Gaming is dying. Let’s face it. If it weren’t for games like Warhammer, Poke`mon and M:tg, we’d have no FLGSs. Even with the efforts of distributors to curb online sales, online retailers are gonna end us as a community. See, when you buy a game online, it doesn’t come with players. If we lose the FLGS, we lose the play spaces that go with them. I hear you say, “But Justin, you towering bastion of oratory articulation, what about conventions and gaming meetups?” Well, I say unto you that convention prices will end up skyrocketing as there will be fewer vendors to rent spaces. For any FLGS to remain open, they’d have to charge for play spaces to cover the cost/ft2 of keeping the doors open and most people balk when the cost of games/gaming accessories go up in price. Therefore, the likelihood of customers paying for space is out. Most places with enough space to host multiple tables will start charging to host events as rent isn’t free. All that will remain is private meetups and online board game sales. Throw in wokeism starting to attack mainstream gaming and you have a recipe for disaster.
This all seems rather bleak, but while we were all wearing our rose colored glasses, we’ve failed to realize that there are only a handful of products keeping things going. I personally haven’t seen any thing take off recently that could act as a pillar to hold up the community so if something goes down, we are on step closer to huddling in a dark corner around a copy of Catan.
The prevailing attitude is “Amazon ain’t Helping”, and it’s mostly right. However, it’s not the mere existence of Amazon that’s the issue, it’s what they offer. Not fast cheap products (if that’s all that was required, my stock portfolio wouldn’t look like it does), but a customizable shopping experience. The ability to fill the customer “wish” void almost instantly. Think about it .When you need any gaming appliance, is you first thought to go to an FLGS and look around hoping they have what you need? No. It’s to go look online.
Honestly, looking at Amazon’s performance of late; they’re resting on their laurels and not pushing the customizable shopping experience (just cheap products and a large selection). In contrast, an FLGS ends up needing to concentrate on play spaces and selling mostly products that people won’t wait for such as magic cards and snacks. Basically, when looking at a gaming product, if the answer to the question “Do I need this right now” is “No” the FLGS has likely lost a sale.
So what’s the solution? What’s needed is a fresh approach… a new model… I’ve attended myriad FLGSs and they’re mostly the same. They set out products unattended then hope their marketing gets buyers. They offer play spaces, but rarely do I see them used to drive sales anymore aside from M:tG which makes them all same-y. what’s needed is that I (or someone) needs to figure out how to customize the game purchasing experience. I propose an actual gamer’s guild.
What do I mean by that? Well my research summarizes a Gaming Guild as such:
“A tabletop gamer’s guild is a group of players who come together to play board games, card games, and roleplaying games in a safe, fun environment. Gaming guilds can also support local gaming events and stores, and have podcasts to discuss the hobby”.
Dictionary.com defines a guild as:
- an organization of persons with related interests, goals, etc., especially one formed for mutual aid or protection.
- any of various medieval associations, as of merchants or artisans, organized to maintain standards and to protect the interests of its members, and that sometimes constituted a local governing body.
The definitions don’t exactly line up. What gets me is the mutual aid or protection part. We’ve been so busy chasing down the first part of the definition that we’ve neglected to protect the culture of gaming as a whole. The good news is that gaming culture seems healthy, just not the ability to propagate it beyond WOM. In summary, we’ve ignored the work of a guild in favor of play. So back to what an actual gamer’s guild and what that looks like. This would be more of a think tank. Sure, we’ll foster shared experiences through gaming, but it’s time to stop getting distracted by them. The guild I’m proposing would find solutions (not just band-aids) to the issues that we’re facing as a community.
a guild, clubhouse or cafe is the way to go to give gamers a space today. Retail gaming stores are on their way out.
Agreed. t’s the main reason why Phoenix Games is dedicated to events more than anything. Only way a FLGS is viable is when coupled with another business. Impossible to make money otherwise. The issue is that most people who wish to start a game shop don’t want to take on that second business or it’s expenses.
The question then becomes what businesses can be coupled successfully with an FLGS. We know that Cafes work, but there’s such a thing as market saturation. what else?
Look up Spielbound in Omaha, NE. Its certainly successful and the model to follow as far as board game cafes are concerned.
I would couple a club with food and drink services with membership dues. Making it a private club will maximize accountability and minimize risk.
My only misgiving there would be that one would either have to charge exorbitant dues or a tertiary charge for food/drink. the benefits of membership would have to make the dues ‘worth’ it. I feel like a yearly fee might be appropriate then offer discounts for members.
It does make one wonder how other fraternities deal with these items.