You've just taken over WotC, what do you do?

[Jahydin]

I want D&D to feel ancient, esoteric, and dangerous again. Something you would expect to find in an old, creepy attic, not at Walmart.

 

[bloodtide]

*I'd open that dumb NDA Vault and publish EVERYTHING in it. I figure there is enough for at least a couple Secrets of the Realms books.

*Publish some History of D&D books

 

[MNblockhead]

As @overgeeked mentioned, you would need to take it private.

My first reaction upon reading the OP was "is it still a public company." If you have to answer to Shareholders, that's going to greatly limit many of the ideas being tossed about in this thread.

Even if private, I would likely stay the course at first and try not to let my enthusiasm for certain ideas lead me into poor business decisions that got TSR in trouble.

I would think look at setting up a skunk works to start working on a truly modular reworking of the core mechanics.

 

[MoonSong]

I'd open up all settings for DMs Guild. Not all at once, but after publishing a lore compendium for each that includes a huge hexmap of the main area and in the back a grid of the main city/town, choice of cloth or dry/erase. These books would be a best of of existing materials.

Then make more contests for new settings. Also, print pocket versions of all main books including a true basic D&D (4+1 rac3s and classes, streamlined everything, bestiary and DM guide all in one pocket tome)

Edit: Also commision all-new art of the reserved list and release that as an evergreen forever masters. And then include one of these as a box topper on all draft boxes, cut on setboosters, maybe keep collector boosters as an annual thing. Keep jumpstart as an ongoing evolving thing, be more generous with lands on precons, and remove all of the extra products. One seasonal release, one bonus release per year and jumpstart.

 

[overgeeked]

Oh, something I forgot. Publish fiction again. You know...books and novels.

I'd expand the fiction branch to be a general fantasy and sci-fi publishing company. Don't limit things to just D&D-like fantasy. Bring back Appendix N and do reprints of many/most/all of those. People talking about "lonely fun" in relation to D&D and RPGs...yeah...novels and short stories.

 

[p_johnston]

I would likely need to hire others to run things that are smarter than myself. I would want to do things that are cool, but not make money for the company and would likely run it into TSR.

See my answer was find out what kind of golden parachute clause i have for when i inevitably get fired, because i am not qualified.

 

[nevin]

Hostile takeover of Hasbro, forcing a split, and now you're in charge of D&D. What do you do with it, the OGL, and everything.

Maybe it's a holdover from my marketing classes in college, but I still place a lot of emphasis on branding. It's really important. So that's what I'd focus on. A lot of licensing for use of that branding, which in turn improves the value of the branding.

Everything from every previous edition rules-wise goes into CC. Let the creators create. Let them do most of the work. Sure, create a core new edition, but stick to the core rule books and IP specific settings/creatures. Let the fans create the adventures and supplement material. The core game needs to be more accessible than any other system out there.

Continue focus on VTT, but forget microtransactions. Instead allow 3PP to sell their own stuff (cosmetics, monsters, magic items, etc) on the VTT and take a % of it.

And that's pretty much it. Trying to monetize everything only leads to a financial death spiral in the end. Be happy with a steady but stable income stream rather than chase every penny.

shut up. Gag my employees. Let the D&D movie be a big success, allow other companies to utilize 5e content that is now open content.

A year or so later when everyone has some other internet dragon to chase start communicating again and do it better.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is SHUT UP.

 

[darjr]

I’d bring back Wednesday night encounters. It’s impact continues to echo.

What the actual WotC?!

 

[MoonSong]

Oh, something I forgot. Publish fiction again. You know...books and novels.

I'd expand the fiction branch to be a general fantasy and sci-fi publishing company. Don't limit things to just D&D-like fantasy. Bring back Appendix N and do reprints of many/most/all of those. People talking about "lonely fun" in relation to D&D and RPGs...yeah...novels and short stories.

A lot of stuff seems to be on Kindle, I'd wager all of it, but I'm not sure. But yes, return to publish novels, both D&D and MTG!

 

[Zardnaar]

Fix Magic D&D doesn't matter as much.