What would WotC need to do to win back the disenchanted?

[Jasperak]

Why would you expect WotC guys spend their time in the section for games that they do no longer support and/or make?

I would expect them to be concerned when they have pushed away a significant portion of their paying customers. Understanding one's market and why so many did not follow along with the new edition is one of the primary functions of business. I'm not saying 4e isn't profitable, but there is what should be an easily tapped market sitting right here--Existing RPG gamers.

They should absolutely research why people play other games than their own. If they could put something in theirs that would bring people back without watering down their vision for the game, the game is enriched for it. Now granted there will be things that some want that are just incompatible which their existing design, but that should not stop them from innovating.

 

[Keefe the Thief]

I would expect them to be concerned when they have pushed away a significant portion of their paying customers. Understanding one's market and why so many did not follow along with the new edition is one of the primary functions of business. I'm not saying 4e isn't profitable, but there is what should be an easily tapped market sitting right here--Existing RPG gamers.

So the question is: are there dice in these shaking fists, ready to be won over, or are they shaken to stay shaken?

 

[Crispy Critter]

At this point there is nothing they can do to win my group back. Each player in my group has been playing various iterations of D&D for a long time now and 3.5 was our sweet spot. As long time Realms players, the great work done with the Realms during 3ed was perfect for us. We tried 4th ed. It didn't work for us. The forwarding of the Realms timeline was also a huge blow. For the next year and a half we played, WFRP, old school Marvel, Cthulu, Shadowrun, but in our heart we are D&D players.

When Paizo put out Pathfinder and Golarian as the campaing setting, we jumped at the opportunity and we have not looked back. It's 3.5 with amazing campaign support that gives the players numerous ideas during character creation in terms of mechanics and fluff. Their adventure writing is top-notch as well. The group is having a great time learning about the world. It's like we had started playing the Realms all those years ago.

So there's nothing WoTC can do now for our group to get us back. As long as Paizo is around we'll be spending our money with them.

 

[Chainsaw]

At this point there is nothing they can do to win my group back.

Probably the same here. We play versions of O/AD&D using homemade settings and adventures. There's an entire online community of other gamers doing the same - and sharing their work and ideas. Furthermore, some of the work is of high enough quality that it warrants purchase.

 

[carmachu]

This is an interesting point. One wonders how many RPG book sales back in the day were driven more by the desire to read the book than to actually use it in play. Certainly most of my gaming books never saw actual use. I have even gone out to buy books from editions that I have no intention of ever playing again, just to read or re-read them.

It has some influence. Alot or a little as a whole I cnat say, but I know I own way more then I could ever use, and I read it all. I do enjoy reading alot of them.

4e books, however are unreadable from an enjoyment standpoint. Adventures maybe, but basic books are impossible.

 

[Diamond Cross]

Are you thinking of the Dragon Warriors rpg line of six paperback books, from the 1980's?

Dragon Warriors - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

No I was thinking of Darksword Adventures by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.

Although their system was exceptionally chaotic.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Darksword-Adventures-Venturing-Enchanted-Thimhallan/dp/055327600X]Amazon.com: Darksword Adventures: The Complete Guide to Venturing in the Enchanted Realm of Thimhallan (A Bantam Spectra…[/ame]

 

[Jeff Wilder]

Why would you expect WotC guys spend their time in the section for games that they do no longer support and/or make?

Goodwill has value. (Seriously, actual monetary value.)

 

[carmachu]

Why would you expect WotC guys spend their time in the section for games that they do no longer support and/or make?

Consider that we have heard that part of the reason the OGL went to GSL, becuase there were some that saw that dollars going to 3rd party folks were dollars not going into their coffers, and there is a rise of Pathfinder(and others) that pretty much takes many of those disgruntled players.....it seems like a no brainer.

 

[Jasperak]

So the question is: are there dice in these shaking fists, ready to be won over, or are they shaken to stay shaken?

I think that this thread is evidence that if WOTC sells something that its former customers want, then some of them can be won back. As for D&D, we will see if Essentials tries to re-embrace D&D's roots. Only time will tell.

 

[Obryn]

4e books, however are unreadable from an enjoyment standpoint. Adventures maybe, but basic books are impossible.

The newer 4e books are getting back some of that readability, thank goodness. Underdark, Plane Above, and even MM3 are all pretty good.

I still can't sit and read power lists, though, any more than I could sit and read spell lists in 1e-3.5e. Glance through them, sure, but read? No way. Not unless I'm working on a character.

-O