D&D General Why Enworld should liberate D&D from Hasbro

[Micah Sweet]

Why does everything have to have a nefarious goal? Why are you not asking what the “goal” of this piece of art is?

View attachment 419977

I think it's pretty clear the goal of that art is to show the kinds of things adventurers in 1e commonly do. You know, going into dark dangerous places and taking valuable stuff from them.

 

[Micah Sweet]

And ironically, how old were most of these old people when they started gaming? A lot of them like to make sure you know they’ve been gaming for 50 years…. since they were — wait for it — young people.

D&D was always marketed at teenagers. It was marketed at teenagers in the 1970s. It was marketed at teenagers in the 1980s. It was marketed at teenagers in the 1990s. It’s marketed at teenagers today. It will be marketed at teenagers in 2050.

True, but there's nothing good about getting invested in an game for decades and being told (over and over again it seems) that they used to care about you, but now they don't because you got old. Like they'd really like you to shuffle off so they can continue to market to the kids without your interference.

Thanks and goodbye. It really does feel like that sometimes.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

This is what I don't understand: WotC posted a picture of a very gay, very light-hearted D&D scene (I'm sure you've all seen this by now). Are they trying to appeal to people for whom queer representation is important Or was it rage-bait to drive up engagement? Or both? Neither? What was the goal of that post?
Zero snark intended here. I am legitimately confuzzled.

They have a ton of LGBT players and customers and many more who support the LGBT community. They're posting art reflecting their audience and folks their audience like.

Why wouldn't they post this?

 

[ReshiIRE]

I personally think that we'll still have popular editions of D&D published over the next two decades and the game will be fine. The OGL and CC license ensure that there will ALWAYS be a D&D.

I don't think it's guaranteed that it'll stay 'top dog' in terms of sales in the TTRPG world, though; but it's difficult at the moment to see that changing in the immediate term; it'd really require a new game to emerge that susumes a large amount of the D&D 5e audience - along with the audience for other TTRPGs.

There's more of a threat, I think, to 'officail' 5e products, in terms of WoTC and Hasbro making poor moves and general economic troubles in the US that could vastly affect WoTC - but that could happen to other companies.

IMO I think there is a possibility that Hasbro makes enough poor moves that it affects WoTC and that causes troubles for D&D 5e as a product, but if that were to occur, the community would step in without needing to own the rights.

 

[Morrus]

True, but there's nothing good about getting invested in an game for decades and being told (over and over again it seems) that they used to care about you, but now they don't because you got old. Like they'd really like you to shuffle off so they can continue to market to the kids without your interference.

Thanks and goodbye. It really does feel like that sometimes.

Do you complain that Saturday morning cartoons aren’t made for 50 year olds too?

Are kids not allowed the stuff you had? Everything has to be made for whatever age you are at the time? You are the only person who matters and the world must cater specifically for you, forever? You bought a book from them once, and so they now have a life debt to you like they’re a Wookiee?

I have no sympathy for this position. I’m 51. I started playing D&D when I was 11. I am not bothered in the slightest that D&D has been marketed for teenagers since the 1970s. It was marketed towards me when I was 11. It is now marketed towards other people who are 11. And it is a trivial thing, of no effort, to set the tone of your own game however you want it. It's literally no effort.

Man, 50 year-old men whining "me me me!" when children are allowed to have things is so cringey. 6-year olds think the world revolves around them; grown-ups know better. You're a big boy now. Put your big boy pants on and let the kids have their things. Y'know, like grown-ups do.

(Also “they” never cared about you, “they” don’t care about you now, “they” don’t care about the kids either; you’re clever enough to know this).

 

[Thomas Shey]

And ironically, how old were most of these old people when they started gaming? A lot of them like to make sure you know they’ve been gaming for 50 years…. since they were — wait for it — young people.

D&D was always marketed at teenagers. It was marketed at teenagers in the 1970s. It was marketed at teenagers in the 1980s. It was marketed at teenagers in the 1990s. It’s marketed at teenagers today. It will be marketed at teenagers in 2050.

I think I'd argue it was largely marketed at 20-somethings in the 70's, but that's not probably a significant difference.

 

[Thomas Shey]

True, but there's nothing good about getting invested in an game for decades and being told (over and over again it seems) that they used to care about you, but now they don't because you got old. Like they'd really like you to shuffle off so they can continue to market to the kids without your interference.

Thanks and goodbye. It really does feel like that sometimes.

On some level, if they were being honest, that's probably what it is.

 

[cbwjm]

Sooo, has @MichaelSomething account been hacked or is this how they normally post?

As is, in 20 years I'll probably be dead or senile, not sure I'll care what's happening to DnD.

 

[Thomas Shey]

Sooo, has @MichaelSomething account been hacked or is this how they normally post?

As is, in 20 years I'll probably be dead or senile, not sure I'll care what's happening to DnD.

This is more extensive than I've seen them do before, but it wouldn't be the first time they've done deadpan irony.

 

[Remathilis]

True, but there's nothing good about getting invested in an game for decades and being told (over and over again it seems) that they used to care about you, but now they don't because you got old. Like they'd really like you to shuffle off so they can continue to market to the kids without your interference.

Thanks and goodbye. It really does feel like that sometimes.

Here's the thing about fandom. You either go with it or you bow out. I was a huge Star Wars fan but the sequel trilogy left a bitter enough taste in my mouth that when it was said and done, I had less interest in following the new projects with the gusto I had a decade ago. I accept that the new stuff isn't my cup of tea and while I don't hate some of the new stuff like the Mandelorian, I don't engage with it the way I did before.

What I don't do is go on every Star Wars based social media or discussion group and lament how Star Wars fired me as a fan, refuse to cater to the diehard OT fans, changed canon to remove much of the old Expanded Universe and openly wish every future project fails so that Disney sells the property to some fans who will return it to it's glory days.