http://www.forbeck.com/2008/12/02/gen-con-for-sale%E2%80%94but-not-really/
"...Then someone stepped in and made an offer for the company. This, as it later became clear, was a hostile takeover bid by a mysterious company known only as the Gen Con Acquisition Group. The offer’s intent was to snatch up the company at bankruptcy prices while it was at its most vulnerable."
These people should step forward so that they can be boycotted.
Quote from: Abyssal Maw;270736These people should step forward so that they can be boycotted.
Now there's some motivation!
Why would you have any problem with a hostile takeover? It was a smart attempt by someone hoping they could buy something at its cheapest. That's Business 101 practiced at every flea market across America.
Kinda like how Peter bought TSR...when the company was on its knees.
Speaking of TSR- my wild ass, completely baseless guess, is that it is Hasbro.
Quote from: Spinachcat;270746Kinda like how Peter bought TSR...when the company was on its knees.
And just look what he did to the
D&D brand. That
bastard.
!i!
(P.S. Hasbro? Really? Do you think they want to tie any more weight to their ankles with the
D&D property?)
Quote from: Aos;270747Speaking of TSR- my wild ass, completely baseless guess, is that it is Hasbro.
WotC already has the D&D Experience (DDXP) convention and the Magic Pro Tour conventions. They would not want a convention that showcases stuff other than their IP.
I think they want to take it and twist it to their own evil ends and bring an end to democracy and freedom as we know it! This, among other reasons, is why I must, once again, urge all of you to rise up and name me your Emperor. the only way I can can protect your rights is if I have the power of life and death over each and every one of you.
Quote from: Aos;270750I think they want to take it and twist it to their own evil ends and bring an end to democracy and freedom as we know it! This, among other reasons, is why I must, once again, urge all of you to rise up and name me your Emperor. the only way I can can protect your rights is if I have the power of life and death over each and every one of you.
I agree on the condition that you offer mountain dew instead of kool-aid
Quote from: Spinachcat;270749WotC already has the D&D Experience (DDXP) convention and the Magic Pro Tour conventions. They would not want a convention that showcases stuff other than their IP.
Not to pile onto a conspiracy theory, but there have been numerous examples of companies buying competing properties with the sole purpose of taking a few choice bits (the name, for example) and then shutting down the competing property and sitting on the license.
If Hasbro were to do this, they'd take the GenCon name, maybe a few other things associated with GenCon, and then shut down any currently existing GenCons. The D&DXP could be renamed GenCon and showcase only Hasbro stuff.
Do I think it likely? No. They wouldn't be using a Kentucky lawyer for the acquisition team, IMHO.
--Mike L.
Quote from: Abyssal Maw;270736These people should step forward so that they can be boycotted.
Why exactly?
Because I need a visible enemy to denounce. It's how these things work.
Quote from: CavScout;270754Why exactly?
I don't think that bit of the OP quite works, if you want to buy something you want to buy it as cheaply as you can. If that means a hostile bid, so it goes, that's business.
If you want a company, snatching it up at bankruptcy prices seems sensible, and if you have shareholders of your own then you're obliged to maximise their profits.
Call me a capitalist bastard, but I don't have a problem with that.
Quote from: Balbinus;270758I don't think that bit of the OP quite works, if you want to buy something you want to buy it as cheaply as you can. If that means a hostile bid, so it goes, that's business.
If you want a company, snatching it up at bankruptcy prices seems sensible, and if you have shareholders of your own then you're obliged to maximise their profits.
Call me a capitalist bastard, but I don't have a problem with that.
Once again, Balbinus speaks truth.
Quote from: Balbinus;270758I don't think that bit of the OP quite works, if you want to buy something you want to buy it as cheaply as you can. If that means a hostile bid, so it goes, that's business.
If you want a company, snatching it up at bankruptcy prices seems sensible, and if you have shareholders of your own then you're obliged to maximise their profits.
Call me a capitalist bastard, but I don't have a problem with that.
Exactly, which is why I don't understand why you would boycott the potential buyers.
Hurt feelings. Tribal allegiance. The usual.
!i!
Quote from: KenHR;270759Once again, Balbinus speaks truth.
I concur. Folks want to buy a business as cheaply as possible? The horror! The horror!
Seanchai
Quote from: Aos;270757Because I need a visible enemy to denounce. It's how these things work.
Oh,
please.
Haven't you learned yet that you can get way more mileage denouncing invisible enemies?
Well, on the internet, maybe.
Who gets to decide whether the offer is accepted or not?
The shareholders if it's a corporation, the partners if it's a partnership, the owner if its a sole proprietor.
If it's in bankruptcy, I think the creditors and a judge might have some say.
Good call, Mr. Wilen. Though IIRC if a company has a decent plan a judge will be reticent to force a sale. I mean, I think that's the point of the "protection" of bankruptcy. IANAL, YMMV, etc.
Quote from: Aos;270750The only way I can can protect your rights is if I have the power of life and death over each and every one of you.
I don't the sound of these here boncentration camps.
Quote from: Age of Fable;270874boncentration camps.
Prison camps for zombies and other undead?
Think...French...
Quote from: James J Skach;271010Think...French...
Bon... Centration...
Enjoy your collection point?
Identity of acquisition group revealed. (http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/13844.html)
Quote from: Elliot Wilen;271033Identity of acquisition group revealed. (http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/13844.html)
I think GAMA would do a decent job of running it. Origins seems a hit every year, they could roll the GAMA trade show in with GenCon. Get everyone playing at a table at the same... errr... table once a year.
My first reaction: "WTF is Bucephalus Games"?
Answer:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/12529.html
http://shop.bucephalus.biz/news/list
I don't know the first thing about these kinds of games. Are any of them a hit? The website looks so boring.
First the start-up company, now the GenCon offer. Who gives the guy all that money on spec? Rich wife?
They're hit or miss on BGG. One really tasteless title, "Suicide Bomber", and one WTF title, "Oh my god there's an Axe in my head", yet the latter has an amazingly if not suspiciously high rating.
Just to be clear: Anthony is in the process of leaving GAMA [they interviewed a bunch of prospects for the Executive Director position last month, and I expect the hire will be announced soon], and aside from him working at Bucephalus now, there's no word if Bucephalus or any of their investors are involved in the acquisition.
GAMA has outright said that they have no part of this offer.
Quote from: Seanchai;270773I concur. Folks want to buy a business as cheaply as possible? The horror! The horror!
It is indeed reprehensible.
Businesses should pay a lot of money for failing rpg-related companies. On the other hand, rpg-related companies should offer their products extremely cheap, or even free.
And no, those two things could not possibly contradict each-other.
Quote from: AdamJury;271077Just to be clear: Anthony is in the process of leaving GAMA [they interviewed a bunch of prospects for the Executive Director position last month, and I expect the hire will be announced soon], and aside from him working at Bucephalus now, there's no word if Bucephalus or any of their investors are involved in the acquisition.
GAMA has outright said that they have no part of this offer.
Yes, upon further reading, including some information at the GAMA site, I realized this. His interview over at IPv2 seemed to indicate he was doing this with some tacit approval or guidance from GAMA, but that is not the case, as mentioned above.
Gallela??
Oh my goodness.
That explains a lot.
A lot that I really can't say publicly or would prefer not to.
Anyone curious, just PM me about it.
- Ed C.
Quote from: StormBringer;271018Bon... Centration...
Enjoy your collection point?
You'd think with over 4,500 posts here, as well as putting up my own little corner, I'd know just what is a collection point.
Alas, I am ashamed...
Quote from: Koltar;271109Gallela??
Oh my goodness.
That explains a lot.
A lot that I really can't say publicly or would prefer not to.
Anyone curious, just PM me about it.
- Ed C.
You're such a tease
Quote from: Elliot Wilen;271033Identity of acquisition group revealed. (http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/13844.html)
The big thing that pops out at me in the article is that Gallela is simply the figurehead at the top of the group, and that the investors are outside the industry. Those investors may or may not be gamers, but they all expect profit. Sticking someone like Gallela at the top is one thing, but if he doesn't deliver on whatever he's promised to the investors, he could easily be replaced by a suit who couldn't give a crap about gamers.
--Mike L.
Quote from: boulet;271160You're such a tease
Thats because I 'work' in the business in two ways. Got to try to keep it nice and friendly.
Truthfully, I kind of hope the courts lets the Adkinson group re-organize things so they can come out of bankruptcy next year - there are a lot of good, nice people on the GenCon staff.
- Ed C.
Quote from: flyerfan1991;271168The big thing that pops out at me in the article is that Gallela is simply the figurehead at the top of the group, and that the investors are outside the industry. Those investors may or may not be gamers, but they all expect profit. Sticking someone like Gallela at the top is one thing, but if he doesn't deliver on whatever he's promised to the investors, he could easily be replaced by a suit who couldn't give a crap about gamers.
Here's the most likely scenario IMO -
The entire point of the GenCon Acquisition Group is to purchase it on the cheap then flip it later for a big profit. I'm nearly positive the investors have no intention of holding on to GenCon. They'll probably spend a year or two getting things running smooth again for the purpose of bringing the value up while looking for buyers. They are probably looking at seeing what happened with WW and Mongoose, and hoping some computer game company will buy it for a good chunk of change.
Quote from: James J Skach;271158You'd think with over 4,500 posts here, as well as putting up my own little corner, I'd know just what is a collection point.
Alas, I am ashamed...
Well, it is more pseudo-Latin than French, I suppose. I think centration is the act of centralizing. It will probably be all the rage in corpspeak in a year or so.
Quote from: jgants;271211Here's the most likely scenario IMO -
The entire point of the GenCon Acquisition Group is to purchase it on the cheap then flip it later for a big profit. I'm nearly positive the investors have no intention of holding on to GenCon. They'll probably spend a year or two getting things running smooth again for the purpose of bringing the value up while looking for buyers. They are probably looking at seeing what happened with WW and Mongoose, and hoping some computer game company will buy it for a good chunk of change.
More likely a group that operates some of the big electronic gaming trade shows.
--Mike L.