Maxperson
Morkus from Orkus
New Coke.
D&D 5E Mearl's Book Design Philosophy
New Coke.
Prakriti
Hi, I'm a Mindflayer, but don't let that worry you
New Coke met with immediate backlash and public protests, whereas all outward signs suggest that 5E is a success.
All outward signs of 3e suggested it was a success and yet now we are told that it was not successful.
So it seems that "success" is a moving target.
Prakriti
Hi, I'm a Mindflayer, but don't let that worry you
Finding success in a consumer-driven market absolutely is a moving target. The market changes, and businesses change with it or fall by the wayside. Just ask America Online.
AaronOfBarbaria
Adventurer
Unless you are saying that you like New Coke, I'm not sure I follow how that is relevant to you and WotC disagreeing as to how successful something was.
America Online sold for 4.4 Billion. Is that our target for success now?
flametitan
Explorer
I'm thinking he's saying that the 5e business model is going to end up like New Coke.
pkt77242
Explorer
I think that both of you are getting caught up on the same thing. 3E (and it's "business plan") was a short term success. Releasing splats increases short term profits but it erodes long-term profits as it quickens the decline of the edition and eventually leads to a new addition (which usually means a time between the 2 editions where profits and revenue dry up and books towards the end of the edition usually sell ).
5E is trying to buck that trend by thinking about long-term profits (evergreen edition, strengthening the brand name, etc.). Yes that means a change in strategy, it also means more focus on the "brand", and less focus on pumping out splatbooks and other short term profit/revenue generators.
From a marketing standpoint they are most likely doing it right.
AaronOfBarbaria
Adventurer
That wouldn't make much sense for him to be saying, considering that New Coke was a clear and obvious failure that was "fixed" after 3 months (by putting the old recipe back on the market) and 5th edition is already 2 years on and all indications are that it is doing quite well.
Prakriti
Hi, I'm a Mindflayer, but don't let that worry you
Yes. AOL changed its business model and remained profitable. It would not have sold for $4.4b if it had remained a dial-up service provider. Success, as you say, is a moving target.
