WotC and Gencon. No Events submitted???

[Inferno!]

I think part of Inferno's point was, if WotC pulls out, would others pull out, as well?

You are correct.

Isn't promoting 4E through the biggest convention in the Western hemisphere part and parcel of "getting 4E together?" Isn't missing the deadline to have their 4E events included in the intial round of event registration a bit strange?

I would think so.

 

[francisca]

b) WotC knows something about GenCon's bankruptcy that isn't public knowledge. Like they are trying to buy GenCon back from Peter and using their absence as leverage. Remember, WotC is not just D&D, it's also Magic so the loss of WotC chops out the biggest RPG and the biggest CCG from their event. That's a lotta people.

Or, along similar lines, WotC knows GC is in a bind and is just being opportunistic and trying to get a better deal.

Your option a) was my first thought, however, I'm sad to say.

 

[kenobi65]

b) WotC knows something about GenCon's bankruptcy that isn't public knowledge. Like they are trying to buy GenCon back from Peter and using their absence as leverage.

It's possible, I suppose, but I find it unlikely, if for no other reason than WotC got rid of GenCon in the first place because (as I understand it, I might be wrong) Hasbro saw "running a convention" as a business they didn't want to be in, much like "publishing print magazines" (which is why Paizo was spun off).

Unless Hasbro's policy on this has changed, I don't see them being eager to bring GenCon back into the fold. (That, and I have to believe that running GenCon is a colossal pain in the posterior.)

 

[Lensman]

If WoTC screws over Gencon, I will be sooo pissed.

 

[Spinachcat]

Unless Hasbro's policy on this has changed, I don't see them being eager to bring GenCon back into the fold. (That, and I have to believe that running GenCon is a colossal pain in the posterior.)

With the new President of WotC, we might be seeing policy changes. Keep in mind that WotC does run DDXP and maybe the DDXP dollars and the upswing in GenCon attendance and the massive upswing in ComicCon attendance could be fueling the thoughts of a policy change.

One major policy change already has been bringing Dungeon / Dragon back in house and making them digital. Pretty extreme decision, but they did it.

 

[Contrarian]

Well, there are a big chunk of RPGA guys who go just for D&D. If WOTC and the RPGA wussed out, I think Gen Con would be missing a few hundred big spenders.

I have to mock my own RPG-centricity here: I didn't realize until last night that if WOTC skips Gen Con, there will be no (or few) Magic: The Gathering events. That would probably cost Gen Con a lot of card players.

Another thing to keep in mind? It's not just about the event catalog. WOTC is one of Gen Con's two "co-sponsors." I imagine losing one of your two biggest sponsors would affect the accounting.

 

[kenobi65]

Keep in mind that WotC does run DDXP and maybe the DDXP dollars and the upswing in GenCon attendance and the massive upswing in ComicCon attendance could be fueling the thoughts of a policy change.

Oh, I know that they own / run DDXP, but (a) DDXP is itty-bitty compared to GenCon (1000 or so, versus, what, 20,000 or so?), and (b) DDXP is exclusively a showcase for D&D (through the RPGA) and DDM, whereas I'd guess that 75% of the content at GenCon has nothing to do with WotC products.

The RPGA stopped supporting non-WotC campaigns because they were told to not spend money supporting other companies' products. IMO, buying GenCon back would be in that vein.

One major policy change already has been bringing Dungeon / Dragon back in house and making them digital. Pretty extreme decision, but they did it.

Also true, but note one important thing there: in doing so, they did away with the print versions. Remember what I noted originally: spinning off Dungeon and Dragon was done because Hasbro didn't want to be in the magazine business. DDI is far more about taking the sorts of things that WotC had already been doing online, adding some features to that, and making it a pay service, versus getting back into the magazine business.

 

[Drkfathr1]

This could also be WOTC's way of protecting themselves in case Gen Con shuts down at the last minute and doesn't have the convention...and doesn't refund any money already paid due to the Bankruptcy.

 

[kenobi65]

This could also be WOTC's way of protecting themselves in case Gen Con shuts down at the last minute and doesn't have the convention...and doesn't refund any money already paid due to the Bankruptcy.

Possibly. My suspicion is that there's a court date coming up, at which GenCon will (or won't) get the go-ahead to run GenCon Indy from their bankruptcy judge, and that WotC's waiting for that.

But, that's a guess.

 

[Inferno!]

This could also be WOTC's way of protecting themselves in case Gen Con shuts down at the last minute and doesn't have the convention...and doesn't refund any money already paid due to the Bankruptcy.

You may be right, but the end result is increasing the chances that GenCon actually does shut down.