Forbidden Alchemy Update

Dec 30, 2011

Last Week, Fantasy Flight Games placed all sales of the expansion to Mansions of Madness, “Forbidden Alchemy“, on hold. This week they have completed their audit of the game and have a course of action to follow for affected players to receive their replacement components. There has also been an FAQ released clarifying various issues and providing answers to many of the questions that have been asked. This is a three page document, so there were quite a few issues with the initial release. The components to be replaced are:

“Wrong Turn” Mythos Card
“Bone Saw” Starting Item card
“Sword Cane” Starting Item card
“Studies on Hysteria” Starting Item card
“Memory Hole” Side Effect card
“Return of the Reanimator: Objective 1B” Objective card
“Fire and Vengeance: Return of the Reanimator III” Event card
“It’s Him!: Return of the Reanimator IV” Event card
“Yellow Matter: Objective 1C” Objective card
Rules of Play/Investigator Guide book (Revised Printing)
Keeper Guide book (Revised Printing)

Obviously, the errors in the objective cards caused many problems. Added to this are two new corrected map setup diagrams (out of the three scenarios provided).

FFG indicates that it will be 8-10 weeks before the corrected components can be produced and replaced and the revised edition of Forbidden Alchemy can be shipped to retailers.

The full text of the message, along with a link to the newly released FAQ pdf can be found here on the FFG website.

Although I am appalled at the number of errors and revisions required, I am glad that they took action almost immediately. An 8 to 10 week wait though for replacements, and to be able to purchase the expansion in its revised form kind of blows. I know it is a wait for the printer to manufacture the new components and so there is no help for it, but I would still be annoyed if I had pre-ordered the expansion.

FFG still makes some of my favorite games though, so I’m willing to let it slide. I’m sure that the amount of money and goodwill that the problems have cost them will ensure that better processes are in place for future releases. It just makes good business sense, and their customer service has always been great. We’ll have to see what the next big game release brings.