I am consistently baffled by how GW handles the business side of their IP. I feel like they've fallen face-first into a goldmine and do everything in their power to prevent the conversion of that gold into money.

I imagine it like someone having tons and tons of gold that is higher quality than any of the other gold sellers. They tell people, who are dying to exchange their money for that gold, "Nah, we want much more than a fair market value for the gold."

To which GW are told, "That's absolutely fine. Here ya go! Now if you make gold in this shape, you can double that number, okay? I'll still buy more of that gold you just sold me, too! Just let me buy some of that gold as well!"

Then they come back with, "Well, sure, I can do that but then everyone else will want to overpay for gold in that shape, too... They might even start making requests about what type of gold they want us to sell them! Then we will have to charge even more money!"

The buyer is beyond perplexed and says, "I'm sure they would, but... wouldn't that be a fantastic situation for you as a business owner to be in? We even have people lined up to make outstanding and well produced advertisements. Some are great, some aren't, but none of them cost you anything! You don't ever have to endorse any of them, either, and that won't reflect negatively on you if they're bad, but will help spread the word and eventually that will help to sell some of your specific shaped gold if they're good!"

"Wait what?! WHAT?! We, umm, we just made a billboard where we post our own ads!"

"Really? That's fantastic! We'll just have them all post the ads they'd been working on there! They just really want to spread their affection for your gold!"

"Well! They can put them there, but, umm, they can't post them anywhere else! See, you, umm, you'll have to pay to look at the billboard! It's basically the only place where we post our own advertisements, and if you catch anyone making any unauthorized advertisements, we'll sue them to death!"

"Oh, okay... that's weird, but since you're making money off of their work, you'll let them make money off of posting there, right?"

"WHAT!? No way! I mean, if we ask you to make something and put it there, sure, we will give you some upfront cash but if you submit it there then, no."

"I'm so confused... Are you... are you secretly three children in a set of power armor? I can't understand how you've not went bankrupt prior to now... I feel like everything you're doing is intended to make people prefer less interesting and less desirable gold. You keep making those who most enjoy what you have feel the most frustrated and ignored. If you punish people for loyalty, why would you expect them to be loyal to your brand?"

"OH look, here we go again with the toxic community members! You just can't help but be entitled, can you?!"

(Of course that's pretty obviously me being hyperbolic, but it's not wholly inaccurate. Even though it is definitely exaggerated in places.

I get they want to protect certain aspects of their sales and media branding. I understand that after things like Blizzard not only ripping them off but also taking a portion of the market share away from them in certain places.

I just feel like they've overcorrected in a lot of ways and went from protecting their IP and trademarks to actively harming and ignoring their most enthusiastic fan base and biggest spenders. At least it certainly feels that way at times.)