At least there's the kindness of a good-bye!

As a once loyal MK fanatic who bought into Conquests, Dungeons, and the first runs of Heroclix and Mechwarrior, I had stopped just after MK 2.0 and the big retirement. I was recently looking into starting back up, prompted by a friend into checking out the cool new sculpts and intresting rules. Thankfully, the 'bitterness' I felt (from WizKids' past buisiness moves - rushing product, focus on short term profits, then abandoning rushed lines, etc.) has been slow to fade. But it is a sad day that the first, great collectable miniatures game joins its brethren MK Dungeons, MK Conquests, Shadowrun Duels, SportsClix, Crimson Skies, Creepy Freeks, and others in the gaming grave (my uncharitable cynicism would add - "dug by greed.")

Since MK is probably no longer profitable, it makes sense buisiness-wise to drop the line. The competition from Hasbro and subsidiary likely drew many of the older MKers away (especially after the big retirement).

It should be a great opportunity for miniature gamers though - these latest sets seem to have great fig quality (esp. compared to the still mediocre figs of DDM) and, despite some scaling issues, are great to rebase and use as minis. (That might make a good book project - releasing a 'Monster Manual' of stats and stuff for D&D? Or does anyone know if one is already being worked on?)

My interpretation of JW's letter is that MK as a miniatures game will unfortunately no longer exist. I would bet that any future tourney support will fade after a brief run. "Support for the brand" sounds like using the name for what they hope will be more profitible ventures, like the aforementioned computer games.

Although I said good-bye sets ago, I have that feeling that I'm saying good-bye at a funeral of sorts. I had fun with the game and it did reinvigorate/revolutionize the gaming market. And it was once plastic crack to me. So, thanks and farewell Mage Knight!

quote:
"But come to think about it, set rotation has become a fact of life for many other games already"

This isn't set rotation.

Got back from Origins yesterday. I had just played in a 500pt tourny. In the middle of it the envoys walk up and hand us all Apocolypse Dragons! They did the same to those playing in a Battle Royale. Seems someone appreciated us players. Doubt it if it was Wiseman...

Speaking with several envoys they too were very disappointed at the news when they heard it on Thursday night. Tears flowed that night...

I was at the Envoy Appreciation Night and was shocked when Drad said that Nexues would be the last expansion in its current incarnation. However, it occured to me that the game is not dead, it will only die if we the players let it, only if we stop playing. So what if we will be without new pieces for 18+ months, nexus has 144 different figures in it, combined with all the items, spells, and other figures already released and those LE cards in nexues the different combinations and strategies are infinite. I feel that we the players can keep it alive with what we have and will have from Nexues to last the hiaties (not to mention the video game, after seeing the extended promo video and hearing about it from Drad at Origins, I can't wait).

-gaunt.

I am very sad that this game is ending
I have been into Mage Knight almost from the begining
I unfortunately missed it at that first Gen Con but was in it from Alpha on
As an older gamer I have seen too may of the games I was into leave production and am sorry to see them end a game that still had the potential for further expansion
Well goodby MK and MK realms

Python, I was one of the 1st to say Xan owed no apology for his post. It really was no big deal to me what he posted.

But how many games have come and gone since MK was released? So anyone can say almost any game is doomed to eventually be canceled and eventually they'll be right. Doesn't make you wise or some kind of miniature guru. A great game is gone. Mourning should be more in order than childish gloating. I know my life would have been diminished if not for this game and the good times and people and brought me. Although I've been bashing WK for years now, I'm still no gonna waste my time saying I told you so even though I was right. This is a pure shame no matter how you look at it, but I hope the faithful keep the game alive until it's revival in whatever form.

Happy 4th!

Is any body really going to get into a newer version of the game. The game in its original version was great,2.0 added some good things but Wiz Kids kept adding to the rules and made the game a lot more complex and scared all the older players off. lets hope if it is revived they keep it simple, like the original

WK has had a total of 8 games.

MK
HC (2002)
MW (2002)
CS
CF
SR
Pirates (2004)
Rocketman (2005)

4 are dead and 4 are currently in production. What other game company can say they had a game be number 1 and then dead in 2 years?

Maybe the Monopoly game is looking for a brand manager. That has been around for too long to run into the ground.

Guys, do what I did. Pop off your MK figures and put them onto WARMACHINE or Warhammer bases, and you can proxy an army. Buy the rules and you can get started.

It is a bit disconcerting that a company would cancel its flagship game, the game that started it all, especially considering how well it was doing at the start. It is not as if the game was launched and did not catch on like Shadowrun. Competitors must be enjoying this.

:( :( :mad: :mad:
thanks jordan weisman you kill my game...

this sucks

You're right in that I didn't have to. I just felt it better that I do. Just in case the info I got was incorrect.

It is just the type of person I am. I have always wanted this game to succeed even though it was produced by a company that I lost all respect for.

Now it appears that everyone else is where I am. Wanting to try to keep the game alive and not having any respect for WizKids anymore.

I dont really know what to say, Im very surprised that it is over already. I was there at Gencon when they explained the shift to 2.0 - how long was it , maybe 2 years ago?
It was supposed to be the future, and only the beginning of it, and now its being retired already?

I want to make it clear that only a portion of the Lions share my views. They are all upstanding guys and I don't want my comments to imply the views of all the lions. There were 6 of us gathered the night I made them and they all agreeded. Thats a small portion of the 60 or so remaining members.

As for people like Altan and some of the Dracs who disagreed with my post. I agree 100% that it was in poor taste. I would post it again just for the amusement. I don't have any official position to point my finger and say "I told you so" but it feels awful good to do so. Not because the game line changed or the sets were unbalanced or even because of rotation or cancellation. The issue that drove me from the game was their blatant lying, and their inability to see over top of their own ego. Im sure I got wrapped up in other discussions as well, but my main point of focus when attacking Wizkids has always been and always will be their inability to admit mistakes and how they try to cover their tracks.

Even in their announcement they didn't once point a finger at themselves, nor offered any sort of appology for their screw ups. Of course they can't make a public announcement that they made mistakes, but they could of turned to the community on dozens of occasions to get things right. They never did. They ignore playtester results, they posted false statements about product lines and organized play, and hosted moderated Q and A sessions where only approved questions were answered and the tough ones were ignored. They set themselves on this path of so many players turning against them, not the Lions. We just got swept up in the fun.

My comment may be regarded as poor taste by people who are still fans of the game and company, but I enjoy watching them thrash in mud pit that they created. The play issues and mistakes I can over look, but the lying I can't. Its satisfying to see the lies catch up with them finally. I hope Topps has a meeting with the MageKnight staff and fires each and every one of them that had a hand in the development and promotion of the game. From Kevin Goddard on down. Heck they already started from the bottom with the sculptors.

So after a few days to reflect on my post, and a temporary ban given to me by Druss:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
bshugg,

You have been issued a warning by Druss on the account of See Comment - Banned!
This warning has put you over the the ban limit of 25 Total Warning Points.
This type of post is no longer needed, if the game is to live then things need
to be cleaned up.

As a result you have been banned by warnings.
For further questions or information feel free to contact one of the
Administrators

Regards,
MKRealms Forum team.
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I still laugh over the games demise. I feel sorry for the players and store owners who were burned over its incredible rise and meteoric fall into failure. At least now with the game dead, they won't keep buying into the hype. The game was fun for a while, but the negatives have far outweighed the positive.

Bshugg couldn't have posted the Lions position any better.

It is not the game that we turned out backs on. It is the company that produces it.

So please don't blame the Lions for the games demise. Blame the company and stop treating the Lions as the scapegoats.