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

[Scribe]

What, exactly, is this? Multiple posts in this thread have complained about this without once explaining what this precisely is.

A concern that a push towards digital, leads to monetization (D&D is under monetized remember) practices which eventually are anti-consumer, targeting Whales, and with an eventual enshitification of the product in an attempt to squeeze every last dollar from the IP, before it is discarded as the Capitalist/Corporate powers that be, move on.

 

[OB1]

What, exactly, is this? Multiple posts in this thread have complained about this without once explaining what this precisely is.

The this is the purposeful worsening of a product (typically an entertainment product) so that you can charge more for the better version (think Amazon Prime adding ads so they can sell a monthly subscription to get rid of the ads).

I have no problem with a company that does this, as I won't purchase something that I don't find value in (ie Amazon's ad free version). But it seems that a lot of people believe that they need to protect (control) other people from making such a decision even if they feel it is worth it to them and/or aren't willing to give up the product themselves when it no longer becomes something they value for the price.

I'm a big fan of D&D, 5e and DDB, but if the product some day becomes something that I'm no longer willing to pay for what I get, I'll just drop it (like I have for Disney controlled Star Wars since the Obi-wan show). But I'm happy that a lot of people are entertained by it and would never look to stop them from purchasing a D+ subscription to access the content that they find enjoyment out of.

 

[KYRON45]

The only way to defeat the evil capitalist overlords is to not buy their stuff. We could plan a direct assault on their lair; but it’s a holiday weekend and…most of us are nerds and….it rains a lot in that part of the country and my umbrella is in the shop.

 

[occam]

A concern that a push towards digital, leads to monetization (D&D is under monetized remember) practices which eventually are anti-consumer, targeting Whales, and with an eventual enshitification of the product in an attempt to squeeze every last dollar from the IP, before it is discarded as the Capitalist/Corporate powers that be, move on.

Okay... but D&D has had an official digital component to it since at least the early days of 4e. A complaint about digitalization is 16 years behind the times.

 

[occam]

The this is the purposeful worsening of a product (typically an entertainment product) so that you can charge more for the better version (think Amazon Prime adding ads so they can sell a monthly subscription to get rid of the ads).

Good thing this isn't happening in D&D. So what is this thread about again?

 

[Oofta]

Good thing this isn't happening in D&D. So what is this thread about again?

This?

D&D General - The D&D Memes Thread

An aged Walter Matthau as a D&D villain would be amazing.

www.enworld.org

 

[Scribe]

Okay... but D&D has had an official digital component to it since at least the early days of 4e. A complaint about digitalization is 16 years behind the times.

Its a different age than 4e (released in 2008 lol), and when the leadership has made various statements, comes from backgrounds in software, people begin to try and connect the dots, not only because some still care about D&D and Wizards, but because as industry leader, defacto, overwhelmingly, what the big fish does, the little fish may copy.

 

[mamba]

Because you WANT to create. It takes money out of it as a driver ... or at least significantly reduces the draw.

you say this as if it is a good thing, it really isn't

Disney could take what you made and market it themselves, but then you could take what they make and market it yourself and they couldn't take you to court and force you to stop just because they have better lawyers.

and Disney would sell a metric ton of my stuff while no one even knows I am trying to sell anything, Disney's or otherwise

 

[mamba]

I am an engineer, analyst and weapon systems expert. From my POV, people are welcome to copy my techniques and my knowledge is free (if you have access to it). My labor is what is not free.

when working on TTRPG, the result of your labor is the TTRPG. So unless you are ok with working for free, I am not sure why you think others should have to

It should be the same with an artist

no, it should not, you are employed, they frequently are not / self-employed

 

[payn]

People annoyed by the Enshitification of commerce. Film at 11.

You know why things get enshitifed? Because we let them. We use Spotify instead of buying vinyl. We watch Netflix instead of getting the BluRay (or, gasp, seeing it in the theatre). We pay premium for no Ads on our favorite websites and services. We buy the fast pass/Genie+ on our summer vacations. We pre-order products without release dates, Kickstart products we can't confirm will ever be made, fight scalpers for concert tickets and game stations and then buy from them when we can't beat their bots. We get drop shipped crap from Temu that we wouldn't buy from a flea market in real life and by tech products every two years due to built in obsolescence and inability to update/repair them.

And we gladly do it all because of fomo, convenience and clout.

You do it. I do it. We all do it. And they know it. We decided convenience is worth the price and they have obliged by raising the price.

You're really shocked WotC is doing this? They're late to the game. And this is all rather benign: people were trying to get rich off of procedurally generated monkey jpegs.

This is just a symptom of the whole rot late stage capitalism has brought. Either prepare to amputate the gangrenous limb or enjoy the time you still have left.

Me? I have some books on pre-order.

You can try, but it will always be there waiting...