D&D 5E Perfect example of the kind of interaction that I wish Wizards had with it's community.

[delericho]

Dancey said that the current regime doesn't have to answer for the promises of the previous regime. However, Hasbro is still pursuing a Core Brand strategy, which means D&D still needs to clear $50 million if it wants to lavish in Core Brand support.

You seem to have missed a key point that Mistwell has made: D&D is no longer considered separately by Hasbro at all, but solely as part of WotC. As such, they get to play remora to Magic's shark.

And because of that, any assessment based on that $50M target is flawed - you're building on a foundation that doesn't exist any more.

(It's worth noting, of course, that this decision could well be reversed at some future time, and D&D could again find itself subject to a Hasbro-wide target. But then, there's a whole load of things that could happen.)

 

[Iosue]

You seem to have missed a key point that Mistwell has made: D&D is no longer considered separately by Hasbro at all, but solely as part of WotC. As such, they get to play remora to Magic's shark

I'm not missing anything. I've asked repeatedly for some corroborating source for that information, but as yet it has not been forthcoming. And even if that is true, it makes little difference because D&D is not a Core Brand, Wizards is not a Core Brand, Magic is a Core Brand. And I believe that the folks in charge of D&D would love to be a Core Brand, and get all the perks that go with that. Ergo, they are pursuing what they believe is the best strategy to turn D&D into a Core Brand.

And to be clear, I have never believed that D&D was in danger for not reaching that goal, nor do I believe it is in the slightest bit now, which was my whole point. The immediate result of the 4e plan not working was a large reduction of staff, which has happened. I don't think mothballing the game was ever on the table, and have said so repeatedly since Dancey's post first came to light. I even started a thread on it (Whither the Ultimatum) way back when. My point is merely that D&D has a reduced staff, I speculate they want to make it bigger, and to do that they want to be either a Core Brand/Franchise Brand, or else make enough of an impact on the bottom line that the higher-ups at Hasbro know about it and support it as a successful, highly contributing division of Wizards, in which case they would probably get the go ahead to grow the division again.

 

[Kramodlog]

What behavior has WotC had in the past to promote bad interactions with the fans?

Lying about the Fortune Cards. They clearly were a CCG and WotC insisted they weren't.

Saying things cannot be cancelled when they haven't been announced. It is untrue.

Using excuses like jury duty instead of saying it some projects aren't a priority. Before that the excuse was the lateness of the DMG. It is just not a priority, we get it. You can say it.

Switching from an off line character builder to online one. Announcing articles for their e-mags that never materialized. It got so out of hand people were given refunds.

The general silence around up coming products. A necessity, but it isn't a positive interaction with fans. It is no interaction.

 

[fjw70]

Lying about the Fortune Cards. They clearly were a CCG and WotC insisted they weren't.

Saying things cannot be cancelled when they haven't been announced. It is untrue.

Using excuses like jury duty instead of saying it some projects aren't a priority. Before that the excuse was the lateness of the DMG. It is just not a priority, we get it. You can say it.

Switching from an off line character builder to online one. Announcing articles for their e-mags that never materialized. It got so out of hand people were given refunds.

The general silence around up coming products. A necessity, but it isn't a positive interaction with fans. It is no interaction.

That's a lot of opinion and very little fact.

 

[Kramodlog]

That's a lot of opinion and very little fact.

It is actually all facts. For example, you can verify is there was a switch from an off-line CB to an online one or if WotC issued refunds for DDI. The total lack of future RPG products coming out is also an easily verifiable fact.

 

[justinj3x3]

I'm not going to join the discussion completely here, because these seem to just go back and forth endlessly. I also don't want to come across as one of the people who hate on WOTC, because I'm actually pretty happy with 5e in and of itself. BUT. WOTC as a company has handled some things poorly in my eyes. The 'how can we cancel something that wasn't announced' is clearly bull. I mean I'd expect something like that out of a politician. The cover was leaked along with the sales pitch/back cover blurb thing... it was all but announced no matter what Mearls says. And the people who parrot the line time and time again really need to think for them selves. As far as jury duty holding up the conversion guide. That sounds like another excuse, but it could be true. I'm glad they said something about it either way though, rather than leave us in the dark like most things.

 

[fjw70]

It is actually all facts. For example, you can verify is there was a switch from an off-line CB to an online one or if WotC issued refunds for DDI. The total lack of future RPG products coming out is also an easily verifiable fact.

The first three paragraphs are all opinion. The fourth has some truth in it but I don't know how exaggerated it is (saying "it got so out of hand" sounds like hyperbole to me). The last paragraph is true but no interaction doesn't promote bad interaction since there is no interaction taking place.

So you complain about cancelling announced products and ding them for not announcing product. Hmm . . .

 

[Kramodlog]

The first three paragraphs are all opinion.

Let us see!

Lying about the Fortune Cards. They clearly were a CCG and WotC insisted they weren't.

It is a fact. This journalist from Wired explains it better than me.

The inclusion of new “features,” such as the Fortune Card — which, regardless of what they claim, was meant to be collected since issuing cards in randomized packs with common/uncommon/rare designations by definition makes them collectible

http://archive.wired.com/geekdad/2012/01/5th-edition-dungeons-and-dragons/

Saying things cannot be cancelled when they haven't been announced. It is untrue.

Things unannounced can be cancelled! This is the definition Merriam-Webster gives for cancelled:

to stop doing or planning to do (something) : to decide that something (such as a game, performance, etc.) will not happen

. So when they said to editors/designers/publishers that the Handbook wasn't being published, it was indeed cancelled without being announced!

Using excuses like jury duty instead of saying it some projects aren't a priority. Before that the excuse was the lateness of the DMG. It is just not a priority, we get it. You can say it.

Mearls has indeed used jury duty has a excuse for the lack of conversion documents. In autumn he gave the excuse that the lateness of the DMG was the reason why the documents were not released. So the conversion documents are less of a priority than other projects. This is factual too.

The fourth has some truth in it but I don't know how exaggerated it is (saying "it got so out of hand" sounds like hyperbole to me).

Again the journalist from Wired says it better than me:

In addition, Wizards of the Coast has had a great deal of difficulty delivering on what they have promised. The online software tools have regularly gone months without updates, the online “magazines” have been up and down in quality. It’s unclear what will become of the much anticipated VTT, which is still in beta testing after years of delay, now that a new edition is underway.

The last paragraph is true but no interaction doesn't promote bad interaction since there is no interaction taking place.

Except people speculate, are disappointed, maybe frustrated, are disinterested... Not positive things.

 

[fjw70]

So they were not your opinions. They were the Wired guys opinion, but opinions none the less.

 

[delericho]

Lying about the Fortune Cards. They clearly were a CCG and WotC insisted they weren't.

Um... they're cards, and the randomized packs makes them collectible. But AFAIK "Fortune Cards" isn't a game - the cards are an optional peripheral for D&D, not a game in themselves.

That being the case, they're not a CCG - they only fulfill two of the three necessary criteria.