While many de-stress by exercising, listening to music or chilling out with friends, some indulge in gaming with miniatures, a form of tabletop gaming with small-scale models and figurines.
Having played it since he was 15 years old, Francis Wolf, now 49, has been the owner of Wolf Game Shop for 19 years, making his the oldest miniature games shop in South East Asia.
The ambience of the store has a mysterious, rustic charm to it, transporting one to an enticing world both ancient and fantasy-filled.
“It’s a difficult business to run – the market is small, given that it’s a niche hobby, in addition to it being time-consuming and expensive,” said Wolf, who is also a musician, writer and comic book inker.
According to him, the gaming with miniatures culture in Malaysia is relatively new, although it has been around globally since the 1920s.
Indeed, those who take up this hobby tend to spend a considerable amount of time painting miniatures, constructing buildings and creating the terrain.
And since some figurines are only 13mm in height, one needs to paint them slowly and patiently, a process Wolf finds therapeutic.
“I spend a lot of quiet nights painting,” he shared, adding that he also does commission painting for those who wish to play the games right away.
The games vary in size – some consist of only five figurines while others incorporate over 100. Each game can take anywhere from two to five hours. “So, when people take up this hobby, they’re truly committed.”
In addition to conducting game demos, Wolf also helps customers connect with other gaming communities.
Among the miniature games he sells include role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, board games like Hellboy and Pacific Rim, and wargames from historical, fantasy and sci-fi genres.
One can also buy paints, brushes, rulebooks as well as tools and accessories from his shop. Those who simply like to paint can purchase standalone miniatures. He himself painted his first miniature toy soldier when he was nine years old.
Having heard of role-playing games while in boarding school, he would whip out his dictionary to look up the definitions of elves, demons, goblins and hobgoblins to better understand the games.
Wolf was also inspired by a weekly gaming column in a local newspaper. “I was a huge fan, especially since the writer was very passionate about the topic; I’d even cut out the articles and save them.”
At the end of the columns, there was a personals section, which featured gamers looking for other gamers to play with. “I called up one guy and asked if he would like to play a game – that was my first game, and we’re still friends today.”
Those who visit his store often say it reminds them of a dragon’s hoard as it contains “treasures”.
“I’ve been accumulating these games since I was 15. In fact, I also have ones from the 1970s which I sell online,” he said, adding that he hopes to stock more vintage games in the future.
And as much as he loves running the game store, he’s had many challenges, including when the electricity was cut off during a game night once because he hadn’t settled the bill.
“We almost closed during Covid too, but thankfully we have a landlord who’s extremely kind,” he said, adding that he has witnessed many game stores go bust in the last two decades.
For now, the store is only open by appointment, but he hopes to open to the public soon and resume games nights by year-end. “We’ll also have a social area where people can just hang out,” he said.
In the meantime, Wolf is focussing on creating more content for his YouTube channel, with the hopes of building a community.
Wolf has invited those curious about the hobby to pop by and have a chat. “There’s definitely a place for this hobby, especially in this day and age when people long to take a break from the fast-paced world.”
Check out Wolf Game Shop on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube or purchase their products on Shopee. To visit the store, contact Wolf at 012-2599952 for an appointment.
Wolf Game Shop
16A, Jalan 14/20
Seksyen 14
46100 Petaling Jaya