Samloyal23
Adventurer
How many people would buy products for previous editions? How many people are playing them? Should WOTC produce things for more than one edition? Discuss...
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D&D General The Retro Edition Market
- Thread starter Samloyal23
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A few.
Some.
No, because splitting your own fanbase has already been shown to be a bad idea, multiple times.
Fanaelialae
Legend
I think there's a reasonable market for earlier editions. They've made many out of print products available on DM's Guild, and they're regularly adding more (including print on demand versions). They wouldn't be doing that if there were no demand.
You can also find a fair number of folks on these boards playing earlier editions. It's by no means a majority or anything like that, but they're out there. My group ran a 2e game for a while a few years back, which was fun, although we're pretty solidly a 5e group overall.
As for creating new products for older editions, probably not. That contributed to the demise of TSR. It would undoubtedly cost significantly more to develop new material than scan existing stuff, and they probably wouldn't be able to make that cost back. Almost certainly not with anything resembling a real margin of profit.
That said, there are plenty of folks still developing material that's compatible with older editions. Other people have modded 5e to play more like those editions (if you have any interest in B/X, Into the Unknown is an excellent example of this).
You can also find a fair number of folks on these boards playing earlier editions. It's by no means a majority or anything like that, but they're out there. My group ran a 2e game for a while a few years back, which was fun, although we're pretty solidly a 5e group overall.
As for creating new products for older editions, probably not. That contributed to the demise of TSR. It would undoubtedly cost significantly more to develop new material than scan existing stuff, and they probably wouldn't be able to make that cost back. Almost certainly not with anything resembling a real margin of profit.
That said, there are plenty of folks still developing material that's compatible with older editions. Other people have modded 5e to play more like those editions (if you have any interest in B/X, Into the Unknown is an excellent example of this).
L
lowkey13
Guest
*Deleted by user*
Blue
Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal
I run my favorite edition of D&D. I play what my groups are playing. It hasn't always been the most recent edition though it currently is.
I would strongly prefer Wizards to focus on just the current edition. TSR had issues with splitting the fanbase. Not to say they couldn't come out with a "30th Anniversary Limited Edition Reprinting" of something, but not spend design cycles on it.
I would strongly prefer Wizards to focus on just the current edition. TSR had issues with splitting the fanbase. Not to say they couldn't come out with a "30th Anniversary Limited Edition Reprinting" of something, but not spend design cycles on it.
LOL. Yeah, I have to admit that at every new printing of the 1E and 2E PHB that I buy several. And will it do it again when the reprint them with a new cover or special cover with nice binding. And I so want a reprint of the RC for d&d real real bad. I’m old. I have alot of stress at work. I deserve these things.
JeffB
Legend
Pretty sure WOTC has already taken care of this- They reprinted 1st, 2nd, and 3.5 rules and some supplements and adventures. They also coughbutcheredcough , err...reprinted the LBBs.
They have made all editions (EXCEPT for Holmes, wtf?) available on Drive Thru as PDFs including all the supplemental material. IOW- they have catered to the older edition market. And frankly, the OSR does things better than they could ever do when producing "old school" products.
My take- WOTC, do something new for crying out loud instead of trolling (the fishing method) old materials, themes, adventures and regurgitating them. How about some new worlds and new adventures?*
*MTG doesn't count.
Merry Xmas Eve everyone
They have made all editions (EXCEPT for Holmes, wtf?) available on Drive Thru as PDFs including all the supplemental material. IOW- they have catered to the older edition market. And frankly, the OSR does things better than they could ever do when producing "old school" products.
My take- WOTC, do something new for crying out loud instead of trolling (the fishing method) old materials, themes, adventures and regurgitating them. How about some new worlds and new adventures?*
*MTG doesn't count.
Merry Xmas Eve everyone
Fanaelialae
Legend
If you don't mind POD, you can get a reprint of RC.LOL. Yeah, I have to admit that at every new printing of the 1E and 2E PHB that I buy several. And will it do it again when the reprint them with a new cover or special cover with nice binding. And I so want a reprint of the RC for d&d real real bad. I’m old. I have alot of stress at work. I deserve these things.
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Enrico Poli1
Adventurer
I had a lot of products from past editions but lost all of them when I moved... Besides, when 4e came out, I got out of the hobby altogether.
Later, in 2016, I got hooked again because of D&D 5e. It was truly a great edition of the game, IMO the best. The PHB, DMG and MM were such beautiful books that I decided to buy them. When I understood that D&D 5e was retrocompatible, and old products became useful again, I started to collect them via eBay.
My actual collection is better then the old one!
Later, in 2016, I got hooked again because of D&D 5e. It was truly a great edition of the game, IMO the best. The PHB, DMG and MM were such beautiful books that I decided to buy them. When I understood that D&D 5e was retrocompatible, and old products became useful again, I started to collect them via eBay.
My actual collection is better then the old one!
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