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Sunday, December 20, 2009

"Worse than being talked about?"


The shadow of hindsight- cast by FFG's announcement last Friday 11th of next year's Horus Heresy big box boardgame, has left that 'Cease and desist' letter GW served on BGG looking perhaps a little more than just another 'eccentric' interpretation of fair use on the part of the company's corporate legal lackeys?

Fanciful to suggest this it might be, but when Purple Pawn gaming newsblog staff writer rjstreet pleads that FFG aren't GW- so that he doesn't have to boycott, passing on this shiny new offering of 40K boardgaming goodness; well I can't help but speculate that this act which has enraged so many across those thar intarwebs these past 3 weeks; that this otherwise senseless purge finds its rational kernel in its peculiar echo of the infamous Exterminatus of 40K lore. The apocalyptic overtones of much of the quite justified outrage just adds to the effect.

Could it all've been just a viral marketing scam with a heavy overdose of grotesque irony? Fanciful, as I said; but what most comments seem to have lacked is any serious attempt to grapple with the notion that this decision might serve GW's interests at least as much as it doesn't serve those of the fans.

Mooted machinations- mildly mendacious or merely meretricious, aside: beautiful and intriguing, the game will doubtless prove irresistable to those legions of loyal fans among whom number yours truly, dear readers. The Horus Heresy- long the thematic heart of GW's Dark Millenium, has recently proved itself to be very marketable. I would imagine FFG will find the same. Me? I'm hoping that Horus Heresy will finally give this definitive moment in the Dark Millenium canon the gaming treatment it's long awaited. ;)

3 comments:

gnome said...

Think it would look nice next to my shiny new Space Hulk... Oh, and cheers my friend!

"A bit political on yer ass!" said...

You're welcome gnome, in both senses... ;)

gnome said...

:)