POD - A new unlife for VtES?

We had this week end a conversation with some french players (one of us a game stores owner). And we discused about the POD and in general about the future of VtES.

And a question which was since the beginning in my mind came to us : will there be something for game storesi n the new VtES?

The question seems one of interest from the game stores owner but it is also a question about embracing new players. Before, we had in Paris 2 shops who had a weekly night for VtES players one of them opening for us the week end for tourney once a month. It was a great mean of showing us and entrancing new players who was just passing by for other things.

Now, we are rarely welcomed in these shops and it is only fitting because our game don't bring any money.

So the question is : is there some mean to make game stores a part of POD or the question should be is there a way to advertise our game with the ease we had before?

I'm sure that's part of the discussion between the companies that hold the Intellectual Property and the company that wants to pick up The Best Card Game Ever(tm).
Regretfully, chances are that the people that could answer your question are not able to, due to being in the middle of the negotiations.

Why aren't you welcome in a gaming store?
Because you drift people away from other games that are profitable?
Because they don't have enough space for everybody and therefore expel the people from the games they don't sell?
Because they are short sighted and neglect the fact that no gamer plays only one game and that even VtES players need sleeves, dice, counters, deck boxes, playmats, etc.?

The last time we gathered to play VtES in a local game store, I personally bought deck protectors for BSG Boardgame, an RPG book and ordered some other stuff.
Did I spend allot of money? No.
Should the store chase away "people who spend under a certain amount"? Not in this or any other economy.

Cheers!
Tiago

Earlier in the talk about pod, several folks, myself included, discussed sealedxproduct, chiefly precons, that could be used to do what precons do: get new players cards and let old players get more cards.

I still feel this is the best angle for the initial return of vtes with pod as far as physical stores are concerned.

Its great for new players to be able to buy a deck and jump in, and we really cant ignore the fact that impulse shoppers are prone to picking up cards this way.

But, i cant offer a real answer, as im not with one of the companies involved. Its a strong possibility that such things could happen omce pod is running.

Room is scarce in a sstore.

And yes, they kept welcoming us for some time (until autumn last year) which was kind considering the state of the game. But they were lacking some place and therefore had to make room for more profitable game.

But about the solution, I was not asking what DTC will do (nobody can answer that I would think) but what solution can we (players) can think of.

And maybe seal preconstructed decks is the idea (I personnaly doubt it)

It makes me think of an other issue : will we be able to play draft anymore?

Another idea to boost interest in stores might the mighty return of pre release events in stores.
Say, registered stores get the cards a couple weeks before they get shipped to everyone else.

Problem in getting the PoD stuff to stores is that so far the company handling PoD hasn't been involved at least publically in any kind of discussion with the players/fanbase (=us here at VEKN).

We sure can conjure all kinds of nifty ideas That Would Surely Entice New Players to the FLGS To Buy Humongous Amounts of PoD VTES TM, but unfortunately I donät think that their business model will support anything else than selling directly to the customer.

Also I don't see that many retailers interested in ordering VTES material any more. Just an observation based on my 20+ year career in hobby gaming working mainly as buyer and being heavily involved with fellow retailers especially from US of A.


Anyways, I'd gladly be wrong on this!