D&D Encounters: Admission charge or free?

[N0Man]

I was just wondering if there is usually a cost to join in the D&D Encounters sessions being run at various locations.

I called a relatively local gaming shop that I've heard about, but have never gone to before. I asked about D&D Encounters, which apparently a session is being run tomorrow. However, there is apparently a $5 charge to play.

In the past, the D&D promo events I've attended have all been free so I was surprised. Are other shops doing this as well?

Maybe I'm naive, but I thought the purpose of these events was to promote foot traffic into these gaming stores and hopefully get people to buy their items.

Stores I game in, I do try to buy items from. However if I'm having to pay to play at these stores as well, it makes me feel like I'm already reimbursing them and I might as well just order my next gaming item on Amazon and save myself a few dollars.

 

[fba827]

i could be wrong, but i think it was free at my local stores (I did not go, but nothing i saw in the promo for the local store suggested there was a price)

 

[Glyfair]

I have seen it both ways. You have to realize that play areas (especially good play areas) cost money to maintain. They are typically part of a store that could be more "productive" if it was stocked with product that will sell.

Most stores I know don't charge for most events, considering the costs as marketing costs. Some stores, on the other hand, charge a small fee in order to recoup some of the costs. A few stores find a middle ground (having the play area be free, but requiring a certain amount of purchases)/

Is it worth it? That's up to you. However, it's certainly not unreasonable to charge to play in a play area as long as the polices are reasonable.

 

[guivre]

As far as I'm aware the kit is free, and there are incentives for the retailer to run it.

Paying for events at a store is fine when they're not corporate sponsored. This, however, is a sponsored event.

WotC is providing the marketing and materials to drive customers to LGSs and it's a shady owner that charges on top of it. I'd patronize another store and let them know I'm doing it.

If I were in charge of the program, I'd have been sure to stipulate that there could be no charge for the event. It only hurts the brand.

 

[Dire Bare]

The $5 charge doesn't come from WotC, and I imagine the store is within its rights to charge whatever fee they want . . . . but its lame.

I would never play a game in a store that charged to play, unless they had some sort of awesome private room you could rent. Smart gamestore owners realize that allowing people to come down and play for free D&D, Magic, Warhammer, board games, and other games is a smart business move. Especially a sponsored event like D&D Encounters or D&D Game Day. (Tournaments are another thing, though)

 

[SteveC]

I heard the same thing at the last Game Day (where I ran). After hearing about the practice, I asked my FLGS, and they told me that the packet they received from WotC said there should be no cost. I don't know about this one...I just played it, but traditionally they should be free.

I know that gaming space isn't free, but it seems like this is very poor marketing on the part of the LGS.

--Steve

 

[woodscanner]

Actually, I'm pretty sure the packaging from Wizards included a line about the possibility of a small charge. Certainly our store is charging for the first time ever.

Think about it - Wizards are keen to see a regular evening at the store given over to D&D. Now, with Magic, the store has a financial reason to do this - booster drafts automatically generate cash. D&D doesn't - half the people I play with regularly have never bought any book beyond the Player's Handbook for 3rd/3.5/4th. One of us lives in the middle of nowhere and gets everything from amazon.

I think it makes sense. You're getting a place to play and a readymade group of fellow players, the store starts to see RPGs as a cash flow stream and starts encouraging it in the store the same way they do CCGs.

Mind you, depends on the cost. Our place is charging a quid.

 

[Dire Bare]

Think about it - Wizards are keen to see a regular evening at the store given over to D&D. Now, with Magic, the store has a financial reason to do this - booster drafts automatically generate cash. D&D doesn't - half the people I play with regularly have never bought any book beyond the Player's Handbook for 3rd/3.5/4th. One of us lives in the middle of nowhere and gets everything from amazon.

With Magic, the upsell is obvious with card boosters. But the same idea applies to D&D and other games. If I'm a gamestore owner, the more I get you physically into my store, especially playing different games, the more likely you will purchase more product from me. Sure, some guys will play for free and then order the next D&D book from Amazon, but more than a few will want to support an awesome gamestore where they have lots of fun playing games.

Charging is ultimately counterproductive, less likely to draw in the crowds, and less likely to garner store loyalty and more purchases.

Mind you, depends on the cost. Our place is charging a quid.

What's a quid? (I'm half serious, what is it?)

 

[Demosthenes]

What's a quid? (I'm half serious, what is it?)

Approximately two dollars American. (It's one British Pound.)

 

[Nebten]

$5 is a lot for roughly an hour of gaming and about 1 encounter. Seeing how this is supposed to be a weekly game that goes through June that tunes in to be about $60 for about 12 hours of D&D. Not worth it in my book. Plus the novality will probably wear off and having to pay to play will make that go even quicker.

But the money they are charging goes straight to the store, not WotC. WotC just wants foot-traffic and interest in their game so that you will buy more books/DDI to enhance your character for this time frame. Its like all these free MMOs. You start off free, but to get better you need to get the paid subscription.

The matterials from WotC doesn't cost the store anything. But they don't send any store matterials. The store has to show that they are active in their Wizard's Play Network through DCI activities. If you are a good solider, then you get good matterials.