WotC and Gencon. No Events submitted???

[Gallo22]

Does anyone have any information on this. For some reason WotC has not submitted any events to Gencon as of yet and events go live on Sunday. I'm starting to wonder if because of WotC's licence with Star Wars that WotC may be hesitant to go to Gencon due its problems with Lucas Arts?

Anyone??????

 

[Alzrius]

I wonder if the fact that they didn't want to schedule any seminars before releasing the GSL had something to do with it. Of course, now that it's out, they may be able to sneak a few in at the last minute.

 

[kenobi65]

First, technically, GenCon's bankruptcy situation has to do with issues stemming from their management of the Star Wars Celebration convention, which was on behalf of Lucasfilm, not LucasArts (which is Uncle George's computer-game company).

There's a big discussion of the topic over on the GenCon board. Someone posted there, yesterday, that he'd received an e-mail from WotC Customer Service, stating that WotC/RPGA had not yet submitted their events to GenCon, because they were waiting for "further proceedings" in GenCon's bankruptcy case before they'd submit their events. I have no idea if this is truth or fiction (no one else has provided similar info, and several posters on those boards are skeptical).

However, in that same thread, Dave Christ (the senior GM for the RPGA at big events like GenCon) posted:

Don't lump the RPGA (which is 100,000+ of us) into Wotc/Gencon/Hasbro or whatever large company is being 'Da Man' for the day. We're all just gamer goobs like everybody else just trying to do the best we can with the cards we're being dealt.

Trust me I would rather be starting up my judge recruitment and scheduling then typing these emails again and again in various places.

And, on the RPGA board itself, several folks involved with LFR indicated that they'd given the information for the LFR events to WotC to pass on to GenCon. If that's the case, then either (a) WotC is sitting on the information (which makes the above story seem plausible), or (b) GenCon hasn't processed the information (seems unlikely, given that they claim they're updating the event schedule daily).

I also note that GenCon scooted event registration up by several weeks. I wonder if this was done to improve their cash flow situation (i.e., get several thousand people's event fees in GC's pocket a few weeks earlier).

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

WOTC is notoriously slow in getting their events in, mainly due to travel confirmations and what not. Last year they did great, 2-3 years ago they were adding events after event registration had been concluded. I wouldn't read a whole lot into it at this point, start worrying when it's June and there's nothing from WOTC on there. WOTC is the big dog and Peter/GenCon give them a lot of leeway.

 

[smerwin29]

Also note some of the other "big players" that have not submitted events yet. This is not just WotC. Lots of people are waiting to see what's up with GenCon (the company) before they invest too much time and money in GenCon Indy (the convention). I cannot believe it is a coincidence that GenCon moved up the registration period when they are in the middle of a bankruptcy hearing.

In terms of the RPGA, I can only speak for the Living Forgotten Realms events run by the RPGA, but we have had our event names and "blurbs" in to RPGA HQ folks for several weeks. Chris Tulach (RPGA Content Manager) has done a tremendous job since taking over the RPGA's content, and I'm sure if he was allowed to pass registration information to GenCon, GenCon would have that information.

 

[kenobi65]

Also note some of the other "big players" that have not submitted events yet. This is not just WotC. Lots of people are waiting to see what's up with GenCon (the company) before they invest too much time and money in GenCon Indy (the convention). I cannot believe it is a coincidence that GenCon moved up the registration period when they are in the middle of a bankruptcy hearing.

In terms of the RPGA, I can only speak for the Living Forgotten Realms events run by the RPGA, but we have had our event names and "blurbs" in to RPGA HQ folks for several weeks. Chris Tulach (RPGA Content Manager) has done a tremendous job since taking over the RPGA's content, and I'm sure if he was allowed to pass registration information to GenCon, GenCon would have that information.

Thanks for that perspective, Shawn.

It's just kinda stinky that GenCon was supposed to be the big kickoff for LFR, and now it's all in a sort of limbo.

 

[smerwin29]

Thanks for that perspective, Shawn.

It's just kinda stinky that GenCon was supposed to be the big kickoff for LFR, and now it's all in a sort of limbo.

Yeah, I don't have any "insider information," but I plan to be there running the first Living Forgotten Realms events along with everyone else. The entire LFR administration staff has been working hard to get things ready, and there is nothing we can do about business decisions. I'm not saddled with the responsibility of running the business, but I have been in situations similar to this in other areas of business, so I understand the caution--and possibly the legal issues essentially gagging WotC at this point.

I took the days off from work already, and I can't imagine there not being RPGA events at GenCon. If the worst happens and there isn't, I'll still be there, running games out on the street! ;-)

Shawn

 

[qstor]

Someone posted this on the gencon.com forums on a thread on the RPGA events. They claim its an e-mail from WOTC customer service?

Here is a brief FAQ concerning your questions:

"Q: Why are there no D&D or Wizards events on the schedule posted for Gen Con at www.gencon.com?

A: Wizards had not submitted a schedule of events by the Gen Con deadline. Since we hadn’t submitted our own schedule, none of our events are in the official Gen Con schedule at this time.

Q: Will Wizards attend Gen Con in 2008?

A: As you may be aware, Gen Con is currently in chapter 11 bankruptcy. Wizards’ plans relative to Gen Con are dependent on the course of proceedings in US bankruptcy court. While we hope to participate in Gen Con, we must await further proceedings in the bankruptcy matter before we are able to confirm our plans."

I find the last part HARD to believe. Peter Atkinson said that GenCon Indy is a go. Companies are allowed to operate while in Chapter 11. Often its just an action to stay off business creditors while they fully get their house in order. Delphi a GM auto parts supplier was nearly ready to go belly up and has been in bankrutpcy for a while. GenCon Indy is their flagship show and other companies including Paizo and Choasium all have full events there.
Why WOTC is doing this is silly IMHO.

Mike

 

[Monkey King]

I wonder if the fact that they didn't want to schedule any seminars before releasing the GSL had something to do with it. Of course, now that it's out, they may be able to sneak a few in at the last minute.

They haven't released the GSL. They've announced that they are going to release it. I think this is roughly the third time they've announced it (October, January, and April).

Current ETA for the GSL is June, but it has slipped several times already. So, I'm pretty sure that the GSL is unrelated to the lack of GenCon events from WotC.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

Why does this smack of "applying corporate leverage"? Almost as if some deal has to go down relative to Gen Con and the public excuse cloaks what will never appear in written (i.e. legally discoverable) electronic format.

EDIT: We can however use the length of delay relative to the review of the new GSL to ponder if this is just too many layers of corporate approval?

Eh, if they don't show, I will still go to Gaming Mecca and meet my friends.