Topps Shuts Down WizKids

[thalmin]

We spoke with a rep at Catalyst. Shadowrun, Battletech, and other Catalyst products should not be affected by this.

 

[Betote]

A pity. I really loved collecting and transforming Heroclix to form some of my favorite superhero teams (I have the FF, the Sinister Six, the Avengers from Zemo's attack, the Masters of Evil from same attack, the original X-Men, the X-Men from Giant-Size #1 and the original Evil Mutant Brotherhood). The rules were somewhat bland and lacking on the strategy/tactic side, but...

WizKids had some really good games out there, as Pirates and the Battletech stuff. It's always a pity when people who work creating fun is laid off.

 

[Benimoto]

Also surprising, the WoW minis game launches this week.

I wonder how much that has to do with it. I can imagine both WotC and WizKids stand to lose, at least in the short term, a lot of their players to WoW minis. I know that quite a few prominent D&D Miniatures players switched to Dreamblade when Wizards launched that. The prospect of a new game launch on the horizon may have made tough future prospects look tougher.

 

[Erik Mona]

What is this podcast everyone is talking about? Can someone provide a link, please?

--Erik

 

[darjr]

D&D Podcast: Episode 28 (November 2008)

It's listed in itunes as well.

I've been listening since they started. In this one gets kinda emotional. When they are talking about the internal turmoil about the mini's decision, it seems as if a couple people are a little broken up over it. I completely understand if they were.

 

[Glyfair]

That's a shame. Back in the Mage Knight era, when WizKids was picking up the Shadowrun and Battletech properties, I thought that they were lined up to be the next big player in the gaming industry.

Indeed, they were #3 at one point.

 

[The Green Adam]

It would be like if Hasbro fired all of wotc, but still put out D&D material.

Isn't that 4E?
Oooh. Sorry. Too soon.

AD
"I remember that sound. That's a bad sound."

 

[jdrakeh]

Isn't that 4E?
Oooh. Sorry. Too soon.

No, not too soon — just in incredibly poor tatse.

 

[JVisgaitis]

Holy $#*&! I knew they were hurting, but I never thought it would go this far. Utter craziness especially considering what a giant force Wizkids has been at conventions and such. I never really got into their games, but it always sucks when people in gaming lose jobs. Not only that, it'll be just weird not seeing their giant booths and crazy exclusives at all of the cons. Not cool.

 

[The Green Adam]

No, not too soon — just in incredibly poor tatse.

I know and I really am sorry. A combination of not gaming in a while and watching too much Family Guy has my humor a bit on the angry/edgy side today.

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"Self control? That's funny coming from the guy that slept with every Terrakian slave and the Moon Princess on the show."