D&D Diversifying and Rethinking

One of the very interesting things to come out of the past year's releases (and GenCon, of course) is that D&D is moving to be more than just the RPG again. Obviously, the disastrous management of the computer game rights hasn't helped Wizards promote D&D outside of the RPG, but the inclusion of boardgames strongly linked to the D&D brand is, in my opinion, a positive step.

So, what boardgames do we have so far, and what's coming out?

First of all, we have the D&D Adventure System Games:
- Castle Ravenloft
- Wrath of Ashardalon
- Legend of Drizzt (forthcoming)

These have been pretty big successes for Wizards, helped by a nifty system, fast play and good production values. More than most boardgames, they also provide a jumping-in point for the RPG, as they share many mechanics with the RPG.

The other released game (so far) is Conquest of Nerath, a light wargame which sits a little above Risk (and a little below Axis and Allies) on the complexity and strategic scale. I will admit that as someone who plays more serious wargames (all the way up to ASL), this game hasn't done all that much for me, but it's a nicely produced game that will fit the needs of many.

That's all quite nice, but Wizards have also announced that they're working on a Waterdeep-themed Eurogame, Lords of Waterdeep. This is a big departure for D&D-type games, but one which meets with my wholehearted approval.

Unusually, Wizards also announced that Dungeon of Dread, which looked a lot like Descent/Heroscape, D&D-style, had been cancelled due to quality problems with the product. That's actually quite heartening - it'd be very easy to push out a line of inferior D&D boardgames and flood (and destroy) the market.

The actual RPG releases of late have been an odd bunch; I'm really getting the feeling that the folk at Wizards realised that they'd misstepped, and pulled back to consider everything. I'd describe a lot of the recent releases as more experimental; I'm going to be fascinated to see how Mystery of Gardmore Abbey works, because it has the potential to be the best adventure they've released. Or the worst.

Cheers!

The most heartening thing I've been hearing lately is the return to print of Mordenkien's (sp?) Emporium. Not only is it great to see a once-dead book return to life, but I feel that the dry delivery of AV was Wizard's first misstep in 4e products, and whenever I point out the edition's shortcomings, I go to that book (and a few other early ones). Anyway, this book really seems to be doing things right. Lots of old school ideas fleshed out and made right by 4e.

Granted, this is pure speculation on my part, but it does fill me with encouragement. I love playing 4e, and this ongoing revamp/ updating has taken it to a place I'm digging even more.

I think they're finally getting the concept of cross-marketing different products under a uniform brand.

Role-players - if you like D&D 4e, you might enjoy some of our board games and war games.

War gamers - if you like Conquest of Nerath, be sure to check our forthcoming skirmmish game with the relaunch of D&D miniatures, and try your hand at roleplaying with D&D 4e.

Hey kids - like that Legend of Drizzt board game you got for Christmas? Check out the RA Salvatore novels that inspired it. In fact, you can play your own original character in the same world with our Forgotten Realms setting for D&D 4e!

Comic Fans - enjoying the adventures of Fell's Five in the D&D comic? Check out our game products and live the adventures yourself.

Fantasy novel readers - If you enjoyed reading the recently rereleased "The Verdant Passage" try your hand at roleplaying in Athas with our Dark Sun setting for D&D 4e. Collect the Creatures of Athas set from our new line of miniatues.

It helps when the mechanics, names, and tone of one product is familiar when you've experienced another one.

The move to publishing not just books has me excited as well. Dealing with the question of how to deal with slowly declining book sales as the edition goes one is a big one. The fact that they are working on an answer that isn't just "release 5e" is quite heartening.

We're at an impass. Is the popularity natural for this? At this moment in time DnD deserved it?

Who really earns the foolproof cureall ideas anyway?

Dragon Sin-Camealot said:

We're at an impass. Is the popularity natural for this? At this moment in time DnD deserved it?

Who really earns the foolproof cureall ideas anyway?

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Turing test fail.

All of this diversifying isnt new... we knew it was coming earlier in the year when all of a sudden the book releases began drying up and all of these board games came popping up.


No doubt it is due to the influence of Hasbro (aka Monopoly people) but it is obviously being driven from the fact that WotC are unhappy with the type of business D&D is and want to keep the revenue stream running thick and fast.

D&D unlike a lot of games such as Yugioh/MTG (which rely on Card boosters), Warhammer (which relies on Minis) or online games (which rely on subscription fees) they have a limited revenue stream outside of the book releases.

WotC are not happy at being a Book Publisher... but this is much like Nandos being unhappy at just being a Chicken Restaurant and deciding to supplement its income selling Chicken Man toys.

WotC will do what it will do and providing that these board games (which interest me very little) don't interfere with their D&D work it only goes to strengthen their pocketbook and encourage them to spend more money on developing D&D core work.

Everyone here is very astute. These products are terrific for generating cross-marketing opportunities. When I was a kid (over 30 years ago) my imagination (and my money) was captured by D&D products, Avalon Hill games and Daw books (I think that was the publisher). Wizards is pulling in all of these directions, but in addition they are making the products connect with each other through the strength of the brands they own.

Neechen said:

Everyone here is very astute. These products are terrific for generating cross-marketing opportunities. When I was a kid (over 30 years ago) my imagination (and my money) was captured by D&D products, Avalon Hill games and Daw books (I think that was the publisher). Wizards is pulling in all of these directions, but in addition they are making the products connect with each other through the strength of the brands they own.

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As long as they don't try to make a movie again.

The Tome Show just released (last night) their interview with Mearls at GenCon. At about the 6:30 to 7:00 minute mark of the interview he makes a very interesting observation about the future of D&D. Unfortunately I'm not able to link the interview from work here (blocked domain ) but the gist of it is that he mentions how people have remarked that 4th Ed is so like a board game or an MMO, etc. and goes on to say that if the board games continue to be a success then it kind of frees up D&D to be able to go back to being more of a standard RPG.

Depending on your outlook, this is both good and bad, but he's really getting at the cross-marketing and audience expansion issue. They felt that they needed to make 4th Ed a bit more like WoW in order to draw in new customers. Now that they have a new avenue to draw in customers though they can simply focus on making the RPG great. Doesn't really state per se (nor would I expect him to) that 4th Ed. isn't as good as it could/should be but it does seem to indicate that it was obviously designed with income expectations in mind. If the D&D brand can pull from other audiences, then the RPG line doesn't need to pull as much of the weight.

Of course, who knows how this will all play out down the road, but I think its hard to argue that the diversification isn't a great thing for the company, and thus, the game itself.