D&D General Interview with D&D VP Jess Lanzillo on Comicbook.com

[mamba]

I did write "Jein" in my post.

I know, just joking and explaining the word a bit for those unfamiliar with it

 

[Oofta]

for physical packs there is a give and take in that the consumer gets minis cheaper than in the pick and choose world (on a per unit basis, that might be very different when ‘needing’ a specific one) while the manufacturer still makes about the same (I presume) by selling out everything.

Once you get to digital, the drag of unsold inventory goes away however.


no, even if they only had cosmetics that are entirely optional but valued by the community they are. It’s the randomness that makes them predatory.

Even in pay to win you usually could also grind the loot, so the boxes ‘just’ make you spend less time to get there. You are basically paying the game company to not have to play the game as long


it is, but at least on the physical side you can make the case that the average mini has a somewhat lower price in exchange for you allowing / volunteering for the predation

Not sure you could even make that same case for physical MtG cards however

So there's zero evidence that there will be digital loot boxes. But your concern is that it's possible that there could be. In theory of course there could be. Meanwhile they've stated that you'll have a custom avatar builder so all they could do is have things like a glowing feather for your hat. If you don't want to spend money on the possibility of getting the super awesome glowing feather, don't spend the money. Nobody is forcing you. It's not at all the same as paying for a chest that might give you a +2 permanent stat bump.

While I think such randomization is unlikely, even if it does happen I won't bother with it just like I don't buy lottery tickets. It feels like you're telling people how they're allowed to enjoy a product. If I did decide to pay for something like this, that's my call not yours.

 

[Oofta]

Let me be clear - It’s nothing to me what you do.

It’s nothing to me if WotC decided to sell loot crates because I don’t waste my time with that junk to begin with but you do you. It’s personally nothing to me if WotC leans hard into VTT as long as print continues, but I do see a risk that the rules quality could change. But for me, I would stop buying if that happened. (Sorry, 4e fans)

What I was responding to, and have been responding to throughout this thread is whenever I’ve seen people say “Oh that’s impossible, WotC would never do that!” WotC will do whatever makes WotC the most money, and sometimes those choices can be seen as anti-consumer. Or when people say “You shouldn’t care about what WotC does.” Well, no, people don’t get to dictate to others what they choose to care about. We are all making our purchasing choices based on our history, values and preferences.

I disagree they will do whatever they can to make the most money, or at least the most money in the short term. They've changed their approach and stopped churning out books and supplements like they did with 3rd and 4th edition and it's been more profitable in the long run.

As far as loot boxes, we have different definitions of what a "bad" loot box is. If they ever do sell cosmetic loot boxes I don't see an issue other than people that don't want them complaining about their existence.

Last, but not least, the VTT and D&D is not a video game and the reward system is different. In the case of loot boxes the rewards are different.

 

[Aldarc]

Btw, thank you too for a very good summary on the loot crate legal background.

You're welcome, though I'm not a lawyer. The issue of loot boxes comes up a lot in various videos that I watch, and sometimes those legal aspects and differences get mentioned. However, only the first paragraph delves into the legal aspects. The rest is mostly about how online gaming supports a predatory ecosystem and enables addictive behaviors.

 

[TiQuinn]

Last, but not least, the VTT and D&D is not a video game and the reward system is different. In the case of loot boxes the rewards are different.

I don’t see an issue as long as people know what they’re buying.

 

[Oofta]

I don’t see an issue as long as people know what they’re buying.

Even if that includes only a chance to get the Faerun's fantastically fun feather?

 

[TiQuinn]

Even if that includes only a chance to get the Faerun's fantastically fun feather?

Since I haven’t followed all of your posts…are you supposing a scenario that their VTT allowed people to buy custom items that included a random chance to “win” some special prize?

 

[mamba]

So there's zero evidence that there will be digital loot boxes. But your concern is that it's possible that there could be.

no, all I did was say that they can exist even without pay to win

In theory of course there could be.

that is all I said…

Meanwhile they've stated that you'll have a custom avatar builder so all they could do is have things like a glowing feather for your hat.

they can do a lot more than that… hairstyles, tattoos, jewelry, clothes, …

It feels like you're telling people how they're allowed to enjoy a product. If I did decide to pay for something like this, that's my call not yours.

at no point did I tell anyone what to buy or not buy, apart from saying I would limit what they can target at 14 year olds. Whether anything they do falls into that category remains to be seen too

 

[mamba]

I disagree they will do whatever they can to make the most money, or at least the most money in the short term. They've changed their approach and stopped churning out books and supplements like they did with 3rd and 4th edition and it's been more profitable in the long run.

they did that to make more money… it probably even makes more money in the short run since you get most of your sales from one product in a quarter instead of having to create a handful that all compete with each other

As far as loot boxes, we have different definitions of what a "bad" loot box is. If they ever do sell cosmetic loot boxes I don't see an issue other than people that don't want them complaining about their existence.

we do, I consider any lootbox bad, the only difference is in the degree

 

[Oofta]

Since I haven’t followed all of your posts…are you supposing a scenario that their VTT allowed people to buy custom items that included a random chance to “win” some special prize?

The argument was about loot boxes would be a bad thing for D&D and the VTT. I said there weren't going to be loot boxes because I assumed that it meant the possibility of gaining some advantage for your PC.

If we include loot boxes to include cosmetic only changes, I don't see an issue. I don't play MMOs or much care about them, I didn't realize some people have issues with loot boxes that only hand out cosmetic upgrades. As long as the standard avatars are decent, I don't see the issue. Worst case it's not a new issue. It's no different to me than someone paying for cool looking dice, custom painted minis, fancy terrain or any number of things we already do.