Errm. I don't think that's true.
D&D 5E Am I no longer WoTC's target audience?
Of course it is. They've said it plenty of times that they don't care if you buy old stuff off of DMs Guild. They just want you to play, not that you have to play 5E. That's been a clarion call for Mike et. al. from the beginning.
I’m sure the shareholders disagree.
Paul Farquhar
Legend
I.e. the policy for 2nd and 3rd edition was to sell as much crack as possible to existing addicts, whilst the 5e policy is to create lots and lots of new addicts.
If the shareholders of Hasbro had any sway on Wizards of the Coast, and specifically the D&D department... we would have seen at the beginning the exact same publishing strategies we got for 3E and 4E-- pump out more and more books quickly for people to buy.
But Nathan, Mike and the others specifically told everyone that there was nothing wrong with not making the switch to 5E. If you were a 2E player, they were making a game that hopefully would bring out the same feelings you got while playing 2E if you decided to try it... but if you weren't going to make the switch, they shortly after made all the 2E stuff your heart could desire available to you on DMs Guild. Getting people to play ANY D&D was more important that getting them to play 5E specifically, because they were trying to break down the walls that separated everybody. If you called yourself a D&D player, that's all that mattered.
I mean, I'm not the only one who remembers all of this stuff they talked about back in 2014-15, right?
Apparently. I mean, I remember some things Mike Mearls said, but the less said about those the better.
Oofta
Legend
TTRPGs are a funny business. No one needs anything other than the core books for hour upon hour of entertainment. A single campaign book? The DM buys it and 7 people have entertainment for months on end for the purchase of one book.
So they have to cater to a variety of people and preferences if they want to make a product. The new book will sell well for a while and then may only sell enough to provide the slimmest of margins over the cost of printing and distribution.
Critical Role is immensely popular, no one should be surprised that they went after that market directly. It may not be targeted to you in particular, but for most people new to D&D this may well be exactly what they want. It's current, it's popular, it has name recognition. The old settings simply don't have the same kind of lightning in a bottle aspect that the CR stream does, old grognards (myself included) would only be interested because of nostalgia. Many people that will buy the book weren't even born when those old settings were a thing.
So yes, it may not be for you or me. That's okay as long as D&D remains relatively popular and I can find fellow gamers I'm happy.
So they have to cater to a variety of people and preferences if they want to make a product. The new book will sell well for a while and then may only sell enough to provide the slimmest of margins over the cost of printing and distribution.
Critical Role is immensely popular, no one should be surprised that they went after that market directly. It may not be targeted to you in particular, but for most people new to D&D this may well be exactly what they want. It's current, it's popular, it has name recognition. The old settings simply don't have the same kind of lightning in a bottle aspect that the CR stream does, old grognards (myself included) would only be interested because of nostalgia. Many people that will buy the book weren't even born when those old settings were a thing.
So yes, it may not be for you or me. That's okay as long as D&D remains relatively popular and I can find fellow gamers I'm happy.
BookBarbarian
Expert Long Rester
I've never really asked myself if I'm in a target audience. I just buy what I think I'll like and don't by what I don't think I'll like. I've skipped all the tie ins like Stranger Things, Acquisitions inc, and Rick and Morty. I also skipped Ravinica and Eberron.
I love Avernus though, and I think I'll grab the Essentials kit too.
I love Avernus though, and I think I'll grab the Essentials kit too.
Jacob Lewis
Ye Olde GM
I have run and played D&D (sometimes exclusively) since the 80s until 5th edition came out. I was no longer interested in another edition after so many decades when I already had more than enough material to run games and campaigns for a lifetime. That's when I decided that I was no longer their target audience. The decision was ultimately mine, not theirs.
But since the interest from newcomers has grown immensely, I would be a fool not to offer to run it for those who specifically request it. In fact, the demand for good GMs is greater than ever. So I still invest in the core books, as well as the Starter/Essential sets for teaching the game, and a couple campaign books that strike my fancy.
Most notably, I have bought everything I can find to run the ultimate Tomb of Annihilation campaign, including several support products from DMs Guild. Nothing else in 5e has really grabbed my attention before or since.
Of course, since I have discovered other systems offering different kinds or experiences and styles of play, 5e (and D&D in general) are no longer my preferred games of choice. But that doesn't mean they're not a choice at all, either. And maybe one day WotC, or someone else, will put out a D&D product that will get my interest again, or at least for that particular line or product.
My point is you don't need to be married to one system or edition to become a part of their "target audience". If you're a living, breathing consumer with expendable income looking for something to spend your time and money with, you're a target for them. Whether you choose to be a part of that audience is entirely up to you, and there is no commitment necessary. I may never run or play another D&D game again, or I might go back to an earlier edition. That might remove me from their perceived targets for marketing, but I am still a part of the audience.
But since the interest from newcomers has grown immensely, I would be a fool not to offer to run it for those who specifically request it. In fact, the demand for good GMs is greater than ever. So I still invest in the core books, as well as the Starter/Essential sets for teaching the game, and a couple campaign books that strike my fancy.
Most notably, I have bought everything I can find to run the ultimate Tomb of Annihilation campaign, including several support products from DMs Guild. Nothing else in 5e has really grabbed my attention before or since.
Of course, since I have discovered other systems offering different kinds or experiences and styles of play, 5e (and D&D in general) are no longer my preferred games of choice. But that doesn't mean they're not a choice at all, either. And maybe one day WotC, or someone else, will put out a D&D product that will get my interest again, or at least for that particular line or product.
My point is you don't need to be married to one system or edition to become a part of their "target audience". If you're a living, breathing consumer with expendable income looking for something to spend your time and money with, you're a target for them. Whether you choose to be a part of that audience is entirely up to you, and there is no commitment necessary. I may never run or play another D&D game again, or I might go back to an earlier edition. That might remove me from their perceived targets for marketing, but I am still a part of the audience.
Oofta
Legend
One advantage to the Wildemount setting is that it's a fully realized, reasonably logical system and not another Forgotten Realms book. Same with Ravnica and Eberron. FR has been around for so long and has had so much content thrown into it that it feels overstuffed and illogical.
Probably better to start publishing books with new, clean foundations, each with it's own target market and feel. So I could see something like DarkSun coming back because it could be sold as post-apocalyptic campaign but if they're going to do a medieval inspired world setting you could do worse than Wildemount.
Probably better to start publishing books with new, clean foundations, each with it's own target market and feel. So I could see something like DarkSun coming back because it could be sold as post-apocalyptic campaign but if they're going to do a medieval inspired world setting you could do worse than Wildemount.
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