D&D 5E 5e isn't a Golden Age of D&D Lorewise, it's Silver at best.

[MonsterEnvy]

Let's be clear that this is deeply misleading.

WotC "held down" prices which rose by, what, 10%? And then increased them by over 70%.

What WotC are charging for Spelljammer is insanely higher than inflation. It's higher than inflation since the '80s, for god's sake.

And if they release 64-page books for $30 each, that's even more insane, that's HUNDREDS of percent. Don't lie to people about the numbers. It's too easy to disprove. When you lie to people's faces like that, you destroy your own credibility, and really should apologise for doing so.

(To be clear, if they release a 192 page book for $30, then they'll be forgiven, that's only slightly overpriced, but that doesn't seem to be the messaging.)

You can order it for 40 right now

https://www.amazon.com/Spelljammer-Adventures-Campaign-Collection-Adventure/dp/0786968168/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=spelljammer+5e&qid=1658778039&sr=8-1

 

[Parmandur]

Haha, we are having two different convos here. Shareholders are not anywhere in my paradigm of ethical concerns or not.

Keeping prices low is not an ethical concern for a non-essential product, except insofar as it impacts shareholders.

 

[Micah Sweet]

The format too. Three softcover and a box means three print runs, three lots of binding, and other costs. The equivalent hardcover would be cheaper to produce.

And yet they decided to run with an intentionally cost-inefficient format. Why? It certainly wasn't for the benefit of their customers.

 

[Parmandur]

Hmm the ethics of shareholder profits.

Yeah, not on my radar.

They have to be for WotC.

Look, guys, you can't invoke "ethics" and state you are doing a moral analysis, and then fail to take ethical factors into account.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I suspect theybare changing up the format because they have to change the prices, and they wanted to make people.feel they were getting something different.

But not necessarily (and this important) something better.

 

[Parmandur]

Yeah, that's more polite than I could put it.

What ethical considerations are in play other than treating workers well and respecting shareholder value, specifically?

 

[Shardstone]

Keeping prices low is not an ethical concern for a non-essential product, except insofar as it impacts shareholders.

We have incompatible views on this subject. I make no excuse for any company and if prices can be kept low but fair, they ought to be kept low but fair to me. Won't go on more cuz that'd violate the no politics rule

 

[Parmandur]

But not necessarily (and this important) something better.

It can be vetter, that part is subjective. I active the 3 book format and what it has to offer. It might be nice if it was longer, but then it may well cost more.

 

[ersatzphil]

What ethical considerations are in play other than treating workers well and respecting shareholder value, specifically?

In terms of business ethics, probably nothing. Members of the D&D team have specifically described themselves as "stewards of the game", though, which feels a bit different.

 

[Parmandur]

We have incompatible views on this subject. I make no excuse for any company and if prices can be kept low but fair, they ought to be kept low but fair to me. Won't go on more cuz that'd violate the no politics rule

There is no ethical obligation to keep prices low for a toy. Food or nedicine, yes, but not toys. What the market will bear while treating workers well is the ethical cost. No more, no less.

Also, ot hasn't even been demonstrated that $70 isn't the "low buy fair" cost as it stands today. I paid $60 for two 96 page books in 2014, and $63 for three 64 page books in 2022. So, same page not for $3 more after a huge inflationary period.