Yesterday Games Workshop launched its new website.
The previous website was a collection of hobby articles, news and the webstore. This new website does away with most of the previous content, and is now completely an online shop.
There have been some questions raised by the public about the minimal design, in that it doesn’t evoke the same feel of Games Workshop’s worlds that the previous site did. Most likely this new web design is influenced by modern technological requirements, what with websites now having to be accessible to both computers and phones.
The total absence of non-store content has been a major topic among the community too. With Games Workshop’s recent relaunch of White Dwarf as a weekly publication, it seems likely that the main hobby focussed content would be squarely directed into this. It certainly seems like a sound move, from a business perspective, for the Games Workshop website and White Dwarf not to compete with each other.
Also abscent on the relaunched website are free introductory tutorials, guides, and other resources for new hobbyists. All painting and hobby material now appears to be only available as digital purchases. If this website is any indication, any content coming out of GW now has to be able to be monetised.
Ejecting the non-store related content, simplifying the design and making it accessible on more devices has probably helped Games Workshop streamline the experience for people purchasing presents for friends and loved-ones. It would be interesting to know if this is influenced by market data at all, the possibility being that the primary users of the website were in fact using the store. This would mean that the free content was over-complicating things, and those utilising these resources were taking up the space of potential customers. In which case this new website focus, and the change of White Dwarf to weekly, would all make perfect sense.
The relaunched website is only a couple of days old. There is every possibility that in the coming months things will change drastically, as Games Workshop build upon this foundation that they have installed. Of course, there is also the possibility that the website stays exactly the same.
From a business point of view, the website appears to be a terrific step forward. Simplified and streamlined in order to get the users to the products they want. It also gives all content produced by the company a monetary value, which in the long run of keeping the company afloat, is also a definite bonus.
From a hobbyist point of view it is a little concerning. The free content was a great asset in being able to promote the hobby to new participants. Also, the new website looks like the front end of a toy store. There is none of the character or history of Games Workshop or its products. Which is disappointing, as for many, this is the aspect that first drew them into Games Workshop and the hobby in the first place.
Website: www.games-workshop.com
