Now this isn't breaking news, but Games Workshop has slowly been removing all traces of their large stores known as Battle Bunkers.

At first it was Chicago, then Los Angeles, and now the last couple days Seattle. This retreat is just another in a long list of odd episodes in continuing saga of GW's current business practices.

The closing of the Seattle Battle Bunker hit me particularly hard, because that was the bunker I had visited the most. I was just there only three weeks ago. Battle Bunkers were showcases for GW with life-size Space Marines statues and showcased armies. Battle Bunkers also gasconade the history of GW, with White Dwarfs spanning the decades and iconic art used as decorative wallpaper.

Many people assumed the one employee store policy brought from Europe would have effect on American stores, but few thought a total dismantling of all large stores would happen. As it turns out, it was just a matter of time as current leases run out. Now multi-employee stores are either closed or condensed to a more "manageable"  size and the bunkers were no exception.

The corporate speak GW uses to inform customers of these changes is breathtaking:

+++ +++ Incoming Transmission +++ +++

On Sunday, July 28th the Games Workshop Seattle Battle Bunker as you know it will be closing its doors in order to be re-envisioned and remodeled as a Games Workshop Hobby Center. This remodel will take place during the final week of July and doors will reopen on Saturday, August 3rd.

This new Games Workshop Hobby Center format will allow us to better deliver on great customer service to our wide range of customers who are working on their own collections of models. This change also allows us to better focus on recruiting new customers to our great hobby. You can be assured that you will still have access to the same, great range of Games Workshop product as before, with the ability to enjoy a friendly game and improve your hobby skills in a smaller environment.

We thank all of you for your patronage and participation in the activities and events that have been showcased at the Seattle Battle Bunker over the years. We would like to invite you to visit the new Hobby Center beginning on August 3rd.

To prepare for this transition we will begin a new set of store hours starting on Monday, July 8th. The schedule will be as follows:
Monday/Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday/Thursday/Friday: 1pm – 8pm
Saturday: 12pm – 8pm
Sunday: 12pm – 6pm

The most important quote is this...

This change also allows us to better focus on recruiting new customers to our great hobby

Translation old player stay the F-away. If it wasn't obvious before, GW stores are only for kids and their parents money. Now this direction in of itself isn't terrible, what makes it terrible is that GW does everything else poorly.

They have no marketing, but word of mouth and they refuse to support a tournament scene.

That pales in comparison to GW's behavior towards Independent Retailers of late. Here is a short list off the top of my head.

  • Drop of Prize Support
  • Supply Chain issues
  • Direct Only items
  • Price Increases
  • Constant Terms & Condition changes
  • No advance product release notice
  • Limited pre-releases time

I am sure the list can go on.

Independent Retailers with the larger storefronts could have easily filled the hole left by the removal of Bunkers and medium size GW stores. In GW desultory existence I am sure they think they do support Independent Retailers.

So now, GW stores are being reduced to nothing more than a glorified Sunglass Huts or one of those annoying mall vendors selling you custom license plate covers. If that isn't bad enough, expect your local GW store gone by the next lease renewal-- how is that for building a community?

Battle Bunkers for many were a destination location if you happen to be visiting the area. A nexus for events and glory of all things Games Workshop including those legendary red shirt sale pitches. Now Bunkers are just a memory, a relic of the golden age of GW retail that looks more than ever to never return.

Now the only hope is the Independent Retailer they continue grow tired of GW games. Games based on a hubris that these stores need GW to be profitable, but with MtG strong as ever, and new games cropping up all the time, GW is in a precarious position. I am not even saying anything ludicrous (Warmachine) like a single game can replace GW. Independent Retailer with MtG can leverage the increasing occurrence of gaming fads from boardgames to Kickstarters to maintain profitability, all at the same time reducing the foot print GW products take up. 

The death of the Battle Bunker is just another symptom of larger hole GW continues to dig itself into.

Warning

Meat for Meta is rated editorial nonsense. These articles are meant to complain about some group, somewhere, that is playing the game for all the wrong reasons or simply to just make fun of 40k nerd rage.