The problem with these games(Legion and MCP have already started running into this) is that since they're licensed games the creator of the game can't add anything new. Disney won't let anyone go near the old republic setting for whatever reason, and without that it's gotten to the point of having to include your Glup Shitto's and random variant #10 of Luke in a different costume. MCP is doing the same with characters as well, but at least there's a larger pool of those characters. Shatterpoint is relatively new so it'll be a while before it hits this point. But eventually once the publisher of the game has to reach so far into the barrel they're doing variations of things the mainstream fans haven't heard of because the repeat characters aren't even selling, they fall off real fast and it isn't like Disney is currently doing anything to add new shit that people actually like to Star Wars or Marvel.
Maybe, but it's a huge risk. GW hands out their license to any idiot so they're a terrible example. But really the biggest problem is that it needs to be a quality game, that doesn't copy the existing tabletop(this is why there's still no "proper" official 40k video game) so it doesn't cannibalize sales, while still having enough depth within the universe to actually tell an interesting enough narrative to get people interested, and cover enough factions to pique that potential customer interest in more than one set of models. You say it helps, but outside of GW(and again, most of those games are shit) there aren't any video games helping sales of tabletop wargames unless you want to count Battletech but even that seems like a stretch since while there is overlap I doubt there's actually that much. The warmachine videogame was shit. There isn't really anything for historicals to tie into Bolt Action, Black Powder, etc. Sure there's a World of Tanks tabletop game now, but I've never seen anyone really even mention it on youtube, reddit, etc.
In regards to D&D competitors, I feel like the Cyberpunk TTRPG has been gaining traction in a similar manner to Battletech. The video game and anime adaptations have made people interested the the newest edition of the game (cyberpunk RED) and the game recently got an Edgerunners anime themed mission kit. D&D still owns a monopoly on fantasy TTRPGS but competition is starting to emerge, especially outside of Fantasy themed TTRPGS.
1. Fortunately not every store is the shit show you described
I play with a lot of grogs that ask you to bring your books. I also need a tape measure to measure movements.
Kick out the tranny regulars? Yea. That will go great.
If you've got a large enough play group, say... 4-6 people that's occupying 2-3 tables right there. The store already has terrain so clearly they offer some support for people playing. Yes, if you simply show up before the tranny MTG players do, then the tranny MTG players won't have a spot. That's how most things in life work with regard to getting a place in line.
I do have a large group of friends that play, but we've all been told not to play there because everyone uses at least 1 non-GW model. They have a 0 tolerance policy on 3d printing.
For the most part the index cards don’t deviate much from the codexes, so if you must have a physical copy of the stats then they’re much cheaper than the codex books. That said, very little changes from them to the codex and they seem to go on clearance as soon as the codex drops.
The LGS I play at has a 3D printing service.
Id say even in the fantasy themed parts D&D gots some competition, like Warhammer Fantasy, I heard Pathinder 2e started picking up some steam or somethin. But ye, outside of fantasy D&D def been gettin lots of other games getting more interest.
but it works. no one blames GW and everybody still knows warhammer. so as a vehicle to sell the brand quality doesn't really matter for some reason when it comes to warhammer.
Seriously, not even warhammer world, their HQ, has a complete ban on 3d printed bits and actually allowed some back in their event rules in 2019(granted, they also claimed you needed to somehow be able to prove you modeled the shit yourself, which is kind of ridiculous as if you're going to bring up the mesh in a viewer app on your phone or something?)
Warhammer has always kinda been able to slide by any major critique fandom wise. Warhammer fans are arguably the same tier of Sonic autists but don’t seem to get ridiculed for it its like the golden child of the internet right now.
Warhammer is autistic, that's for sure. But it's definitely on the bottom most tier of insane fandoms, especially in regards to cooming. You can't really mock the fandom that much.