Jupp
Explorer
Not only from a financial point the basic/advanced way would be the most sensible solution.
You do not have to support multiple settings (=dev teams) at the same time which saves money and prevents splitting the player base into multiple parts. It also helps to prevent rules clutter (remember the different rules for different settings in 2e?). With the basic/advanced path you only split the user base in two, and if you do it right it is not really a split but a way of saying "if you want it easy or if you are a beginner then go basic, once you want more go advanced". But everyone basically plays the same game.
Not only would WotC earn more $ because they could sell the same product (D&D) twice to the same customer (basic first, advanced later). They would be able to keep the dev team more focused in what they do. They could sell basic accessory material as well as stuff targeted to the advanced player, etc. etc. So basically they could have a 5e within 5e without having to invent something new, and it would be consistent in itself. There are a lot of ways how they could play it out.
You do not have to support multiple settings (=dev teams) at the same time which saves money and prevents splitting the player base into multiple parts. It also helps to prevent rules clutter (remember the different rules for different settings in 2e?). With the basic/advanced path you only split the user base in two, and if you do it right it is not really a split but a way of saying "if you want it easy or if you are a beginner then go basic, once you want more go advanced". But everyone basically plays the same game.
Not only would WotC earn more $ because they could sell the same product (D&D) twice to the same customer (basic first, advanced later). They would be able to keep the dev team more focused in what they do. They could sell basic accessory material as well as stuff targeted to the advanced player, etc. etc. So basically they could have a 5e within 5e without having to invent something new, and it would be consistent in itself. There are a lot of ways how they could play it out.