Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

[Dakkar]

Sounds like Legions and the side factions are going to Direct Sales only, save for special retailers.

http://www.gamewire.belloflostsouls.net/the-dystopian-world-is-changing/

I wonder if similar could happen to all the FSA/Planetfall side-factions?

[Ruckdog]

Possibly. It's not entirely clear what is and is not going mail order for DW from just that post...it sounds like to me that all the factions will still be available in their fleet box form, but things like the Bombardment Groups won't be. So, for a hypothetical extension of his policy to FSA, all of the patrol fleet boxes would be available for all the factions, but things like the destroyer groups or dreadnought groups wouldn't be.

Hopefully this will help distributors handle SG product better; I've had more than one store tell me they don't stock Spartan because the "distributor doesn't carry it" or some variation there of.

[Quickdraw]

When Collectormania stopped stocking Spartan they told me that their distributor stopped carrying it. The reason was that the minimum order requirements were too high. The guy speculated something like orders being in the area of 250 each. Like, 250 of each box... So it just wasn't viable for them to keep that much in stock of a non-mainstream "specialty" game.

[Dakkar]

GW level minimums and retailer-hostile stuff like the Corinthian Club doesn't make it easy for Distributors or LGS managers. Reducing SKU clutter though is a positive sign  - we'll have to see how that actually manifests though.

I also hope that with a possible Planetfall 2.0, or at least the new Ally boxes, that they fix the damn box design and actually put product pics on the FRONT, not the back of the box.

[Ruckdog]

When Collectormania stopped stocking Spartan they told me that their distributor stopped carrying it. The reason was that the minimum order requirements were too high. The guy speculated something like orders being in the area of 250 each. Like, 250 of each box... So it just wasn't viable for them to keep that much in stock of a non-mainstream "specialty" game.

Interesting data point; I hadn't heard that before.

GW level minimums and retailer-hostile stuff like the Corinthian Club doesn't make it easy for Distributors or LGS managers. Reducing SKU clutter though is a positive sign  - we'll have to see how that actually manifests though.

I also hope that with a possible Planetfall 2.0, or at least the new Ally boxes, that they fix the damn box design and actually put product pics on the FRONT, not the back of the box.

I know what you mean! The box covers for the PF upgrade helixes were not very eye-catching IMO.

[Dakkar]

I know what you mean! The box covers for the PF upgrade helixes were not very eye-catching IMO.

It's one of Rob's major gripes at Gamer's Haven - he hates having to stock things backside out, it doesn't look right. And front forward tells nothing about the product. I think he's punted and put them all sideways, like a bookcase, and is hoping the HALO box face-forward ropes people in for a closer look.

For that matter, the art on the 2-player box for Planetfall is pretty dark and uninspiring.

[Quickdraw]

Interesting data point; I hadn't heard that before.

Definitely don't quote me on that. It is indicative that they mention it in their post though.