WotC to Revise D&D 4th Edition GSL and SRD

[Darrin Drader]

I think the issue people have with your posts stems from the fact that you're not actually accepting all of the evidence, as you have been dismissing the sales information as biased or untrustworthy. It seems strange to point to an internet poll as a source of evidence without bias, then imply that sales data from even third-party sources (Amazon, NYT Bestseller List) can't be trusted.

I'm not disputing NYT or Amazon. However, their sales data leaves a lot of unknowns. How many copies have actually sold through either outlet. How does the reduced number of hobby game stores and book stores affect the number of books being sold through places like Amazon? But the biggest question of all is how are sales actually doing when measured against Hasbro's expectations? Since we don't know the number of actual books that have sold and we don't know how many Hasbro expects to sell, nobody besides WotC has enough information to say how well its selling.

Now if you want to argue that 4E is blowing the sales of every other RPG out there out of the water, you're right. It isn't even a question.

The only way to tell for sure that it is selling up to or beyond expectations is for Hasbro to release an official statement to its shareholders that states the health of the brand. I'll believe that. Everything else is specualtion. It may be semi-informed speculation, but it is speculation nonetheless.

 

[Scribble]

But the biggest question of all is how are sales actually doing when measured against Hasbro's expectations?

Well, we DO have Bill Slavicsek's statement that they're selling so far in a way, that if it continues, will far exceed their expectations. (Admitedly I'm assuming they expect to meet hasbro's expectations... if any.)

 

[thatdarnedbob]

I'm not disputing NYT or Amazon. However, their sales data leaves a lot of unknowns. How many copies have actually sold through either outlet.

The New York Times is not in the book selling business, and its bestseller list is generally considered a reliable indicator of whether a book is a selling well.

 

[Umbran]

One last time, and I'll boil it down to a true-or-false question. True/false: Is the following, and only the following, a legitimate criticism of the poll's level of confidence?

The "poll's level of confidence" is a technical issue important to statisticians, but of questionable relevance to how we here should view the results in this context. Our level of confidence in the poll is relevant, but not technically defined.

Folks, our polls are not scientific. They are a toy. Please don't argue about them like this.

 

[The Little Raven]

Folks, our polls are not scientific. They are a toy. Please don't argue about them like this.

This is teh intarweb. Toys are serious business.

 

[Scott_Rouse]

Can someone come get me when you start talking about the GSL again?

 

[Scribble]

Can someone come get me when you start talking about the GSL again?

Got something new?

 

[Darrin Drader]

Can someone come get me when you start talking about the GSL again?

I think I speak for most when I say that we approve of the initiative. It has the potential to cut down on a lot of criticism and let some quality new products onto the market for 4E. Now let's see what you can do with it.

 

[Scott_Rouse]

I think I speak for most when I say that we approve of the initiative. It has the potential to cut down on a lot of criticism and let some quality new products onto the market for 4E. Now let's see what you can do with it.

I appreaciate that note of support

I have be talking with a few publishers at the show about our proposed changes and so far the response has been positive.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Ginnel]

Now let's see what you can do with it.

I may have been misreading but isn't it what the Lawyers and Scott's bosses' can/will do with Scott's and Co.'s suggestions?