The one thing that I have not really liked over the many years I have been in this hobby, is accessibility. Many years ago, a real good friend of mine owned a game store, and there we would pool up and many of us combine to order Forgeworld products. This was really a pain looking back, however, that was just the way it was (we also had to walk through 10 feet of snow through the burning desert to get to school and back).
Now it seems we are on the verge of seeing something new for Forgeworld models. Forgeworld products will soon be available at Games Workshop Hobby Centers. Now that doesn't mean they will be on the shelves, but you can order them directly from the store, and have them sent to your home, and soon hopefully at the shop. This is very cool, as I often order models from my local game store with a phone call, and then go and pick them up.
More accessibility to Forgeworld products is a huge thing. Although we think of their models as more expensive than GW models, that gap has really started to close. This will bring more exposure to the models Forgeworld has, to the point we should start seeing them on the tabletops much more often.
There has been a flood of rumors from completely different sources pointing towards this move, and here are some of them that have more validity. I have attached links to the original article for those wanting to research when and where these came first were mentioned. Also a new bit is below.
Please be aware that these are still rumors.
Source 1
It seems Tim the Thief here on Faeit 212 was sending in these rumors first. You will notice he was anonymous a while back, but decided he wanted a name attached.
via Tim the Thief
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-surprise-for-2014-gw-starting-new.html
New GW-Site!
Games Workshop will launch a new Internet-Site in April 2014. The new Site will bring back Hobby content and other stuff. The Online shop will include Black Library Products and at the end of the year 2014 Forgeworld. The success of Horus Heresy moved GW to this
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/book-of-tzeentch-supplement-new-gw.html
-will be available on the new shop like the other GW-Products
-great crusade and unification wars books after horus heresy, BL already working on novels
-Wh40k Rulebook special Edition in HH and GC design
-Horus Heresy Apocalypse book
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/forgeworld-new-manager-new-staff-with.html
Forgeworld Products will on the new GW shop sell like other Products, no credit cards or other stuff needed! FW will increase the production, the factory will be expanded.
Source 2
This is obviously another source. A lot of this was verified by another source in regards to the new manager and staff, and molds.
via an anonymous source
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/forgeworld-new-manager-new-staff-with.html
this is what I know from buying beer for the right people in Nottingham
Forgeworld is less profitable than games workshop, this is a complicated subject with many business nonsense theories, but despite the price difference the profit margins are equal at best on high selling fw products versus low selling GW products
without combining the production etc FW couldn't meet the initial demand for its products, this is standard new product buzz, over time it could cope, (see tau for example)
on the other hand, the FW team has a new manager, with basically a whole new staff, including a LOT of jobs in various levels of the supply chain, plus future jobs
also a lot of the older molds (masters too) are wearing out and profits have to be justified in redoing (to be honest I don't know if this is closer to plans for GW to make more older FW models- the thunderbolt has been gone for a while)
rumor among managers is the GW site will include order-able fw when it is updated, the big buzz on this is the chance to sell FW through our tills, which would give us a major boost at a time when our sales targets are being compromised by changes
Source 3
A strong source here on Faeit 212 took some time out of his busy schedule to help us find out if this was going to happen.
via an anonymous source
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/forgeworld-coming-to-hobby-center-near.html
I have good news.
Good news is, it does look like it's FW will make it's way onto the new GW site, which will be a lot better than just a giant shopping cart.
If this goes through it means that people will be able to pay for Forgeworld items through Games Workshop Hobby Center's.
unlike GW items Forgeworld purchases won't be able to "ship to Hobby Center." They'll need to go to a customer's home address, as they will still be subject to duty if outside the UK.
This will hopefully be resolved either before launch or soon after, where Forgeworld orders will be compiled into large volumes sent out bi/tri-weekly to local shipping centers for North American/North Asia/ SE Asia/Australia and then redistributed to Hobby centers, and bypass duty costs.
Source 4
Finally something new from a reader here on Faeit 212. My email is a little slammed at the moment, and I am trying to make sure nothing slips by. Here is another source saying very much the same thing.
via a reader here on Faeit 212
A quick note on Forgeworld being integrated into the main GW site: one of the Memphis Battle Bunker employees mentioned this to me at Games Day. I was there to pick up a few of the Forgeworld transfer sheets, but none of them were on sale at the event. He overheard the conversation and wanted to help ease my disappointment regarding shipping charges, product availability, etc.