WotC may have sent the Pinkertons to a magic leakers home. Update: WotC confirms it and has a response.

[Faolyn]

So...if we know it's not effective...why are we doing it?

People like getting revenge.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

If I worked for a game company, I'm not sure I'd be thrilled to be sent by my bosses to an unknown situation in order to recover what may be stolen goods. There are legitimate security concerns - concerns that a security company like the Pinkertons are better equipped and trained to handle than a game company. So I'm on board with WotC hiring someone else to go into that situation. The question is: who?

There are a lot of other investigators out there, including ones who work for WotC's law firms (many, maybe most, organizations have several, each of whom specialize in different fields). I would send a nice, friendly, non-threatening person who could get the information they wanted by playing Good Cop.

But then, I've always been a bigger fan of Persuasion rather than Intimidation.

 

[cranberry]

Because I don't assume that everything Wizards does is automatically bad just because they're Wizards, and I have yet to see a convincing argument for why this specific incident was a big deal.

As others have said, they could have handled it differently, and provided examples of what other companies did following a leak.

It's important to pay attention to behavior patterns, and how they react to "threats".

 

[ersatzphil]

I can't discount an honest error happening. But when you have a company with a history of "leaks" combined with rampant speculation among fans that a new model for this primarch would be forthcoming it gives me pause.

You know? Having reflected a bit, I suspect we’re both right. I do agree that over the last several years, GW rumors have shifted from being rampant speculation to a pretty darn accurate timeline of the release schedule, but that doesn’t preclude the possibility that they don’t appear to be able to run their warehouse well.

They’re not alone, of course - I have a friend who regularly orders from Wizkids, and he routinely receives duplicates of items, and occasionally just flat out someone else’s order.

 

[Cadence]

As others have said, they could have handled it differently, and provided examples of what other companies did following a leak.

It's important to pay attention to behavior patterns, and how they react to "threats".

Do they regularly do things like this for leaks (a pattern?) or have they failed to do so for multiple leaks (no pattern)?

 

[Weiley31]

This is like sending the Mafia to recover these cards.

I think you mean "legitimate businessmen"

 

[ersatzphil]

Official statement from WotC on the matter:

As part of an investigation into the unauthorized distribution and disclosure of embargoed product, we repeatedly attempted to contact an individual who had received unreleased cards. After that outreach was unsuccessful, an investigator visited him and asked that he reach out to us as part of our investigation and return the embargoed product and packaging. He agreed to do both. The unreleased product will be replaced by us with the product he intended to purchase. We appreciate the individual’s cooperation and the investigation is ongoing.

 

[trappedslider]

Do they regularly do things like this for leaks (a pattern?) or have they failed to do so for multiple leaks (no pattern)?

They have done a variety of different things including an out of court settlement.

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

Official statement from WotC on the matter:

As part of an investigation into the unauthorized distribution and disclosure of embargoed product, we repeatedly attempted to contact an individual who had received unreleased cards. After that outreach was unsuccessful, an investigator visited him and asked that he reach out to us as part of our investigation and return the embargoed product and packaging. He agreed to do both. The unreleased product will be replaced by us with the product he intended to purchase. We appreciate the individual’s cooperation and the investigation is ongoing.

The plot thickens.

 

[cranberry]

Do they regularly do things like this for leaks (a pattern?) or have they failed to do so for multiple leaks (no pattern)?

The specific incident doesn't matter. It's how they respond to the incident. And IMO, with both the OGL and this leak, they chose poorly.