Diamond Comic Distributors Files Bankruptcy, Sells Alliance Game Distributors

The parent company of one of the key tabletop industry gatekeepers has filed for bankruptcy. Alliance Game Distributors is set to be acquired by Universal Distribution.

According to the filings the company owes money to various tabletop industry creditors (thanks to @Abstruse for the list):

• Wizards of the Coast: $914,602
• Hasbro (separately): $1,064,378
• Catalyst Game Labs (BattleTech, Shadowrun, Voltron): $401,483
• Army Painter Ap5 (miniature paint manufacturer): $316,296
• Publisher Services, Inc (board game and TTRPG distributor): $223,141

Also, NECA is owed $2,682,994. This is mostly from collectibles, but NECA also owns WizKids and Alliance handled distribution for HeroClix and their various D&D/Pathfinder miniature lines.

You can see a more complete list of all of the companies owed money over at comicsbeat.com.

 

[chuckdee]

Apparently those who have product on consignment with Diamond are going to lose their stock!

 

[chuckdee]

Distributors don’t do Kickstarter fulfilment.

Some do - I know that Indie Press Revolution does fulfillment for some projects.

 

[Wofano Wotanto]

That sucks for Goodman. I will buy MORE of their stuff to help them.

Out of curiosity, do you still feel that way after the whole "back in bed with Judges' Guild for City-State" thing?

 

[SteveC]

There are a lot of companies, many of them smaller, that are going to take a huge hit on this. If a company that you like is affected, I'd suggest picking up that adventure or supplement you've been thinking about but holding off on. Such a sad situation.

 

[CommodoreKong]

There are a lot of companies, many of them smaller, that are going to take a huge hit on this. If a company that you like is affected, I'd suggest picking up that adventure or supplement you've been thinking about but holding off on. Such a sad situation.

The combination of tariffs, people pulling back on discretionary spending due to the slowing US economy/layoffs and now this will probably bankrupt some companies.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I canceled my Diamond account after 25+ years. End of an Era. The only thing worse than Diamond post-bankruptcy is Diamond under its new management!

 

[SteveC]

The combination of tariffs, people pulling back on discretionary spending due to the slowing US economy/layoffs and now this will probably bankrupt some companies.

Unfortunately, I think you're right. I think this will upend the current distribution system, and after that, smaller gaming companies will have to consider what to do with their inventory. This year, the combination of tariffs and this is just horrible for the little guy.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Unfortunately, I think you're right. I think this will upend the current distribution system, and after that, smaller gaming companies will have to consider what to do with their inventory. This year, the combination of tariffs and this is just horrible for the little guy.

I am so proud of the health of my little comic and game store. After 31 years, things are at their hardest right now (that's not entirely true - 1998 was ROUGH, but somehow didn't seem like as much BS at every. single. turn. as right now seems).

But! While my personal take-home as the owner is smaller than it has been in the past few years, I'm paying my employees more than ever, and we're not losing money - yet. It's all just a lot more thankless work than it used to be, to get to the same place.

 

[Wofano Wotanto]

I am so proud of the health of my little comic and game store.

You should be. Precious few game or comic stores last three decades, especially under a single management.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

You should be. Precious few game or comic stores last three decades, especially under a single management.

Thank you. What's really crazy is that I was 19 when I started and had no education in business whatsoever!

(My education was all in Engineering and Acting - neither useful for business, other than, I suppose Improv, which is much like "DMing" - both of which have good skills for just about every aspect of life.)