In the last week we had a look of shock when, for the first time in about a decade, GW released details of a competition - and wow what a prize it comes with too!
Yep, win 2.1m worth of product... that's quite a prize.
I've no doubt this initiative is being used to drive sales back to their online web store, a smart move that almost all retailers have been doing since the Internet became an accepted commercial hub.
Then there came the fine print...
Countries: Worldwide excluding the States and Territories of Australia and New Zealand.
Suddenly all Australian and New Zealander's had this image in their minds...
*Courtesy of Mr.Scott - A fellow Australian
There is a long list of interesting and very isolating things that have happened over the years, from switching postal providers (British Air Mail to UPS - bringing the price to more than local retail), to geo-blocking 3rd party suppliers from shipping to Australia. Now Aus/NZ is excluded from competitions as well. While I try not to let this kind of dodgy business practice get to me, I do feel for my fellow gamers as they seem to find solace in other more affordable gaming systems.
Warhammer players are unquestionably one of the most loyal bunch of hobbyists out there. Even now, there will be fan boys who pledge their souls to Games Workshop. Although at a more alarming rate, Australians in general are turning to foreign countries, second hand trading sites and eBay to procure their goods. This says a couple of things, people obviously want to buy the products, they love the game, yet simply can't afford it anymore - that price ceiling has been hit like the fist of an angry god, and ANZACs in general are currently nursing their bruised skulls.
Let's hope GW come through with a solution, else I fear they will further alienate once loyal customers entirely.