Tell Me About The Miniatures Industry

[barsoomcore]

Okay, so I have no job. Got myself fired a couple of months ago and have been casting around looking at other opportunities and watching my bank account dwindle away, when a couple of fellows from my previous job came to me with the suggestion that I help them put together a business. They're clever idea types with big brains and I'm... well, I'm pretty talkative. I think my role will sort of be like the sock puppet from Pets.com.

But they've come up with a pretty fun idea. In the gaming vein. I can't talk too much about the idea itself (obviously), but it intersects with the miniatures industry in certain ways. The idea is a software-based product that makes use of miniatures.

What I'm after is the state of the miniatures industry. I'm looking for opinions, facts, theories, the big players, the bit players, the up-and-comers and the down-and-outers. How much money is there and who's spending it and what on?

I don't collect miniatures myself, but I'm sure plenty of folks round these parts do, and any thoughts or comments or insights would be welcome.

I know it's not really "RPG Discussion" and if this needs to be moved to another forum, cool. I couldn't find one that seemed appropriate, though, so I came here.

Thanks, folks!

 

[Belen]

What type of work do you do? That way, I can let you know if I hear anything.

 

[Ashrum the Black]

Minitures huh? Well the big boys are Games Workshop and Wizkids with their collectible line.

Privateer Press and their Warmachine line are up and coming, the line is doing well and the mini's are top quality. Rackham has some beautiful mini's and if their distribution could get a little better here in the states they'd be doing a better business.

The Wizards of the Coast line sells well, and has a core following, but it just doens't seem to have the penatration into the market and the loyalty that GW, and PP seem to have. But they do well enough in my opinion.

There are a number of other mini lines that just don't seem to have a lot of penatration in the market, but they do have a core group of rabid players and hangers on. A lot of times this is because of botched makreting and over extension by the parent company.

Can't tell you much about the historical mini's market so you'll probably need to fish around some for them yet.

Games Workshop is the big dog on the block, and they know it. They field beutiful, to average models for slightly above average prices. But if you want to play, you have to pay. They are rabid about protecting the IP as one would expect. they also are not above dictating terms to those that want to do business with them. Much as any other big player in an idustry will.

Wizkids is the collectible miniture king. They are to mini's what wizards was to card games. They have rabid following of collectors and players, but just as wizards found, collectible only carries your profits so far. They are still going strong, but the market isn't what it used to be.

Privateer Press is a relative new comer that is doing a booming fantasy minitures bussiness based upon their warmachine line. The rules are pretty easy and you can play with only three to five minutres which makes the buy in realtively cheap compared to Warhammer. They are a company to watch. They've had some distribution problems, but they seem to have been ironed out for the most part.

Rackham makes the most gorgeous mini's I've ever seen. the problem is they're a French company and getting things in the States has been problematic at best until recently. They are becoming more available now and we may see an upsurge in their sales. I have yet to see anybody actually playing the game asociated with the mini's though.

Wizards gets sales fro both those that play and those that use them for their DnD games. The basic game is simple and easy to play. It's a great beginer game to bring somebody into the hobbey with. the down side is the collectible aspect in my opinion. I think over the long haul they'll run into a down turn as they inevitbly have to retire old sets and gamers can no longer use them. Time will tell I suppose.

Hope this helps a little and I'm sure others will chime in and point out where I'm wrong, or expand on what I've said.

-Ashrum

 

[diaglo]

my hat of the d02 WotC minis knows no limits


the random nature of the product SUCKS.

the p*** Poor Paint jobs

the over pricing of cheap plastic

the attempt to make a new game out of them...


the only good thing about them is the durability.

 

[Ashrum the Black]

Diaglo: Many folks feel the same way you do. I myself can't stand them for the collectible aspect.

The paint jobs are subpar, but improving, much as wizkids has over the years. As for over priced, have you ever spent 25.00 on five assualt space marines? That is over priced.

Of course I do think $20.00 for the new Wotc packs is ridiculous as well. But that just means it's not worth it to me. A lot of folks evidently don't agree with you and me about them. Which is why I rated them as a stable, yet not extrordinary mini's producer.

If they were to eliminate the production random element I thin it would go a long way torawrds making me, as a gamer, happier. But this would destroy their sales from the mini's game aspect.

I now return this thread back to its pre-hijacked state. Thank you.

-Ashrum

 

[The_Universe]

I'm surprised Reaper hasn't been mentioned as of so far. Check out Reapermini.com at your leisure. They have a *lot* of miniatures, and access to some of the best sculpting talent out there. They've been around for a while, and they seem to be going strong.

Reaper has a game to go along with it's Warlords line. Just like Rackham, I don't know anyone who's actually played or playing this game - pretty much it's just an excuse to produce miniatures that are ALMOST D&D, but not quite.

Also, a new company called Magnificent Egos has just emerged in the metal miniatures market. They use many of the same sculptors as Reaper, but tend to go for more unsual character sculpt concepts, just as Reaper tries to produce the classics.

I don't know how successful they are compared to Games Worskshop, but they have a fairly large presence online, as well as a reasonable amount of space at both of the FLGS I frequent.

 

[Lars Porsenna]

The only bit I would add, with respect to the historicals market, is that there are a couple of big manufacturers (mainly Old Glory in the US, Foundry and Essex in England). Beyond that, the historicals market is what I would characterize as being as close to pure competition I can think of. Most manufacturers are small, with the internet information is widely disseminated (if you know where to look), and prices are low due to competition. IMHO, if you want to make some real money, I reccommend against getting into the historicals market; that's one for enthusiasts and people for side jobs.

Damon.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Of course I do think $20.00 for the new Wotc packs is ridiculous as well.

AFAIK that's only for the Starter packs. Expansion packs will be cheaper.

 

[diaglo]

AFAIK that's only for the Starter packs. Expansion packs will be cheaper.

starter packs and the GoL packs aussi.

 

[Ashrum the Black]

I thought that was the going price for the giant expansion packs? I could be wrong as the mini's really aren't for me.

As for Reaper, they make a lot of great mini's for use in a fantasy environment. Their warlords line, and the others are all topnotch. They do have some dogs in thier range as well, but that is the exception not the rule. They also have a robust rate of release with about five new mini's coming out each month from what I've seen.

Good catch there The_Universe.