WotC puts a stop to online sales of PDFs

[pogre]

Someone mentioned earlier that this was a move in advance of the next HASBRO corporate report. That is exactly what this is and the reason for the timing.

Exec report <snip> to HASBRO board
The D&D brand has failed to achieve the hoped-for profit levels in this quarter. However, we have made a move to consolidate electronic products to in-house sales and reduce loss. This move will allow us to further consolidation to the current edition by no longer offering previous edition materials. The end-result will be higher new book sales and ddi enhancement.

Obviously, a real report would have a bit more corporate speak and would never make the overall HASBRO quarterly. However, I would bet you a memo with similar content is drafted or will be drafted for internal consumption.

 

[jdrakeh]

Withdrawing their PDFs from sales won't mean an end to piracy.

As somebody else menitoned, it's like trying to close the paddock doors after the horses have already gone out to pasture. Locking up the paddock now won't do them any good because there's nothing left in it.

The lawsuits are even more baffling, especially considering the disatrous experiences of the RIAA. They sued tens of thousands of people and all they got for their efforts was some very expensive egg on their faces. Suing eight people is a waste of time and money.

Honestly? If they want to waste their money making life miserable for a few thieves, let 'em. What bothers me is they've instead decided to take the other, aforementioned, action of removing all of their PDFs from the market. This action makes life miserable for honest customers and, potentially, for other publishers. It also does little, if anything, to penalize thieves.

It's that this is another attempt to assuage the fears of suits who don't understand the issues, and mistakenly insist that doing something is always better than doing nothing.

Well, if we don't learn from past mistakes and all that.

 

[Odhanan]

That's it. It's just past midnight, Pacific Standard.
No more buying from Paizo. Just 12 hours of remaining downloads, if any.

 

[El Mahdi]

Easy for you (and the others who propagate this idea), since you do not even play the game WotC makes. Suggesting that we (those of us who actually play it) play and buy products for a game we enjoy less, out of spite against WotC and 4e, is frankly ridiculous. We are not 5 year old.

Well I'm glad you cleared that up (about not being a 5 year old that is).

I pretty much assumed eveyone here is an adult that can make their own decisions. That's why I called Darrin's post "Advice", and my post a "Suggestion". Hmmmm.

But if you feel you're weak willed enough that only rage at my post can keep you from succumbing ... then I guess you just have to do what you have to do.


(But, since you seemed to miss my earlier posts, or are maybe just ignoring them; whether I play 4E or not, I've felt it had a lot of things that were worthwhile. That's probably the reason why I've spent nearly $200 on 4E since it was released - Core books set, Adventurers Vault, H1-H3, and a DDI sub. However, with todays actions by WotC, I feel their usefullnes to me is at an end - period. Now for those that feel the same way as I do, my above suggestions still stand. For those that don't, good for you. I hope you can continue to enjoy WotC's products, and that from here on out they stop screwing you. I doubt it, but hey, here's to hoping.)

 

[aboyd]

If RPGnow didn't have the power to enforce the maintenance of 5 copies for download, they shouldn't have sold them to us.

You know, I buy into your premise, and yet I'm still upset at Wizards of the Coast.

Here's the thing. If I am the representative of a company that sells something made by company X, and company X says, "stop selling our stuff," I am going to immediately ask for a grace period, for grandfathering support for existing purchases, etc. Even if those things are not contractually obligated I am going to ask for them anyway, out of goodwill for my customers. If company X doesn't allow consideration for my (our) customers, or gives me a paltry few hours to notify customers, then I'm going to think poorly of company X, even if it was their right to do what they did.

I think that's important. Customers have a right to perceive companies as they see fit. We may not even like or agree with how some people view other companies. But those people have that right. And in this case, people perceive Wizards of the Coast to have handled this harshly and to the customer's detriment, and even if they are legally allowed to do it the customer can be upset with them anyway.

What's more is that WotC should have known this. This is PR 101. Bungling this is just another reason to shake heads in dismay.

 

[aboyd]

Has EN World always been a colossal circle jerk or is this a recent thing?

Your argument got no traction because it was a poor argument. Yet instead of recognizing that, your response is to insult everyone that is a member of this site and also the site itself? Really?

I'm not sure what's more amazing. Is it the "I'll bite the hand that feeds me" thing? Or is it the "I'm going to demonstrate how to be a sore loser" thing?

 

[Jack99]

As if there weren't enough games out there to have a blast with any of them but 4e. Besides, you might call it a 5-year-old mentality while others would call it "principle". To each their own, I suppose.

Because principles who hurt yourself (or in this case the enjoyment you get from playing D&D) are just silly and very typical of 5-year olds.

Does this PDF debacle annoy me? Hell yes, I have purchased a large number of PDFs from RPGnow, and I love having them to search through, when making adventures. But the annoyance is nowhere enough to make me stop playing 4e or even stop buying WotC's products. I will just only buy the books I guess. Unless they start selling the PDF's themselves. The 5-download thing is really not a problem, since you can just copy the PDF's and make a backup. Sucks for those with no back-up obviously.

 

[Filcher]

What's more is that WotC should have known this. This is PR 101. Bungling this is just another reason to shake heads in dismay.

You're right. It is just the idealist in me that wants folks to understand that WotC was the producer, not the middleman or distro.

And if WotC doesn't manage to follow up with a timely digital answer, it will be an epic fail.

Oh --- and I'm backing up my computer tonight.

 

[Darrin Drader]

Just so that there is no question that I put my money where my mouth is, I just picked up the following PDFs:

Order Number: 1319180
Detailed Invoice: click here
Date Ordered: Tuesday April 07, 2009

1 x Monsters & Treasure of the Wilderlands 1 = $6.00

1 x THRILLING TALES - Pulp Villains: NAZIS = $5.00

1 x THRILLING TALES: Gamemaster's Guide to Pulp Adventure = $5.00

1 x THRILLING TALES - Pulp Villains: PERILS OF THE ORIENT = $6.50

 

[Wraith Form]

You're all missing something important here. WOTC realized that with its actions in the past few years it managed to completely fracture and splinter the RPG community.

This is just part of WOTC's master plan to unify once again the entire RPG community. Every board I have been to tonight is unified in their outrage at WOTC, no matter what edition they play.

Well done WOTC!! What's phase 2 of the master plan I wonder?

Ah, yes.

Wizards of the Coast. The Adrian Veidt of RPG publishers.