Wizards not going to Origins???

[naturaltwenty]

Differing of Con opinions

I've always seen Origins, even with it's awards, as a gamer's convention, i.e. there seems to be more gaming.

GenCon has become the game companies convention, i.e. time to display the new products, run the big tournaments ala UpperDeck, Wizkids, Wizards, etc., and bask in the glory of all the game developers. Game companies biggest buzz can be made at GenCon. If you are a game company and want to make a splash you do it at GenCon.

The GenCon WotC Castle has to cost a ton to setup and I doubt if their convention budget can handle it's moving more than a few times a year.

Later,

Greg Volz
Natural Twenty Gaming
www.naturaltwenty.com

 

[kenobi65]

Now you have the two biggest conventions, barely 30 days apart, and a whopping 180 miles from each other...

It seems that the benefits of going to both conventions was finally outweighed by the costs of attending both conventions. The incremental loss of people only attending Origins probably was no longer worth it.

Couple that with WotC having more of a historical connection to GenCon than to Origins (i.e., GenCon was formerly owned by TSR / WotC, it's now owned by WotC's former CEO, it's always been WotC's single biggest show), and one can see that, if they decided to choose one over the other, which one it'd be.

 

[DMH]

The awards ceremony is a joke and I get the impression that they are as friendly to D&D as the RPGnet crowd, although I could be wrong there.

You mean some like it, some don't and the majority are generally apathetic towards it?

 

[Crothian]

The GenCon WotC Castle has to cost a ton to setup and I doubt if their convention budget can handle it's moving more than a few times a year.

I'm not expecting them to have the Gen Con set up at Origins but they can still have a nice smaller set up like in previous years that have seemingly been popular.

 

[tensen]

That's the American Library Association conference held in New Orleans in 2006. I'm a library supervisor at Penn State, so I know all about these big conventions. Didn't think WOTC would ever head in that direction, though!

Cheers,
Cam

Well they did have it on their 2005 schedule as well.

 

[Glyfair]

Couple that with WotC having more of a historical connection to GenCon than to Origins (i.e., GenCon was formerly owned by TSR / WotC, it's now owned by WotC's former CEO, it's always been WotC's single biggest show), and one can see that, if they decided to choose one over the other, which one it'd be.

Especially during the TSR vs. GAMA wars.

 

[PatEllis15]

That's the American Library Association conference held in New Orleans in 2006. I'm a library supervisor at Penn State, so I know all about these big conventions. Didn't think WOTC would ever head in that direction, though!

My wife, an English teacher, went with the school libarian to the ALA this year in New York. She stopped by the WotC booth and grabbed me afree booster of Deathknell, and a signed copy of the Hardcover release of "The Crystal Shared". The booth was nothing like the GenCon, or Winter Fantasy booths (the only con's I've been to...). It was desinged to look like (of all things!) a Library!

I too think it's a good idea. And one shouldn't forget that they DO publish more than a handful of books each year.


Pat E

 

[Turjan]

Perhaps, they are still negotiating fees. It's common tactic to threaten not to come to a congress if you think the organizer wants you to participate but charges too much.

 

[ashockney]

Well, it may finally be time to learn about all this backstory to the Gama awards and Origins. All I know is that there is something going on. I think that's a pretty awful statement to think Wizards won't be at one of the largest gaming conventions in the country. Could sales possibly have been that poor? Somehow, I don't believe that, based on what I seem to spend every year. As it pertains to Wizards, they've not exactly separated themselves at the convention by offering new products.

As an industry watcher, I applaud the move by Wizards, looks smart.

As a member of the gaming community, based in Columbus, OH, I am horribly disappointed. I will never forget meeting with Monte Cook the year 3rd Edition would come out, and Wizards had a copy of the PH at the show. I asked hundreds of questions, which he kept answering, and grew more and more passionate for release of this game. I'm sorry to think others won't share that experience at Origins, in the future.