FigurePrints takes World of Warcraft characters and prints them in three dimensions. Game blog Neoseeker recently visited their headquarters. The visit and interview yielded a number of interesting insights. Definitely click through to see the video they have of the production facility.
Rapid Growth
Figureprints is significantly ramping up production going from four 3D ZCorp printers to ten, running 24 hours a day which should let them produce about 5,000 units a month.
It is interesting to see that one of the most advanced production processes around can be executed in a fairly humble environment.
$10MM/year Potential Business?
Demand currently outstrips production and customers must be selected in a lottery to have their character printed. In the last drawing only 25% of the applicants were selected and FigurePrints can produce ~1,200 figures in a month. When they expand capacity and can fulfill 5,000 orders a month at $150 a pop they will be pushing $10MM in revenue, before expanding into higher priced product categories.
Virtual Souvenirs
One idea being developed is allowing your character to be positioned in a victory pose standing triumphant over a fallen enemy. Hardcore WoW players spend hours and days raiding and trying to bring down epic bosses. This service allows you to have a keepsake from an important, if virtual, experience.
Room For Expansion?
A difficulty FigurePrints may have going forward is room for expansion into other games. EA has partnered with ZCorp to launch a service that will allow people to have their Spore or RockBand figures produced in a similar fashion. It seems like the owners of the intellectual property will have the edge and the technology could be outsourced fairly easily limiting options for FigurePrints. In any case, FigurePrints should be fairly well set with a 11.5MM subscriber base and many opportunities for product category expansion
Interesting Shopping Issues
When the new “Wrath of the Lich King” expansion came out and the new Death Knights class was released orders slowed down. FigurePrints only allows you to have your character printed with armor and swords that you have earned. Players only want their best gear represented which leads them to pushing off the purchase. This cartoon from Penny Arcade sums it up nicely:
I’m looking forward to the day that they reach full capacity so my brave dwarven hunter can be produced in full regalia to protect Azeroth and my bookshelf. Until then I’ll await the golden ticket.
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