Barnes on Games presents Theel, Mann and Campbell on Games- Review Corner Showcase

superflycircus.com/2012/07/consumerism-c...board-game-industry/

The formatting got nuked a bit when I went from Blogger to my site, so it looks like a wall of text, but it sums up why I don't like the way the industry's sales and marketing is set up.

So I'll admit, when I first saw the article I was kinda like, "Eh, this kinda blows". I didn't think it was cool. That was my gut reaction to it and I don't think I was alone with it.

I didn't post anything right away because I wanted to think about it. The more I got to thinking the more I understood the article. Is it a showcase of these writers talents and what they're currently doing? Sure, I guess. However, it's more of an advertisement for the reviews over at MM. It's a project that Barnes is obviously very proud of and he is trying to bring attention to it. You know what? I can't say I blame him.

For me when I think of places to go for boardgame reviews/discussion I think of here...Shut Up and Sit Down , The Dice Tower and Rab Florence at Rock Paper Shotgun. You know what I don't think to check? Miniature Market. Barnes knows this. He is trying to change this. Again, he is obviously proud of what he put together over there and I'm sure he wants to make as many people as possible aware of its existence. Creating something only to have it fade into obscurity, like it was never even there, is not fun.

I also think he was genuinely looking for feedback. If there is a place on the internet that doesn't pull any punches it is F:AT. On top of that I think he wants the readership here to be aware of another source of quality gaming information. Some people are going to take umbrage with the way he went about doing it. Barnes is smart enough to know this was going to ruffle a few feathers...hell it was probably a calculated choice lol. This one time article isn't something meant to sink F:AT. Or get people to stop posting here or whatever other doomsday scenario that this article was meant to be.

It's painful to have something fail and I think Barnes is just doing his damnedest to make sure it doesn't. In the end, that is something I understand completely.

Egg Shen wrote: I also think he was genuinely looking for feedback.

Senator Barnes wrote: You know what, I'm just going to roll my eyes and walk away. I don't have to defend myself, think whatever you want about whatever I do, I could care less. Never have.

Strange thing to write for a fellow who wanted feedback.

repoman wrote:

Senator Barnes wrote: You know what, I'm just going to roll my eyes and walk away. I don't have to defend myself, think whatever you want about whatever I do, I could care less. Never have.

Strange thing to write for a fellow who wanted feedback.

I would like to point out, however, that I give more serious consideration to the opinions expressed by individuals who can express those opinions without being a dick.

I think this might be why he responded how he did.

The formatting got nuked a bit when I went from Blogger to my site, so it looks like a wall of text, but it sums up why I don't like the way the industry's sales and marketing is set up.

Brilliant article! Really goes much deeper than I expected and explains exactly what is going on with the industry. I really like your discussion that talks about geeks HATE TO BE WRONG! I don't understand why that is so true. I have made many bad buying decisions over my gaming career and laughed them off. We are not talking big money here plus you can get some of that back on ebay.

Your article really exposes the whole underground industry of the review business better than I have ever seen.

I'm a business analyst and marketing/PR guy....I see how things are sold better than some others, and I wanted to kind of put my perspective on the boardgame "business" marketing side. I liked the article after I wrote it, I'm glad you did. You should've seen the row created when I put it on BGG. For every attaboy there were 50 "you're a piece of shit" comments, with my favorite (and the one I remember the most), "how dare you compare board game marketing to the eradication of the Jews by Hitler". Not that I did. I simply used a quote from Goebels, who was the prodigy of Bernays.

The really short version is that the industry knows how to communicate with its core audience's addictions and personalities very well, and uses bloggers and reviewers to to their marketing. This is why there's no massive "game days" at FLGSs, doing demos and whatnot. They don't need to. They have us all by the short and curlies already.

I'm a business analyst and marketing/PR guy....I see how things are sold better than some others, and I wanted to kind of put my perspective on the boardgame "business" marketing side. I liked the article after I wrote it, I'm glad you did. You should've seen the row created when I put it on BGG. For every attaboy there were 50 "you're a piece of shit" comments, with my favorite (and the one I remember the most), "how dare you compare board game marketing to the eradication of the Jews by Hitler". Not that I did. I simply used a quote from Goebels, who was the prodigy of Bernays.

The really short version is that the industry knows how to communicate with its core audience's addictions and personalities very well, and uses bloggers and reviewers to to their marketing. This is why there's no massive "game days" at FLGSs, doing demos and whatnot. They don't need to. They have us all by the short and curlies already.

You also talk about how no one wants to do a negative review because they are completely destroyed. This is similar to modern issues such as the Confederate flag, gay Marriage, or Obama care...you express a well thought out opposing opinion and they destroy you and your business and your family and ban you from the net. So on a smaller board game scale not many people want to put up with that abuse , except maybe me and you! LOL So, like you say all you get are positive reviews for the most part.

I also didn't realize FFG canned Matt Drake for a negative review, I heard about Barnes but not Matt Drake.

The really short version is that the industry knows how to communicate with its core audience's addictions and personalities very well, and uses bloggers and reviewers to to their marketing.

The real truth is that they are not doing reviews at all just commercials for board games.

repoman wrote:

Egg Shen wrote: I also think he was genuinely looking for feedback.

Senator Barnes wrote: You know what, I'm just going to roll my eyes and walk away. I don't have to defend myself, think whatever you want about whatever I do, I could care less. Never have.

Strange thing to write for a fellow who wanted feedback.

Hehehe....Barnes, who I don't know personally, strikes me as a guy that likes to put off the "I don't care whatcha think" vibe. Could be wrong, just a taking a guess. However, someone doesn't write articles...log into the forums daily to discuss things...for almost a decade without caring.

He also strikes me as a guy with alot of pride in what he does. I wouldn't be surprised if the negative reaction to the article got to him. I know if I was in his shoes it would have certainly affected me.

The*Mad*Gamer wrote: I also didn't realize FFG canned Matt Drake for a negative review, I heard about Barnes but not Matt Drake.

Their draconian policies regarding reviewers was exposed by Barnes years ago. I've found it increasingly difficult to support them as time has worn on. With the exception of Star Wars LCG Force Packs, I haven't purchased a first-hand product from them in a few years now. I do have a couple of games from the past few years of theirs, but I've traded or flea marketed to acquire those.

Their draconian policies regarding reviewers was exposed by Barnes years ago. I've found it increasingly difficult to support them as time has worn on. With the exception of Star Wars LCG Force Packs, I haven't purchased a first-hand product from them in a few years now. I do have a couple of games from the past few years of theirs, but I've traded or flea marketed those.

WOW! I missed a lot of this and would normally overlook if this happened once. But now we have two confirmed cases of this, I have to agree with you here. I will no longer purchase any Fantasy Flight Game products.

Fuck that, I still will. Some of their products are awesome, and I'd rather deal with them being a dick to my friends than boycott them and never have an X-Wing or Armada made. I don't read many reviews anyhow, and neither Barnes nor Matt have been chanting the BOYCOTT shouts, so if they're not all kinds of pissed off about it, why should I be? I hate to say this, but Michael deserved what he got. He was on a huge Anti-FFG (or really, "Fuck Petersen") rant for 6 months before CP decided to write him a shittygram and then dump him like last night's spicy carne asada.

Really, it wouldn't matter anyhow. If I were to boycott every publisher that uses bloggers until they get a bad review, then dumps them, I'd never be able to buy anything.

SuperflyTNT wrote: Fuck that, I still will. Some of their products are awesome, and I'd rather deal with them being a dick to my friends than boycott them and never have an X-Wing or Armada made. I don't read many reviews anyhow, and neither Barnes nor Matt have been chanting the BOYCOTT shouts, so if they're not all kinds of pissed off about it, why should I be?

I'm definitely not calling for a boycott, my objections are purely personal. It just leaves me with a sour taste in my mouth and you do start to view any reviews on FFG products as sort of suspect, especially from established reviewers. Why? Because they're going to spin positive to keep FFG products coming in, and let's face it, FFG products are some of the flagship games (and often, the more expensive.)

I think if you reach a critical mass like Tom Vasel, then you're free to say what you want without FFG cutting you off. But still, that's a pretty sad state of affairs.

So yeah, keep buying 'em. Again, my objections are purely personal.

The only publisher that I've worked with that has explicitly stated "Go ahead and write negative reviews and it won't affect your status" is Z-Man.

Asmodee has never stated the above, but my relationship didn't seem to be affected by severe criticism of Mythotopia's end game, which they distribute and sent to me.