D&D (2024) Kobold Press posts 2024 DMG Hit Piece

[DEFCON 1]

If someone hasn't ever (and doesn't plan to) buy any Kobold Press products... it seems like a real waste of a person's time to actually get annoyed at what they do for their marketing. Why are you wasting your brain space on a situation that you aren't even involved in?

It's like the people who get mad at what WotC produces in their new products even though they don't actually use them. What is the point in actually caring what they do? It's like WotC is living rent-free in their heads.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Wow, that’s really direct to the point of being self-serving. It’s always been one thing for companies to tease others or make sideways references to others’ stumbles but Kobold is really sending out a full on review of another company’s product, and it feels highly unnecessary.

It does seem quite pointed, and maybe even rude, but I have to ask: are reviews supposed to be positive in general? Because if so, Rotten Tomatoes needs to clean up its act.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I see it like politics. Sometimes you'll get more votes by going negative against your opponent, especially if they clearly have deeper pockets than you.

I understand not liking it though.

Yeah, if I had to make a guesstimation... the number of people who don't like WotC and enjoyed KP taking shots at them-- which inspires those people to then buy KP products... is greater than the number of people who bought KP product in the past but now won't because they took shots at WotC. It'll end up being a net gain for KP.

At the end of the day... I think the number of players who make their purchasing decisions off the actions of the company rather than the actual quality of the product that company makes is greatly in the minority.

 

[Micah Sweet]

is this related to the article, because I am not seeing a moral high ground there. They say the 2024 DMG is heavily focused towards new DMs while theirs has more options for experienced DMs, and that is probably correct (haven’t read either fully)

From everything I've read about both, the TotV book does provide more options.

 

[Micah Sweet]

This is the second time KP has taken swipes at WotC that seem both in bad form and disingenuous. WotC is no choir boy, but KP comes off as a catty girl at prom complaining about the prom Queen.

It reinforces my disinterest in their products.

Why would that have anything to do with how you view their products? Does the review change the content of either book?

 

[Parmandur]

Yeah, if I had to make a guesstimation... the number of people who don't like WotC and enjoyed KP taking shots at them-- which inspires those people to then buy KP products... is greater than the number of people who bought KP product in the past but now won't because they took shots at WotC. It'll end up being a net gain for KP.

I would bet against that, actually, being in that camp myself, and considering how large the D&D fandom is and how WotC has promoted Kobold Press books in the past, with nee releases on Beyond in the past few months even.

 

[Belen]

Yeah, if I had to make a guesstimation... the number of people who don't like WotC and enjoyed KP taking shots at them-- which inspires those people to then buy KP products... is greater than the number of people who bought KP product in the past but now won't because they took shots at WotC. It'll end up being a net gain for KP.

At the end of the day... I think the number of players who make their purchasing decisions off the actions of the company rather than the actual quality of the product that company makes is greatly in the minority.

I mean, the diehard WOTC fans were not going to buy a lot of KP stuff anyway.

I found the review informative and helpful, personally, and I own both of the new 2024 DMG covers. I do find the 2024 DMG pretty useless for my purposes.

 

[Parmandur]

I mean, the diehard WOTC fans were not going to buy a lot of KP stuff anyway.

On what basis do you say that? Kobold Press gets social media pushes from WotC on the regular, WotC sells KP products on their own web page.

 

[Belen]

I would bet against that, actually, being in that camp myself, and considering how large the D&D fandom is and how WotC has promoted Kobold Press books in the past, with nee releases on Beyond in the past few months even.

There are a subset of folks who buy anything on Beyond and assume that it is Wizards or vetted by Wizards.

This is a blip that will affect such a tiny number of people and mostly on places like ENWorld unless some big influencer picks it up and runs with it.

 

[Parmandur]

There are a subset of folks who buy anything on Beyond and assume that it is Wizards or vetted by Wizards.

This is a blip that will affect such a tiny number of people and mostly on places like ENWorld unless some big influencer picks it up and runs with it.

That doesn't make it less unprofessional or disappointing.