Heroscape: Age of Annihilation is here! Back it on Haslab!

[GaryLASQ]

Here's a video that shows the Avalon Hill booth at GenCon

YouTube

[caps]

I think there seems to be confusion... The minis are playable unpainted and will require no assembly. Unpainted minis should not be a barrier to entry for anyone. They are the norm for most games these days (how many new game kickstarters have you seen using painted minis?)

[Tritzix]

Originally Posted by capsocrates

I think there seems to be confusion... The minis are playable unpainted and will require no assembly. Unpainted minis should not be a barrier to entry for anyone. They are the norm for most games these days (how many new game kickstarters have you seen using painted minis?)

I think the confusion is more people are saying they won't purchase or play if the mini's don't come pre-painted. Its been a thing on the Discord and Facebook groups the past 2 days

[Hogg]

I'm in for unpainted minis or shiny pebbles or whatever they give us because I'm hooked.

I think a lot of the draw to HeroScape for new casual players may have been the painted minis and I suspect this version may not do as well being sold at Wal-Mart as an impulse purchase. That may not be the plan for the new version either, especially if the price point is substantially higher than the original $40 master sets.

They won't be a barrier for entry, but they won't have the draw of the original either. It had a lot of "pop" seeing it on the shelf in a big box store, and even more being played.

The plan may be not to sell as many as the original, or to target the same mass market appeal. There are several signs that point to this, a likely higher price point and unpainted minis are a few. A higher price point may mean they are foregoing the mass market release and aiming it at FLGS stores, which is another indication of lower expected sales. Hopefully if that is the case they will make up for it with quality and we will feel we are getting what we are paying for.

[Talyn]

It just feels like a change of audience. From kids to adults. Buying expansion packs before almost felt like buying a toy or a playset, and with unpainted minis, that kind of goes away. I guess its just different, a preference.


They know the adult gaming market will pay more than something targeted for mass retail and kids, so thats who theyre going after.

[Tritzix]

Originally Posted by Hogg

I'm in for unpainted minis or shiny pebbles or whatever they give us because I'm hooked.

I think a lot of the draw to HeroScape for new casual players may have been the painted minis and I suspect this version may not do as well being sold at Wal-Mart as an impulse purchase. That may not be the plan for the new version either, especially if the price point is substantially higher than the original $40 master sets.

They won't be a barrier for entry, but they won't have the draw of the original either. It had a lot of "pop" seeing it on the shelf in a big box store, and even more being played.

The plan may be not to sell as many as the original, or to target the same mass market appeal. There are several signs that point to this, a likely higher price point and unpainted minis are a few. A higher price point may mean they are foregoing the mass market release and aiming it at FLGS stores, which is another indication of lower expected sales. Hopefully if that is the case they will make up for it with quality and we will feel we are getting what we are paying for.

I think we may see the opposite, with more players interested in unpainted minis as it allows more customization and player freedom. Games with unpainted minis have been in a boom recently

[chas]

"Heroscape--its the next big thing!"
--Avalon Hill booth rep

[Hogg]

Hasbro has also been making a shift to plastic free packaging on the action figure lines. We are about to see the last wave of boxes with bubbles for several series of figures.

I can't imagine we would ever see a giant blister pack like the original HeroScape boosters again. If the minis are unpainted, there is even less reason to display them in the packaging.

[BloodyBaroness]

So easy to hit things with a quick wash or speed paint these days. For me the painted/unpainted is not anywhere near a deal breaker.

As long as the gameplay is good, and the theme is good, I am just excited a game I love is getting life breathed back into it.

[Hogg]

Originally Posted by chas

"Heroscape--its the next big thing!"
--Avalon Hill booth rep

Yeah, well, so was Arena of the Planeswalkers.

A lot of the success of this relaunch will depend on who they aim it towards. It does seem like it has grown up, as has been posted here, hopefully Hasbro has adjusted their expectations as well. I think it can do well, but will never hit the sales numbers of the original.

The original being in Big Box stores was a huge factor in its success. It was designed from a marketing standpoint to be something Walmart and Target would want to stock in their stores. The price point had a lot to do with that. That brought it to a whole new audience who would never go into a FLGS type store and introduced a lot of those people into the world of expandable gaming systems.

The remake doesn't have to do what the original did. It can appeal to a whole different group of people who do shop at FLGS and don't mind spending $100+ on a board game. It won't sell as many units if that's the case, but it can still be successful as long as the company that produces it isn't expecting something different.

[BloodyBaroness]

Ry is on the struggle bus with pictures, but they are on the way.

[chas]

REMEMBER BACKSTORY?

Same Generals; new characters; more backstory. The Archkyries have been busy recruiting! "Things have changed."

*How many years have passed on Valhalla?

*Does Vydar still huddle with the bad guys?

*Is one of the new minis who looks like a cybernetic ape a new leader for the Gorillanators?

*Is that dragon even bigger than the Bramcephys mini?

Inquiring minds want to know..!