Alien vs Predator Miniatures Game, Prodos loses license to AvP. p.266

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**black-rabbit**

What's this!? A random email from Prodos games???

"Hi there!

Your AvP Kickstarter order is now being Shipment

Prodos Games team"

What sorcery is this???

**angelofvengeance**

*slow clap* fingers x'd you get all of your stuff black-rabbit

**bubber**

FB update:

Hi all, this is not the full update, as I am away due to personal issues and I cannot reach key people to clarify few points. However, the official statement will be made on our website blog within next few days and here are the key points you may be interested in. Please bear in mind, non of the changed will affect Kickstarters delivery.
1. There is a changed in Prodos Games LTD management structure.
2. New management’s priority is to finish AvP Kickstarter delivery asap, and the route-map is created in order to finish it off:
a) new stuff is being employed to increase capacity for manufacturing and customer service in order to improve communication with backers and shipping.
b) new management decision was to cancel many external casting work to increase capacity to finish AvP Kickstarter, as you may know, every item approved post March 16 needed to be manufactured for you.
c) nothing will be release to retail until the last backer receive their pledges.
d) slow shipping in last 2 months was caused by :
-holiday period and sick absence
- low capacity (too much work taken on by Prodos – issue addressed)
- issues with pledge manager – Prodos team needed to go through each individual pledge, and confirm it with shipping goods as Prodos have received feedback about double-shipping the same pledge to several backers. (addressed by Prodos)
- we had yearly VAT check and need to take a stocktake, that effectively cut out two weeks from our manufacturing/packing capacity.
3. Prodos is looking into tokens issue. This can only be addressed post Kickstarter.
4. 3D terrain is in external supplier 3D print and will be with us within weeks, it will be revealed and send to backers as soon as we start manufacturing it (3-4 weeks at max).
5. Wargaming book, the work on layout for the book is starting this week Monday, the book should be manufactured within 60 days, you will be able to see a preview PDF weeks before it goes to print.
6. Remaining items – Clear Predators, Marines tokens and multi parts models are in manufacturing and the stock in build up for shipping.
7. PLEASE check your pledge manger for address and same and SURNAME for shipping!
Other issues not related with Kickstarter that won’t affect you at all are:
- post Brexit (customs issues that may affect EU and USA customers post Brexit, it wont affect backers at all, however its a valid point as it will affect many current UK based Kickstarters if not delivered within a year or so)
- Prodos HQ relocation to USA
- moving from GBP as main currency to USD due to unsectarian position of GBP post Brexit.

As I have all my stuff, it doesn't affect me but others will be interested.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Sorry - this was from Jarek.

**Nostromodamus**

Change in management? Cancelling manufacture for other companies? HQ relocation to USA?

Interesting times...

**black-rabbit**

Definitely a step in the right direction, but I wonder if it's too little too late considering all the ill will they've generated amongst their community.

**warboss**

black-rabbit wrote:
Definitely a step in the right direction, but I wonder if it's too little too late considering all the ill will they've generated amongst their community.

It's only a step in the right direction if they follow through in a timely fashion without finding some new way to screw over backers in the meantime. Prodos has never had a problem making promises... just actually keeping them.

**Shinnentai**

Thanks for posting that update, Bubber.

Does *sound* promising. I agree that it's far too late for Prodos to change the opinion of many backers - not after over a year of retail sales and recently offering 40% discounts (as a reminder, backers received a 5% discount by way of apology...).

I should think they're (belatedly) trying to repair their reputation so that it doesn't stink up future projects so much. Me saying "I still don't have anything 2.5 years later..." sounds a lot worse than "they eventually delivered 2.5 years after they said they would", and backers are less likely to post negative comments once they have their stuff.

**CptJake**

Past performance is generally a very good indicator of future performance. Jarek, in the past, has proven to be a liar. I'll be surprised if that tiger changes its stripes.

**black-rabbit**

It arrived today! I was very surprised at how quick the postage was.

Model cast quality seems good and the product overall was great. Doubt I'll ever have dealings with the company going forward but credit where credit is due, they put out a nice product

**CptJake**

black-rabbit wrote:
It arrived today! I was very surprised at how quick the postage was.

Model cast quality seems good and the product overall was great. Doubt I'll ever have dealings with the company going forward but credit where credit is due, they put out a nice product

What version of the rules did it come with?

**ced1106**

Nostromodamus wrote:
Change in management? Cancelling manufacture for other companies? HQ relocation to USA?

Did you follow the LOAD KS? In the LOAD KS, we found out that the creator, Archon, was owned by Prodos. Prodos reduced its staff to four people, and Archon increased its staff to thirty. (Or something to that effect.)

My guess is that Prodos / Archon is using LOAD funding to finish up AvP, much like it used AvP funds to finish up Warzone.

I didn't anticipate cancelling manufacturing, but I guess KS backers who won't back KS projects with mini's made by Prodos might be congratulating themselves.

BGG: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/195547/load-league-ancient-defenders

**warboss**

black-rabbit wrote:
It arrived today! I was very surprised at how quick the postage was.

Model cast quality seems good and the product overall was great. Doubt I'll ever have dealings with the company going forward but credit where credit is due, they put out a nice product

Congrats! I'm glad Prodos did the right thing by you.

**Bluehammer**

bubber wrote:
FB update:

c) nothing will be release to retail until the last backer receive their pledges.

That bit made me laugh.

I'm definitely in the 'I'll believe it when I see it camp.' Interesting reading non-the-less, and if true it sounds like somebody has decided to take Prodos by the collar and give it a damn good shake. Guess somebody with some business acumen has finally pointed out that a company is only as good as its reputation, and a bad rep spreads beyond just the people being spat on. Interesting they are moving their head office to the USA, as isn't America known for having some quite strict corporate law and a willingness to enforce them (unlike the UK, where we give rogue companies a stern but meaningful 'tut')?

So I guess the new sweep-stake is: will us Brits get our stuff before Brexit; it is only 2 years away after all?

**Morikun**

That bit made me laugh.

This is exactly what I felt : OMG ! Not one more time after all lies !! Please !!

Interesting they are moving their head office to the USA, as isn't America known for having some quite strict corporate law and a willingness to enforce them (unlike the UK, where we give rogue companies a stern but meaningful 'tut')?

The same !! In France, the "Tribunal de Commerce" (aka in english a sort of "Trade Court") would react on his own to fix the problem.

6. Remaining items – Clear Predators, Marines tokens and multi parts models are in manufacturing and the stock in build up for shipping.

Weren't we said that this cloaked pred would be already in manufacturing in march-april AND june-july ?? And now in september-october the same answer ???

I asked Jar-Jarek Binks about it but twice I sent a mail and twice I was answered "we will answered you within 3-5 days thank you"... I still wait... or not.

Serviteur,

Morikun

**Grot 6**

Did anyone receive the synthetic/ Bishop markers?

**black-rabbit**

CptJake wrote:
black-rabbit wrote:
It arrived today! I was very surprised at how quick the postage was.

Model cast quality seems good and the product overall was great. Doubt I'll ever have dealings with the company going forward but credit where credit is due, they put out a nice product

What version of the rules did it come with?

Not sure. Haven't actually opened the boxed game. I just looked at the additional models. I'm assuming the 1st version of the rules considering the package was packed mid last year.

**bubber**

another fab notice from Jarek (on FB):

Good afternoon all, it looks like that the KS messenger tool, that we have been using for updates is not working anymore, KS support team has been notified, anyway here is a short message regarding Essen Spiele 2016:
Visit our booth to pick up your pledge
Like on every trade show Prodos Games attends to, we are organizing
"Pledge Pickup". If you are Kickstarter backer of "Alien Versus Predator
The Hun Begins" and still have not received your pledge by mail, you can
pick it up at Essen Spiele 2016. All you have to do is send us and
e-mail at special address:
essen2016@prodosgames.com
with your name, pledge number, and name and e-mail you have used for
Kickstarter pledge creation. Do not forget to take your ID with you. And
that's it!
We are finishing Essen Pickup Regisration process on Tuesday 1200 CET.
See you at Essen Spiele 2016!
Please pass this message around if you know anyone that will be attending Essen and would like to pick pledge up.

**luky7dayz**

wow so I've been reading through the AVP ruleset and this forum here and this has really scared me away from wanting to buy their product. i was so excited learning their was an AVP game but I'm not exactly sure i want into the game if its in a horrible state like this, is there any good things to be said about the game right now?

**black-rabbit**

Well, the models are really nice at least.

**Grot 6**

luky7dayz wrote:
wow so I've been reading through the AVP ruleset and this forum here and this has really scared me away from wanting to buy their product. i was so excited learning their was an AVP game but I'm not exactly sure i want into the game if its in a horrible state like this, is there any good things to be said about the game right now?

No. Good thing to say? Yes- They can't screw it up any worse.

**Stormonu**

I wonder if folks were to argue with KS since the project had been removed because of "Copyright Infringement" that it should be considered "failed" (especially since they don't have their items) and would be able to get a refund on their pledge?

**Nostromodamus**

Stormonu wrote:
I wonder if folks were to argue with KS since the project had been removed because of "Copyright Infringement" that it should be considered "failed" (especially since they don't have their items) and would be able to get a refund on their pledge?

KS won't do anything about it and aren't obligated to.

**CptJake**

Someone on BGG got the drop ship and reviewed it:

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1651136/cheyenne-dropship-review

**bigfatfred**

So a former director of prodos has divulged that prodos has been (or is in the process of being) sold to a US investment company and has divested itself of it's manufacturing capability. If true it looks like assets are possibly being moved (to Archon?) prior to the sale. Jarek said nothing about this in his latest missive, he only mentioned a new management structure. I wonder what the future holds for us backers. We know that Fox recently extended the licensing agreement. Maybe someone can make AvP work after all.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wordforgegames/the-devils-run-hells-highway/posts/1704644

**bubber**

All i know of investment firms is from TV shows & they end up asset stripping before folding the company.

**chaos0xomega**

but if prodos divested itself of manufacturing prior to sale, then... what are they selling?

**Siygess**

The company name along with the IPs that have been licensed to it, I guess.

**black-rabbit**

I can see why the IPs would be attractive but god know why anyone would want Prodos' name

**timd**

black-rabbit wrote:
I can see why the IPs would be attractive but god know why anyone would want Prodos' name

License contracts usually stipulate that contracts need to be renegotiated with new owners when companies holding IP licenses are sold.

T

**Dark Severance**

Looks like they have versions of the board game single piece Unicast stuff at Spiel 16.

Posted by Konstantinos Lekkas on the AVP Prodos Official page:

Spoiler: