Thread by @Manglepaw

@MacGraeme42 @Gingerblast The guys in the anecdote, all thirty-somethings, all console gamers who are used to paying for stuff. And I've been playing a long time. I've seen the the changes in the player base, and was even a co-chair for a 501c3 whose charitable reason was to teach geeks to socialize.

@MacGraeme42 @Gingerblast This isn't about socialization. Most (all ages) don't understand what it takes moneywise to run a brick and mortar. It's about not understanding economics. Not knowing that free still has a cost somewhere that is eaten by someone else. Be it the store or the DM, someone is paying

@Gingerblast 2/ With the Black Friday sale coming up, I made sure to announce it to the room. None of the players took advantage of the deals. The GM did.

@Gingerblast 3/ The next week I went into that gameroom when the DM stepped out for a bio break. I said, "Gentlemen, in ten months your DM has dropped over 300 dollars to entertain you. We don't have table fees because we assume the loss for sales. If you won't support us, support him."

@Gingerblast 4/ That night, they all bought x-mas gift certs for the DM. Here's why I'm torn. The lesson is that the average forever player must be shamed into even being considerate. When there is an untapped market that big, and deeply 'sale-resistant,' microtransactions are inevitable.

@MacGraeme42 @The_Viktor_Vyle @Gingerblast The friendly response was before Black Friday. They were warned. They didn't respond. These were thirty-somethings. They should have known better. No one ever told them that 'helping others to help themselves' was a life strat.

@MacGraeme42 @The_Viktor_Vyle @Gingerblast FLGS are 'destination' businesses. They get little or no value out of location or traffic. Games at play can cause a bump. But there is a 'secret sauce' that is completely out of the retailer's hands.

@MacGraeme42 @The_Viktor_Vyle @Gingerblast On table fees. Some would agree with you. Many would not. The dirty secret of FLGS's, going back to the 80's is that there are two types of players. Whales and Freeriders. Staying open on the income from whales worked until the 90's. The economy isn't that strong anymore.

@MacGraeme42 @The_Viktor_Vyle @Gingerblast The owners and staff are fonts of knowledge. And if they can't answer your question, they know who can. These stores are typically local and not franchised.

@MacGraeme42 @The_Viktor_Vyle @Gingerblast They help with wargaming and cards, but the expense is typically unjustifiable. RPG's and board games can have very limited success, but not as strong as war and card and only if a specific element is in play. /2

@MacGraeme42 @The_Viktor_Vyle @Gingerblast The whale model is still in play. Think about kvetching over the price of 40k models and restricted list cards. Compare to a player who skips buying a mini at the store for a bad 3D print, or a boardgamer's list of kickstarters. /X

@MacGraeme42 @The_Viktor_Vyle @Gingerblast But those don't help the bottom line anytime soon. How long does it take a kid to grow into disposable income? Those acts are about building tomorrow's community.

@MacGraeme42 @The_Viktor_Vyle @Gingerblast Hasbro wants that sweet, sweet microtransaction, but it isn't killing creativity. It is transitioning its product online for a younger audience, and the Table people will be left behind. It's less greed than understanding demographics. /2

@MacGraeme42 @The_Viktor_Vyle @Gingerblast The demographics are going sour. Toys-R-Us did not shutter due to business practices; they closed because they lacked a customer base that could support a warehouse store.