End of an Era

[Senex]

Slitherine/Matrix has announced that they will not be selling their games or manuals in physical form starting on March 1.  They have a limited number of games that will be available on disk until then, but that's it after that.  See https://www.matrixgames.com/news/important-update-last-chance-to-purchase-physical-manuals-and-editions-before-march-1st?utm_source=Matrix+Games+Master&utm_campaign=83c2a6e9f0-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_28032024_TodaysGamingSales_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d2dfdfd653-83c2a6e9f0-87566581
Ebay value of those boxes sitting on our shelves has just taken a lift.

[Jarhead0331]

I had no idea they were still even selling physical copies, other than a few select titles with special editions.

[CaptainKoloth]

Is nothing sacred anymore 🤬

[Destraex]

My take on this would be for them to offer printable manuals with exact instructions to give for professional printers. Paper type, binding etc.

[bobarossa]

PDF manuals are why I have a tablet.  Haven't bought a physical computer game in well over a decade.

[Sir Slash]

I feel sad. The next generation of Gamers will never know the pure thrill of holding a new, unopened game box in their Dorito-stained hands for the very first time, the vibrantly colored manual with a detailed map or two, maybe even some graphs of weapon types and their ranges/damage effects. Nerd Valhalla.     Second thought, screw 'em. Only Real Men can rip cellophane.

[solops]

This sucks.

[The_Admiral]

To be honest costs have become too unpredictable. I shake in my boots at the uncertainty heading into tour own Kickstarter when it comes to cost evaluation. Prices we've seen for mere printing jobs in the US are insane - everything else is a few inches away from a sudden tariff war. The days of waiting patiently for the container to bring you your WitP:AE manual from China are a bit gone.

I guess maintaining inventory is not deemed worth the effort, especially if physical editions are not a thing anymore. Bit surprised they're not turning this into a fire sale though - wonder where all these things will go if they don't get sold?

[bobarossa]

With constant patches and DLC's, a physical manual is out of date in no time.  I would pay for a Shadow Empire manual except that Vic has updated the game so much over the years it's barely recognizable from a play standpoint.

[Sigwolf]

I'll miss being able to get printed manuals.  I still have War in the West, War in the East 2, Operational Art of War IV, and Strategic Command WWI in Europe on my shelf.

What might be an even bigger end of an era bummer, though, is that I did not receive an anniversary coupon from Matrix this year.  For more than a decade I have gotten that on the 3rd or 4th of February every year.  This year, nothing... 

[Skoop]

spam filter ?

I'd follow up with matrix site, I think I had the same problem and they sorted it out.

[Pete Dero]

What might be an even bigger end of an era bummer, though, is that I did not receive an anniversary coupon from Matrix this year.  For more than a decade I have gotten that on the 3rd or 4th of February every year.  This year, nothing... 

Check 'My Page'.  On the right you will find 'My Anniversary Coupons'.

https://www.matrixgames.com/member/anniversarycoupons/

[Sigwolf]

What might be an even bigger end of an era bummer, though, is that I did not receive an anniversary coupon from Matrix this year.  For more than a decade I have gotten that on the 3rd or 4th of February every year.  This year, nothing... 

Check 'My Page'.  On the right you will find 'My Anniversary Coupons'.

https://www.matrixgames.com/member/anniversarycoupons/

That is the first place I checked.  The most recent entry there is for the coupon I received Feb 3, 2024.

[Crossroads]

I purchased the Flashpoint Campaigns: Southern Storm manual purely for the beauty of it. What a gorgeous hardcover book! I also picked up a physical copy of CMO during the year-end sales, though that manual turned out to be a small softcover book. Meh, sort of, as it was quite pricey, too. But a book, regardless.

I don't miss DVD boxes per se, but printed manuals. There's just something special about them. Professionally printing PDF manuals wouldn't be too expensive either I guess. Maybe something worth considering for the future.

[Sigwolf]

Problem solved with the anniversary coupon.  Not sure why I didn't get the original e-mail, but support re-sent it and I got it immediately.  For anyone that has something similar occur... I didn't realize that the coupon will not show up on the Matrix 'My Page' coupons list until *after* you click the link in the e-mail.  I had thought it showed up there automatically, but that is apparently not how it works.

Anyway, all is well, except the print manuals going away.