Studio 38 (former Alkemy, Kraken Editions)

[Corvus]

I think another mistake is that some of those companies, like Kraken, are created by miniature artists instead of gamers. They want to target both showcase painters and gamers, this means creating stunning, thus expensive, miniatures. Painters are eager to pick these up, and they don't mind that they are a bit more expensive. But for gamers to pick them up, miniatures should be cheap, robust and not too detailed.

[Skrit]

I can hardly believe they are going/went under just by the high prizes of their packaging!

[Maru]

renault?

well if evrything will go as "usual" it will be Daimler AG for about 10 r

[NAVARRO]

If you read the comments on TTGNews most people blame it on the high packaging costs.

This caused the prices to rise and sales to drop.

Thats a silly argument if you ask me... sure fancy package can make things a bit more expensive but when you have to actually produce PLASTICMINIATURES its like a drop in the ocean of expenses.
I believe all french companies that failed miserably started loosing the race by closing themselves inside their french shell and never for a moment looked at the wider prespective, I dont think any of these companies really got a good distribution channel, non french costumer support, non french suported forum etc.... If you want to make people interested in your stuff the least you could do is be involved. But this is just the begining... I think the big investment on plastic miniatures from Kraken was never covered and as such the big silence for many months without news or releases gave a bad image to someone wanting to buy into a new game.

I dont mind the price of minis if the quality is really there and man, allanC work is fucking great and that is 100% visible present on ALkemy... In short im pissed off with this shit because these minis deserved a better fate.

[Demi_morgana]

apparently they desperately refuse to learn on own mistakes

[Neolis]

well least I got the stuff that I want. Will put it right in the same box as my rackham stuff.

[Demi_morgana]

hehehe, I also have rackham-dedicated box!!!

[Morf]

If you read the comments on TTGNews most people blame it on the high packaging costs.

This caused the prices to rise and sales to drop.

BS. Yes, people can blame, but that is not true. Price of printed box is slightly higher than blister + printed insert.
I'd rather look at the business model.

But for gamers to pick them up, miniatures should be cheap, robust and not too detailed.

Really? To give you the example: Starship Troopers. Great rules, very playable game; fugly minis. Hardcore gamers who claim they play only for rules didn't play the game cause minis were ugly.
Confrontation v.2. Bad rules, great minis. Tons of players.

People love to blame indy games for high pricing, at the same time paying 10 Euro for GW/PP miniatures.
yes, Alkemy made some pricing mistakes which they have corrected.
Getting into the game was reasonably priced.

What kills a game is luck of updates (Alkemy philosophy of one wave paying for the next) and business model of sales and promotion (don't know the Kraken's so won't even speculate).
This is a very difficult and unforgiving market, trust me. It's a killing ground for artists with no business background.

[tremanor]

" It's a killing ground for artists with no business background. "

yep.

[Corvus]

that's probably the best summary one can give