta - I just don't have the time or money to travel around the country to other cons. Luckily, The Big Waaagh last year in Memphis was a good deal of fun, and I plan on making the trip again. But I would like to have a closer GD as well...
Havik110
· 10 months ago
you know I would love to go to a games day but we need one down south. Jacksonville or Orlando Florida would be great venues. Please GW, hear the poor southerner's cries who cannot afford to fly north right now...
Everyone help this man in his ambitions, please. Is Kansas central enough for you Chicago-ans? (pulled from the feed at right)
fade_74
· 10 months ago
Thats really pretty cool. I think Mr' Youngblood is a credit to gamers everywhere. Go Kansas! lol
Digitarii
· 10 months ago
I live in Las Vegas and the LA games day was the closest event outside of an RTT I had. Leave it to GW to foul things up as usual.
Although, I have to admit that the LAGD was never as impressive as the Baltimore GD. Went twice, just don't feel like dealing with the Airport BS anymore than necessary in the current climate.
g.
· 10 months ago
there is at least one new store opening, + many of the stores are themselves expanding and being remodeled, which is expensive, however for those able to make it to the LA bunker it will probably be worth your while, also I expect next years games day will be doubly good (but don't get me wrong I will miss it)
RobK
· 10 months ago
Yeah southerners have been feeling the cold from GW ever since they pulled GD Atlanta a few years ago. They tell us it's because of low turnout, not enough support, etc.
I was there, and the place was packed. If anything was wrong with the Games Day, it was the lack of GW support for the 40k tournament (which was also fully booked). Perhaps it is the general economic slowdown that prompted these moves, but I feel GW should then tell us that. Some of the explanations I've heard sound like a 'blame the victim' approach. I will grant, though, that most of these 'explanations' were through employees that probably aren't in corporate communications.
rob0362
· 10 months ago
Orlando or Jacksonville are you Crazy! They had it in Atlanta and That is the Largest City in the Southeast but they for some unknown reason chose a bad location but it had a VERY large Crowd EVERY YEAR and they even did a GT here and it sold out(even thought they ran it Horrible). So if they hit the South again it will be Atlanta hell they have no stores in the Southeast and poor support for the local FGS
CT
· 10 months ago
Isn't there a GW store in Buford, GA or did it close? I have to agree Atlanta is probably the best location in the Southeast. My next choices would be major cities in Tennessee; maybe Knoxville if it has a big enough convention center (mostly because they are all central locations). No offense to Havik110 but Orlando and Jacksonville are only good locations for people in Florida and those willing to fly there.
IAN
· 9 months ago
I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE 2009 GAMES DAY IT WILL BE THE FIRST ONE I HAVE GONE TO SEE YOU ALL IN CHICAGO
All Comments
They are going to do it next year but with the current market GW is holding off so it can let the Ind retailers grow.
I'd understand if:
A) Turn out was low and not covering the cost of location, etc.
B) Too expensive to have etc.
But that excuse just does not cut it for me Darkwynn.
What's the real deal? Why no Game Day LA?
oone11!!!
But seriously. I would have gone had the price been lower. As it is, the dwarf slayer I got sits in the package and I gave the orc mini away to a friend. Anythign to get that price down and get more bodies through the door to pay for what we came for: gaming and big crowds, deafening WAAGHS! and being amazed at the time some people put into this "hobby"
How about Seattle, Portland, or maybe SanFransisco?
If they were really interested in increasing their business share, perhaps they'd try to gain more of a market share here... of course, I'm not that social of a gamer- so maybe there aren't that many players on the west coast...
I too find it shocking we don't have a GW store in the local area; but at least we have a strong collection of local gaming stores.
Shoot me an email sometime- you seem like a decent person to game with. And, don't worry, I save being a jerk for the Internet (and traffic!).
It may just be that with strong independent stores, like Endgame in Oakland and Black Diamond in Concord among others, that GW sees less incentive to set up shop in an area that up until recently has been extremely high rent.
As for LA, it's become something of a Bermuda Triangle for gaming conventions. Costs are high, but the overall density of the gaming population doesn't equal that of the East Coast, which results in less revenue overall. GenCon could never make a go of it there either. GW probably figures that people are going to be even less inclined to travel there for a Games Day given the current economy.
Games Day LA was a fun vacation for my wife and I... albeit too damned expensive in the end. Spent $1500 by the time it was all said and done... damn you ForgeWorld!
What the hell is wrong with his helmet?
Perhaps it was made for this fellow, from the Goonies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHwCZiZLZsQ&NR=1 - because that's about where the freaking eyes sit.
The purpose of Gamesday was to promote the game and to promote visibility of gaming groups and gaming stores in a neutral arena. So we lose another arena.
Local Gaming groups will not travel the 2000 miles to reach Chicago or even further Baltimore.
In fact Chicago is absolutely next door to the Toronto, and given the reports of the massive drop in attendence for the Chicago, event, it should have been the one dropped.
I have attended the LA Gamesday for several years and have seen it go from the LAX area hotel out to the suburbs of Ontario, neither one providing easy access to inexpensive local eateriers but at least providing local hotels.
Gencon Socal's mistake was to jump into a convention center that was heavily controlled by Unions and not small vendor/retail friendly. They saw a yearly growth of 5% a year, but demanded a 20% growth, so closed down. If they had instead started out with a convention orginally hosted in a hotel convention center and grown, instead of pretentiosly trying to be all and utilize a large city convention center, then they would still be around.
GW should have noted this and learned from it, instead they only hosted with a City convention center and flew massive numbers of employees from all throughout the region to work the event.
Hard to make money that way!
I used to ref the Atl GD and Baltimore too. Baltimore is an awesome setup, too bad the city is such an armpit outside the riverwalk and the fort. Once you have done that there isn't much to do without a car.
Such a shame about the LA GD. I have never been, but that is really cutting off a major portion of the country.
The drop in price is a genious idea. It was hard to talk friends into coming for $40 bucks a pop and a miniature you probably have no use for. (I probably got 4 unpainted orcs still in bags somewhere.) But for $25 I can see a lot more people coming just for a peek. And that is an extra $15 you can spend on something you really want.
Everyone help this man in his ambitions, please. Is Kansas central enough for you Chicago-ans? (pulled from the feed at right)
Although, I have to admit that the LAGD was never as impressive as the Baltimore GD. Went twice, just don't feel like dealing with the Airport BS anymore than necessary in the current climate.
I was there, and the place was packed. If anything was wrong with the Games Day, it was the lack of GW support for the 40k tournament (which was also fully booked). Perhaps it is the general economic slowdown that prompted these moves, but I feel GW should then tell us that. Some of the explanations I've heard sound like a 'blame the victim' approach. I will grant, though, that most of these 'explanations' were through employees that probably aren't in corporate communications.
They had it in Atlanta and That is the Largest City in the Southeast but they for some unknown reason chose a bad location but it had a VERY large Crowd EVERY YEAR and they even did a GT here and it sold out(even thought they ran it Horrible). So if they hit the South again it will be Atlanta hell they have no stores in the Southeast and poor support for the local FGS