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How Important is the D&D Brand?
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<blockquote data-quote="Alphastream" data-source="post: 7652161" data-attributes="member: 11365"><p>There is no question that Paizo wants its brand to be recognized. Right now, it isn't. While they have done a great job of drawing fans to Gen Con, they haven't been a dominant brand... even there. And if we go to cons like PAX, they barely have a presence there (they are the size of any indie/small/med RPG). They don't own a big culturally recognizable brand (yet?). The MMO is certainly an attempt to establish that, but also points to the industry's issues - this is a very revenue-poor (and profit-poor) industry. Brand matters, as does diversification into other more lucrative markets. </p><p></p><p>While Wizards/D&D have been quiet in terms of for-sale RPG-product recently, they have shown just how well-handled and important their brand can be. We need only compare the buzz around Pathfinder's MMO to the actually really very well received already out D&D-branded MMO, Neverwinter. Neverwinter shows the payoff, already, of all that effort to standardize D&D Next monster art/information. It showcases how the Forgotten Realms can create a really deep experience in a branded product. (We can all gripe about whatever MMO gameplay we like or don't like, but Neverwinter is an insanely good reproduction of the Neverwinter 4E RPG book and prior FR material. The lore, the NPCs, the factions, the geography... beautifully captured). That's the power of brand. We can also see how, despite some really bad D&D movies, there has recently been interest by two studios to produce D&D movies (and to sue each other about them). And, the recent ComicCon buzz with LEGO-like D&D toys. (Perhaps paving the way to more kid toys, a return of the cartoon...?)</p><p></p><p>For the RPG industry, a healthy D&D has always been unanimously said to be critical. When D&D does badly, so they say, the rest of the industry also fares poorly. That's probably true even today. We can marvel at Kickstarters that raise $400k, but that really isn't big compared to what D&D has sold historically. That's why we don't see D&D using Kickstarter - it commands a far bigger presence and sells at far higher volumes. That's also why the retail store remains vital. What Kickstarter does is increase the ability of individuals to find and support what they like. Gamers naturally will play a variety of games, and now they can fund the ones they like at the level they want (including some truly obscenely high-priced support levels). That's healthy for everyone. In the end, the vast majority of the people supporting to Kickstarters will come back to D&D. Ask most people playing FATE, 13th Age, Numenera, etc. what game they have played the most and think of most fondly... the answer probably is and will be D&D.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Alphastream, post: 7652161, member: 11365"] There is no question that Paizo wants its brand to be recognized. Right now, it isn't. While they have done a great job of drawing fans to Gen Con, they haven't been a dominant brand... even there. And if we go to cons like PAX, they barely have a presence there (they are the size of any indie/small/med RPG). They don't own a big culturally recognizable brand (yet?). The MMO is certainly an attempt to establish that, but also points to the industry's issues - this is a very revenue-poor (and profit-poor) industry. Brand matters, as does diversification into other more lucrative markets. While Wizards/D&D have been quiet in terms of for-sale RPG-product recently, they have shown just how well-handled and important their brand can be. We need only compare the buzz around Pathfinder's MMO to the actually really very well received already out D&D-branded MMO, Neverwinter. Neverwinter shows the payoff, already, of all that effort to standardize D&D Next monster art/information. It showcases how the Forgotten Realms can create a really deep experience in a branded product. (We can all gripe about whatever MMO gameplay we like or don't like, but Neverwinter is an insanely good reproduction of the Neverwinter 4E RPG book and prior FR material. The lore, the NPCs, the factions, the geography... beautifully captured). That's the power of brand. We can also see how, despite some really bad D&D movies, there has recently been interest by two studios to produce D&D movies (and to sue each other about them). And, the recent ComicCon buzz with LEGO-like D&D toys. (Perhaps paving the way to more kid toys, a return of the cartoon...?) For the RPG industry, a healthy D&D has always been unanimously said to be critical. When D&D does badly, so they say, the rest of the industry also fares poorly. That's probably true even today. We can marvel at Kickstarters that raise $400k, but that really isn't big compared to what D&D has sold historically. That's why we don't see D&D using Kickstarter - it commands a far bigger presence and sells at far higher volumes. That's also why the retail store remains vital. What Kickstarter does is increase the ability of individuals to find and support what they like. Gamers naturally will play a variety of games, and now they can fund the ones they like at the level they want (including some truly obscenely high-priced support levels). That's healthy for everyone. In the end, the vast majority of the people supporting to Kickstarters will come back to D&D. Ask most people playing FATE, 13th Age, Numenera, etc. what game they have played the most and think of most fondly... the answer probably is and will be D&D. [/QUOTE]
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