I'm not necessarily JUST saying that "Hostage taking" should occur (though admittedly that is part of it).
I'm saying a few things here:
1. If third party are important,
WotC might put some more resources into Scott Rouse's corner...whatever those resources might be. They might just relax some of the other innumerable demands upon the poor guy. I'm not suggesting Scott Rouse doesn't care or isn't working on it on purpose. I'm suggesting that he is overburdened and CAN'T make it a priority. That or
WotC/Hasbro isn't making it a priority if it is stuck in lawyers or whatever.
2. If third party are important, this extra pressure might just help this to happen. I know I will only be getting into fourth edition with sufficient 3rd party support. Necromancer would be enough (or Malhavoc if they started publishing). Multiple other 3rd party supporters that I like would also be enough: Say a quorum of Green Ronin, Goodman (who IS supporting), Mongoose, Privateer Press, Paradigm Concepts, and Fantasy Flight Games. Right now it is mostly smaller publishers I'm unfamiliar with. They might be great, but they're not enough to draw me in.
3. If third party support is NOT important, this might just be a message to them that
WotC is going to sit on this
GSL until the cows come home, and waiting for something viable is a pipe dream. Hence, taking a "poop or get off the pot" stance MIGHT be of use in this. It could even be a deadline set of "get it to us by February 2009 or we'll CONSIDER going with pathfinder". It need not be "hostage taking" but the message should be there. Of course, a firm deadline with a firm consequence would be more powerful.
4. Pathfinder, of course, is NOT
WotC. They don't have the numbers, nor do they have the third party support (yet). However, lots of things start small. Necromancer had considered Pathfinder originally, and I wonder if they still are considering it. Other companies (like Privateer Press and Pardigm Concepts don't like
4e for their line of games). Pathfinder might be a better "fit" for their model anyway. I guess what I'm saying here is that IF there was enough third party support, it may help Pathfinder to continue to grow, making the venture more stable. This is part of the reason I have the "coalition" idea.
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