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"In response to the public outrage over my ending the Incursion sale early :
I'm just a guy. I haven't "run a game company" before. This was not a PR deal or anything else. It was exactly as stated: a sale to move overstock that was filling up my house. It was my kitchen to be exact and the wife expects me to begin the restoration this fall. I restore houses. I'm also an architect, full time. Oh, and I'm training for a marathon...cool, huh? :-) Anyway, Incursion basic game (not SNAFU)sales had gone flat over the last 8 months. Even the release of SNAFU didn't result in any appreciable uptick in sales of the basic game except when folks bought all the miniatures to go with it . I certainly didn't expect to sell 350 of my 450 remaining copies in 4 days after almost zero movement for that long. I figured 100 copies TOPS would move. The game itself is a loss leader. It cost me $11 per copy to produce and I have to order two thousand copies to get that price (note the 22k price tag for a print run).
Grindhouse can only exist if we sell miniatures. Miniatures will only sell if there is a game to go with them! In other words, if I sell the remaining 100 copies at $15 each, I'm out of business because I haven't recouped enough to reprint the game as I poured all the revenue into the development of SNAFU. Had those 350 copies sold at full price, I could order another print run right now. The remaining 100 copies I have are available at full price or through a variety of bundle deals and will allow me to keep the doors open and hopefully generate enough revenue for a reprint. Again, a reprint is only feasible if people are generally willing to pay $50 for the game OR buy lots of minis :-) Catch-22! It sounds, from all the conversation out there like many folks aren't even willing to pay the $33 for which it's widely available in stores. That being the case, I don't have a solution and I'm sorry you don't feel it's worth what it needs to sell for, for it to be sustainable. You'll need to look elsewhere for your gaming pleasure.
Similar condition in Europe. The bulk shipping was insane to get all the games there in the first place but I'm paying rent on stacks of unsold games. I have instructed Wendy to cut off the sale when she has 150 copies left.
Bottom line: I apologize if you missed out on the sale. If it were one or two people that missed out, I could handle that but it's not, it's hundreds of people. I simply do not have the means to help you. I don't have the games, and I don't have the means to acquire them. I hope you will all understand the position I'm in.
I might point out that if you are really desperate to play this game and really are in such financial straits that you cannot afford it, it is available for free download. You can print it in black and white or build your own board out of foam scraps and cardboard like I did back when I was a kid in the eighties with Space Hulk.
I know that no matter what I say, some people are still going to be mad. I can't help that. All of you who have dealt with me for any length of time know I'm a straight shooter and I bend over backwards for the fans. Alas, I draw the line at martyrdom.
Peace upon you all (except those of you who sent me hate mail...you can kiss my ass). "
Original source of statement: http://www.grindhousegames.com/blogs/incursion-blog/4064742-statement-on-incursion-sale
I'm just a guy. I haven't "run a game company" before. This was not a PR deal or anything else. It was exactly as stated: a sale to move overstock that was filling up my house. It was my kitchen to be exact and the wife expects me to begin the restoration this fall. I restore houses. I'm also an architect, full time. Oh, and I'm training for a marathon...cool, huh? :-) Anyway, Incursion basic game (not SNAFU)sales had gone flat over the last 8 months. Even the release of SNAFU didn't result in any appreciable uptick in sales of the basic game except when folks bought all the miniatures to go with it . I certainly didn't expect to sell 350 of my 450 remaining copies in 4 days after almost zero movement for that long. I figured 100 copies TOPS would move. The game itself is a loss leader. It cost me $11 per copy to produce and I have to order two thousand copies to get that price (note the 22k price tag for a print run).
Grindhouse can only exist if we sell miniatures. Miniatures will only sell if there is a game to go with them! In other words, if I sell the remaining 100 copies at $15 each, I'm out of business because I haven't recouped enough to reprint the game as I poured all the revenue into the development of SNAFU. Had those 350 copies sold at full price, I could order another print run right now. The remaining 100 copies I have are available at full price or through a variety of bundle deals and will allow me to keep the doors open and hopefully generate enough revenue for a reprint. Again, a reprint is only feasible if people are generally willing to pay $50 for the game OR buy lots of minis :-) Catch-22! It sounds, from all the conversation out there like many folks aren't even willing to pay the $33 for which it's widely available in stores. That being the case, I don't have a solution and I'm sorry you don't feel it's worth what it needs to sell for, for it to be sustainable. You'll need to look elsewhere for your gaming pleasure.
Similar condition in Europe. The bulk shipping was insane to get all the games there in the first place but I'm paying rent on stacks of unsold games. I have instructed Wendy to cut off the sale when she has 150 copies left.
Bottom line: I apologize if you missed out on the sale. If it were one or two people that missed out, I could handle that but it's not, it's hundreds of people. I simply do not have the means to help you. I don't have the games, and I don't have the means to acquire them. I hope you will all understand the position I'm in.
I might point out that if you are really desperate to play this game and really are in such financial straits that you cannot afford it, it is available for free download. You can print it in black and white or build your own board out of foam scraps and cardboard like I did back when I was a kid in the eighties with Space Hulk.
I know that no matter what I say, some people are still going to be mad. I can't help that. All of you who have dealt with me for any length of time know I'm a straight shooter and I bend over backwards for the fans. Alas, I draw the line at martyrdom.
Peace upon you all (except those of you who sent me hate mail...you can kiss my ass). "
Original source of statement: http://www.grindhousegames.com/blogs/incursion-blog/4064742-statement-on-incursion-sale
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It is pretty mind blowing to read the angry mob mentality comments on various forums and sites. Luckily there seem to be more mentally balanced people out there to balance things up. I won't link to any particular thread or site, but having read some of the entries you kind of winder if our hobby - the miniature wargaming hobby, attracts mental cases like no other. I've read comments from people writing about the early end to the sale as if they have been victims of a crime or as if this has caused a near death experience to them personally from which they will never be able to recover and the trauma of which will haunt them forever.
In the end, is there any other game company with such a transparency to their activities as GrindhouseGames? Did they really need to explain in detail their situation? What other company keeps you updated on their situation like this? This will of course not be enough to please the thick headed complainer who missed out on saving 10 bucks. I think however that for everyone else, for people who can control themselves and realize it's just a game, the statement from Jim will be an honest "sorry" from Jim who busts his ass for Incursion and the fans on every level.
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