It seems GW sales are down 4%. While to me it seems that the Dark Eldar exceeded their expectations, somewhere during the year they lost out. Fantasy? Who knows since I am not a retailer or do not work for GW. Anyhow, before I can just post the announcement, I want to put in my two cents.
Support GW products if you like the game. That doesnt mean give up everything else, it simply means support your local GW stores, and buy something on occasion. We all like to bash GW for everything, and it's become an artform to do so. Literally in our hobby we have the Picasso and Rembrandt's of whinning, you can guess who I am talking about. However, I still believe that these are the loud minorities of the hobby, and that the silent majority of us, cares what happens to our hobby, and have no problem supporting it by buying models. (We are addicted). A 4% drop doesn't seem like much, but it could mean reduced product support, reduced new models, reduced new codex's, if it gets worse.
Lets not get our panties in an uproar though. Even though 4% seems like a big drop, GW this year reportedly paid off a ton of its debt, which could cover some of these losses in profit. Looking to what is ahead, over-all warhammer is a growing hobby, not a shrinking one. It will breath, (meaning going through it's ups and downs), and really until I see double digits, Im not concerned.
Last but least, support your local stores. Especially if they allow you room to game. Here is the release.
Games Workshop announces that pre-tax profits in respect of the year to 29 May 2011 are likely to be below current market expectations.
Sales were down 4% in the first half to 28 November 2010. Difficult trading conditions since that time mean that this shortfall is unlikely to be recovered by the year end. The Group's gross margin and costs remain under firm control and cash generation remains healthy. In addition, the outlook for royalties receivable in the current year remains good, although not as significant as in the year to 30 May 2010.
The Board of Games Workshop currently believes that, as a result of reduced volumes, pre-tax profits in respect of the year ending 29 May 2011 are unlikely to meet current market consensus estimates.
The Board will announce the Group's half-yearly results for the six months to 28 November 2010 on 25 January 2011.