D&D (2024) D&D Pre-orders; this is sad

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Separating my personal opinion of Hasbro/D&D's direction as best I can, and just looking at that graphic / what's been said in marketing so far...

I am very critical of the "early access" digital model (and especially critical of the "pay for earlier access" model), and we should all be very critical of that because it is detrimental to Friendly Local Gaming Stores.

Hopefully, we'll see FLGS receiving an "even earlier access" release.

Don't they get to release the game store cover editions on the same day the Masters subscription digital version is available? That's a pretty big bone to toss to them and hopefully the plan for all WotC releases going forward, assuming that WotC continues to give DDB subscribers early access.

 

[Velderan]

Separating my personal opinion of Hasbro/D&D's direction as best I can, and just looking at that graphic / what's been said in marketing so far...

I am very critical of the "early access" digital model (and especially critical of the "pay for earlier access" model), and we should all be very critical of that because it is detrimental to Friendly Local Gaming Stores.

Hopefully, we'll see FLGS receiving an "even earlier access" release.

This is the program they've announced. Say whatever you want about WotC, but they're trying to give FLGS something.

Local Game Store Early Access for D&D Book Sales | WPN

Local game stores will now have early access to sell major tabletop book releases from Dungeons & Dragons, in-store only.

wpn.wizards.com

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Except they can and add extra digital incentives. Like FREE VIRTUAL MINIS AND DICE!

"Pre-order the 2034 books and we will give you your own private booth in our moonbase that we promise is coming soon."

 

[MichaelSomething]

You want the D&D brand, you deal with the mega Corp.

You want to be treated well? Go somewhere else.

 

[DarkCrisis]

I think the big difference is that WotC is the only equivalent to a AAA studio in the tabletop space. No one else could successfully pull this crap and thus, won't.

If people get really irritated -- and OP is not the only one voicing these concerns online -- Kobold Press, ENWorld Publishing and others have 5E off-ramps to switch to relatively easily, or one could just use material from the SRD, which is out there and free forever.

And that's to say nothing of the many, many other RPGs out there published by smaller outfits or individuals, all of whom have a much easier time distributing nowadays than ever in the industry's history.

If/when WotC alienates a bunch of their customers by imitating the worst excesses of the videogame industry, some of the gamers will leave the industry entirely, but others will find many other places to go.

It's hard to imagine this spreading throughout the industry.

We've already seen gamers of both types forgive companies like WotC and EA etc for capitalistic boo boos. Most people don't care if they get charged an extra $10 or whatever, they just want their happy juice.

I'm guilty of the same thing.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

You want the D&D brand, you deal with the mega Corp.

You want to be treated well? Go somewhere else.

Living in a cyberpunk dystopia sucks, as it turns out.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

One person’s early access is another person’s delayed access. If it’s ready to sell, it’s ready to sell.

But book and digital timing are different? Especially at the numbers printed for wotc.

 

[Morrus]

But book and digital timing are different? Especially at the numbers printed for wotc.

I couldn’t quite parse that. Could you rephrase?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

We've already seen gamers of both types forgive companies like WotC and EA etc for capitalistic boo boos. Most people don't care if they get charged an extra $10 or whatever, they just want their happy juice.

I'm guilty of the same thing.

Oh, there are definitely people who will contort themselves into a pretzel to co-sign whatever WotC does. But not everyone. And I'm not sure if it's "most." I think different people just have different break points.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Living in a cyberpunk dystopia sucks, as it turns out.

We dont even have the cool cyber. It's just all dystopia.