[Nameless]

Stefan, Matt - thx for pics! some great stuff there.

As for the news... sad? terrible?! It's pity that some ppl lost their jobs, but hey, it happens all the time. What's so sad or terrible apart from that?
No games days? Is any of you so interested in marketing event made by 1 company? What will be missed by you? Apocalypse demo games? Nerds dressed up as space marines?
As I understand, Golden Demons will still be held. So, what's the problem? I can't see it, perhaps you point of view is different.

[-MattCexwish-]

It is really annoying how much people tend to bash the Golden Demon Competition or Games Day Event or Games Workshop as a whole... where do you think will it lead when they first move to other Conventions...?... Besides the fact that there are not too much Miniature related Events on some places of the world, the next step might be to stop Golden Demons after they see that they are not economical...

Why is it good if a convention is cancelled...?... Strange opinion... There still are plenty of people who are still enjoying meeting unknown people with the same hobby... like me...

[Nameless]

If you would be that kind Matt, please read my post again. slowly.
I don't bash nor Golden Demon, nor Games Workshop as a whole. I didn't say it is good when a convention is cancelled.

As for Games Day - sorry, I will not miss it. That is not bashing, that is my personal opinion which I am entitled to. It is not sad or terrible news for me. If you call that bashing, I will have to call your post 'fanboyness'.
As for nerds - yes, I will bash them. No matter if they dress up as marines, jedi knights or 2nd level mage-fighters.

Replying to your question about the future - if games days dissappear, gw gamers/fans will meet on other cons. If Golden Demons dissapear - you all great painters will take your lovely works to other contests.
Does it matter for you if you meet with your fellow (or not so fellow) hobbyists on a Games Day or GenCon (or any other con)?

I would love to see painting competions in Europe similar to US GenCon or Origins. Important competitions, gathering great painters, but not limiting to 1 manufacturer. I would not mind if Golden Demon was held on non-GW event, or even mixed with another contest.

Summarizing - I'd not be happy if Games Day or Golden Demon dissapeared completely, but it would not be a sad or terrible news. I'm sure that in such case other event would play their part.

[Demi_morgana]

what he said;

thanks for photo-relation! tomorrow day at work will not be boring

[Trovarion]

did i mention i lost my drive to paint again, because of the pics xP

[mahon]

@Trov: were they not pretty enough?

@Nameless: I kinda agree. I care for GDs just because they are the only important painting contests (of that scale) in Europe. We have no GenCons or FantastiCons, so if you want to meet fellow painters and take part in a painting contest - Golden Demons are the place to be.

But I don't care for Games Days too much. Why should I? I ain't interested...
I have nothing against geeks or nerds (many of us would qualify as such), so I don't mind if some one wears SM or SoB costume. I don't really care much.

Of course I would prefer to have a big painting contest of European range and importance, where you would be allowed to enter with any stuff - fantasy, historical, any manufacturer or range. If I had choice of having such a contest or a Golden Demon - the choice would be obvious.

So - as you may guess - I am not sad at all about the decision about Games Days. For me Golden Demons can easily beheld during any other event, with no harm to the GDs themselves. That's not so cool that people lost their jobs and I wish them as good new jobs (and as quickly) as possible, but I am totally indifferent to the decision about Games Days.

@Matt - come on, don't be ridiculous. We all know you want to meet people and travel to painting events. But wouldn't you do it if it wasn't a Golden Demon contest but a Silver Trousers one? Or if it wasn't during a Games Day but as a part of another event - such as Spiel or Expo?
Of course you would, and I believe most other painters would. Maybe even those who don't attend GDs. So why should you mind Nameless' post? I think he meant the same...

[NAVARRO]

Ok, i have to say my opinion, about this spanish GD, changed after i browsed a bit the photos... I was soooooo wrong, this was indeed a Kick @ss GD and the level was incredible!

As for the death of Games days... I'm not a fanboy or a hate boy but these are NOT good news in anyway, in fact its a blow for painting comunities.

Like it or not GW in the past defined these gamesdays and kind off set the bar for the painting competitions worldwide. They gave the kick off for what the painting hobby is today. For that alone its sad news but theres more to it:

How many painters paint exclusively for these events? How many wish to get a slayer or a deamon? Its by far much more relevant than to get a 1st place at a gencon or other competitions... What im saying is that its a tradition to go to Games day and compete for the slayer on a GW hosted event.
What will happen to those countries that dont have big events like gen cons to host it? No Golden deamons.

And its not the same if its hosted elsewere, it will loose impact and meaning and I'm afraid that at the end it will lose relevance.

And i think people are mixing things; having a big big painting contest in europe is a very gooood thing but that has nothing to do with the death of a GD... I for one think the hobby should evolve to more events... Golden demon, gencons, big painting contest etc and not evolve to less... thats never good in my book.

Will i miss gamesdays, nope i never attended one but i have to say i want a GW and any other miniature manufacturer with good health! Its vital for us. I also enjoy looking at pics of things to come and i believe gamesdays are essencial to keep tha hobby in the family spirit.., its the only GW event were families or group of friends enjoy GW miniatures for a couple of days... loosing that is ignoring the power of investing in publicity and ignore the potential new buyers that attend to these events.

[-MattCexwish-]

It is not the this certain Event... it is about losing ANY Event what makes me sad... this is all...

I am not sure about another event replacing the Demon... In the end they did a *fairly* professional job and show... and maybe it is about me that I never been to any other Miniature related event ever... maybe they are equally profesional... but from what I saw on pictures I doubt it...

8000 People are attending the UK Demon... 4000 the German and French one... a bit less the Spanish... how many people are on Spiel...?... Expo will be a totally different kind of deal, that will surely be the best of the best...

So all in all I don´t see how I am ridiculous here......

[mahon]

As for being ridiculous I only meant that you thought people tend to bash everything by GW. I don't think it happens here as a rule of a thumb, adn that's why I wrote it. If you felt offended - I didn't mind it. Sorry.

I agree that any news that some events will not be held any more make me sad. Navarro is right.
Maybe it's because I've never been to a real Games Day that I don't appraciate its quality and importance?

I also consider Golden Demons the most important painting contest and something which did a huge lot to our hobby. I think the hobby wouldn't be what it is if it wasn't for GDs. I know many of us care mostly or exclusively for these contests, and even though I don't - I can understand it.

Maybe I am simply disappointed there's no large universal painting contest here in Europe? Maybe I am just envious....

[Nameless]

And i think people are mixing things; having a big big painting contest in europe is a very gooood thing but that has nothing to do with the death of a GD...

noone said that, Nav. What we said is that:
1. we'd love to see important painting contest in Europe not supported by only 1 company;
2. importance of other contests would increase if Golden Demons dissapeared.

Personally I don't like situation when 1-company event is the most important painting competition. This has nothing to do with GW bashing.
It is my opinion that if all painters spent half of their painting-time on different manufacturers, it would make our hobby-world a better place

Again: I'm not saying that Golden Demons should dissapear.

Matt, let's be honest: meeting other hobbyists is less important than win and eternal fame gained on Golden Demon contest. Controversial statement?
Perhaps, but how many of you (top painters travelling across Europe to GDs) would come to Poland to Bazyliszek con? Bazyliszek painting contest has no company limits, last year it had similar number of entries and (I dare to say it) overall quality as Polish GD.
If more top painters (both Polish and international) came, it would be as good (or even better) contest as GD. I'm quite sure it would give all of you more hobby opportunities. There are demo games, game tournaments, painting events etc.
How many of you would consider coming to Poland for Bazyliszek?
How many of you consider coming to Polish GD? Or plan to come? Or even decided already?