D&D General You're In Charge of D&D -- 2025 Edition

[Lanefan]

Lastly, I'd look into setting up an arms'-length mature-themes licensee to produce "Birthright" and "Dark Sun" material (with BR aiming towards the GoT crowd). But only if I was sure I could safely firewall them from the main brand - if in any doubt, stay clear.

I'm all for this, only I'd rather see it become the main brand rather than be firewalled away from it.

 

[KYRON45]

I'd hire a marketing team that knew how to market the product better.
It just seems to me that Wotc doesn't really know what to do with their own product.

 

[TiQuinn]

For 3rd Party publishers: Do spotlights. Once a week you spotlight a 3rd party publisher with links to their storefront on DMsGuild.

Ah, this reminds me. Work with Roll20 to get that 50% cut way down.

 

[Misanthrope Prime]

We're done with character art diversity. The only characters allowed to be depicted are muscular, large-breasted women who are at least six feet tall. Even the halflings. Especially the halflings.

 

[Reynard]

I'd hire a marketing team that knew how to market the product better.
It just seems to me that Wotc doesn't really know what to do with their own product.

That's a weird take. Do you think D&D is underperforming?

 

[Lanefan]

That's a weird take. Do you think D&D is underperforming?

It sometimes seems D&D is performing well in spite of its marketing rather than because of it.

 

[KYRON45]

That's a weird take. Do you think D&D is underperforming?

I would have no way of knowing that. And neither do any of the experts who claim they do since they don’t share their sales data.

How would they advertise it? Family friendly? Beer & pretzel?

Productive placement in movies and tv is often done so in a mocking tone ie Community and Big Bang Theory.

I grew up in the tri state NY/NJ/PA area in the 80s with a toys r us on every corner and I’ve never seen an end cap display or an add in any of the Christmas catalogues for any toy store. Sears catalogue?

Where is all the 50th anniversary hype?

I’m probably wrong and since this is the internet people won’t be shy about saying so. My opinion is that D&D has never really known what it is and that makes it hard to market.

 

[Reynard]

It sometimes seems D&D is performing well in spite of its marketing rather than because of it.

I don't think WotC's D&D marketing is the problem -- it is often their execution.

 

[Reynard]

I would have no way of knowing that. And neither do any of the experts who claim they do since they don’t share their sales data.

How would they advertise it? Family friendly? Beer & pretzel?

Productive placement in movies and tv is often done so in a mocking tone ie Community and Big Bang Theory.

I grew up in the tri state NY/NJ/PA area in the 80s with a toys r us on every corner and I’ve never seen an end cap display or an add in any of the Christmas catalogues for any toy store. Sears catalogue?

Where is all the 50th anniversary hype?

I’m probably wrong and since this is the internet people won’t be shy about saying so. My opinion is that D&D has never really known what it is and that makes it hard to market.

So you admit to not knowing how they are doing, but are sure your anecdotal experience gives you a deep insight into their failures of marketing?

 

[KYRON45]

I don't think WotC's D&D marketing is the problem -- it is often their execution.

The execution of their marketing.
Wasn’t there a recent thread or article about how 50 years later and people still don’t know how to play D&D?