Anthropologists don't feel like they understand a culture until they've at least gone a full cycle, meaning spending a full year observing their activities. This blog feels like that sometimes. What we've just finished is the slow first quarter of the year. It's not slow because of the economy or internal industry problems, it's just the cycle of the game business. It makes me nuts, actually, the kind of nuts that makes you want to gnaw your arm off in frustration. Spring break doesn't mark the end of this period, just a sneak preview of what Summer might look like.
So what's in store for us over the next quarter? Star Wars miniatures hit this week, D&D miniatures, with its new 4E light rules follows in April. The first week of May sees a Magic release called Shadowmoor. D&D 4th Edition is June (early June now rather than late June), along with Warhammer 40K v5 rules (June-ish). Somewhere in this mess are a bunch of Fantasy Flight games without release dates, such as the Mutant Chronicles miniature game, Tannhauser and Arkham Horror expansions. It's hard to get excited when they don't give us release dates.
To supercharge excitement we've got the heart of convention season coming up as well. Conquest Sacramento is this weekend. If large conventions make you claustrophobic, this is an excellent one. It's fairly new, in it's third year, so it's smaller than other regional cons. You can still get a lot of gaming in, but without the crowds of a Dundracon or Kublacon. Kublacon, which still won't let me in after three years of asking, is in May. I'm told a lot of game companies are skipping it this year. We'll have a special pre Kublacon sale that will blow your mind, since we can't go and reap the benefits (in fact, we suffer for not going). The sale is secret for now, but it will be shockingly good. Nationally, we've got Origins in June and Gencon in August. Conquest San Francisco wraps the season up in September.
Kublacon won't let you be a vendor at the convention?? Huh?? That's crazy. I can't imagine they would turn away business. Let me guess - a local game store puts the pressure on them to not allow other local stores to have space at the con or something?
ReplyDeleteI know it's not space, because they allowed tables to go empty last year rather than let me use them. I doubt it's another store; there's just not that level of animosity or competition between us. What I'm told is that the organizer has a vision for the dealer room that involves it primarily being for manufacturers, with as few retailers as possible.
ReplyDeleteMy big question this year: How's that workin' for ya?
That's a pretty sad. I'm sorry to hear it. Will you be at Conquest Sacramento this weekend?
ReplyDeleteI'm taking the year off from conventions and trade shows, but Michael will be there for the store. I'll be at Disneyland with my son.
ReplyDeleteExcellent! I will stop by the booth. Have fun at Disneyland!!
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