New Releases

[Amboadine]

The Lizardmen Seraphon are about to be released. My question to the world in general is why did they really bother?

In essence this is just a complete repackage of the existing models, there is nothing new for them. To me this just seems a very expensive way of running a business. It would have been far cheaper to have just sent a pack of round bases to distributors / shops / with online orders, and do a phased artwork change as you consume your packaging materials. Even then if bases are irrelevant why not just phase them in if you are just changing the packs.

I could understand if they were releasing new models alongside, however their only target market for this release would seem to be those who already have Lizardmen armies and could already buy everything anyway. It is exceedingly unlikely that a repack is going to bring floods of new players in.

Have they already decided to call it a day on AoS and it's lack of performance and get lazy with the releases and focus on what will surely be a far bigger seller for them in November - Horus Heresy for 40K?

[Ming]

Your analysis seems correct. Sadly.

[Daeron]

I see it quite differently. I think it's terrific that they are updating the packaging and art of the old range. Who would want to buy Lizzies and new bases separately? Certainly not the new players. So I think this is targetted at new players mostly, or to make the Seraphon range more attractive to existing players.

And I can see a lot of positives about "nothing new" being introduced. Admitted, I do think a few new pieces would be great. But then I imagine the whining there would be when "see , they outdated our old models!". At least now Lizzy players can be assured that their models, who were rumoured to be removed, are still in the game for a while at least
That has got to be great news for a lot of lizardmen players.

[YZK]

Exactly as Daeron is saying; the target is new players, not existing players.
Although, even existing players have a (incredibly small) benefit by this; they don't have to buy bases seperately.

As for your last sentence, I highly doubt AoS' "lack of performance" has any effect within the next half year/year of releases.

All in all, I think that since Seraphon are getting a book, the boxes should match the book.
And again, I think it's for new players; if you're starting and you see the old boxes, you'd feel you're about to buy an outdated faction.

Also - who said this is the only release they're doing? Who knows, maybe there will be new models (doubt it, Sylvaneth didn't get any new toys either, but they also didn't get a book)!

[Phox532]

As a new player I like the idea of new releases simply because the new boxes look more up to the times. I know that the box of DE that I just bought look like the ones I bought in High school ten years ago when I was making D&D minis out of them. I think that it is a good marketing idea, cause the they are trying to rebrand the game. I think that is a big part of these releases is rebranding. It also gives GW a chance for new models, warscrolls and synergies in the future.

All of your points about existing players is spot on, you guys with your 2500pt armies are not really chopping at the bit for a new release, but for newer players this is new and exciting.

[Shadowspite]

Personally, I'll be quite relieved if it turns out AoS is essentially just new rules, new fluff and a repackaging of existing models, rather than a wholesale obsoletion of my existing mini collection.