Dhampir and Other Species To Be Included in Astarion's Book of Hungers

The dhampir will be among several playable species included in the digital exclusive Astarion's Book of Hungers, which is currently only available as part of a $159.99 "Ultimate Bundle." Announced today during a panel on the upcoming Forgotten Realms content at Gen Con, the dhampir will make its return in the upcoming "digital DLC" for the Forgotten Realms books. An Ultimate Bundle was also put up for pre-order on D&D Beyond, which includes 8 species. Assumably, the dhampir and seven other species will appear in Astarion's Book of Hungers and perhaps split with one other unnamed DLC that's also included in the bundle. A third DLC, Netheril's Fall, is an adventure of unspecified length.

The fact that the dhampir and other species content will be included as "digital DLC" is interesting for several reasons. D&D previously made three species - the grung, locathah, and tortle - available exclusively as digital content. However, all three were released to benefit charity, with the tortle eventually making its way into Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse. So, while this wouldn't be the first time that D&D made player-facing content exclusive digitally, the intent (charity versus "Digital DLC") is certainly different. Additionally, it's unclear whether these digital DLCs will be available to purchase separately or if they'll only be available via the Ultimate Bundle, which includes physical and digital copies of the Forgotten Realms books, plus the three DLC packets.

 

[Charlaquin]

Are you sure about that?

I really don't remember anyone claiming that these three digital-only releases were ONLY possible (financially) as digital-only releases. Only worth doing financially in this format, that's seems reasonable, even if everyone doesn't see it that way or would prefer it otherwise.

Here’s a few.

I know you would vastly prefer a physical release, but assuming that's not economically feasible for WotC to do, would you prefer this type of material to be digital only or not released at all? Because that's your Sophie's choice.

I'm convinced that if they didn't feel this material was able to be included in a 112 or 200+ page book, it would be forgotten on a hard drive in WotC.

So I ask again: would you prefer it dlc or never having it?

 

[Charlaquin]

DLC is anti-consumer?

Not this consumer. I'm fine with it. Prefer it for some small releases, like the three digital-only products releasing soon.

Just because you’re ok with it doesn’t mean it isn’t a predatory business practice.

 

[Dire Bare]

Here’s a few.

Huh? That sounds like "not financially worth doing" rather than "could not possibly work financially".

 

[Dire Bare]

Just because you’re ok with it doesn’t mean it isn’t a predatory business practice.

Just because you are not okay with it, does not make it predatory.

How are these three upcoming releases predatory and anti-consumer?

One issue is the digital format, something downloadable (PDF) versus the web-format that is hard to archive. But that isn't "DLC is predatory" but rather the specific digital-only format chosen. I don't feel the web-format itself is predatory or anti-consumer, but I can see why some folks would be unhappy with it.

 

[Charlaquin]

Huh? That sounds like "not financially worth doing" rather than "could not possibly work financially".

That’s a hell of a hair to split. But in context, I was presented with the ultimatum of “digital only or nothing,” I said that was a false dichotomy and that there are financially viable alternatives, and my interlocutors refused to accept that, repeatedly insisting that if this content wasn’t released digitally only, it wouldn’t be released at all. If your position is in agreement with those being the only two options, then we are beyond the realm of reasonable disagreement and in the realm of not existing in the same reality.

 

[Remathilis]

Good for them! I wish the D&D fandom was so engaged in protecting their own interests as consumers.

I mean, all they can do is boycott and complain, something D&D players have been doing for years now. I don't think it's going to change much; I doubt those parts will ever go free. But hopefully they think hard on future dlc packs.

 

[Charlaquin]

I mean, all they can do is boycott and complain, something D&D players have been doing for years now. I don't think it's going to change much; I doubt those parts will ever go free. But hopefully they think hard on future dlc packs.

Indeed, hopefully they do. And hopefully if they do that thinking and still decide to try it again, they lose even more subscriptions over it. Again, consumer pressure is the only incentive companies have to not make this standard practice, so it’s on us as consumers to provide that pressure.

 

[Charlaquin]

Just because you are not okay with it, does not make it predatory.

How are these three upcoming releases predatory and anti-consumer?

One issue is the digital format, something downloadable (PDF) versus the web-format that is hard to archive. But that isn't "DLC is predatory" but rather the specific digital-only format chosen. I don't feel the web-format itself is predatory or anti-consumer, but I can see why some folks would be unhappy with it.

Selling licenses to access digital content, that can be revoked at any time with or without a reason, as if they were consumer goods, is predatory because it is misleading. Ownership of purchased goods should be transferred to the consumer, if things are being sold as license to access, they should be treated as services rather than goods.

DLC is a more specific format of digital content distribution than that though, and I should amend my statement - it’s not inherently predatory, it just has an extensive history of being sold in a predatory manner, particularly in the medium where the term originated, video games.

 

[Parmandur]

I am honestly curious how folks feel about these digital only books from WotC, available (I surmise) only on D&D Beyond. Is this a positive development?

Aggressively indifferent: I'm a cranky Luddote about RPGs, pen and paper only, but I recognize that people like their online tools. The option basically doesn't exist as far as I am concerned if itnis not in a book I can touch.

 

[Dire Bare]

I mean, all they can do is boycott and complain, something D&D players have been doing for years now. I don't think it's going to change much; I doubt those parts will ever go free. But hopefully they think hard on future dlc packs.

Boycotts can and do work . . . but you have to have a LOT of folks participating. Not necessarily a majority of customers, but a significant minority at least.

D&D fans, like all fans, complain and threaten boycotts all the time . . . but if it's just a few loud folks, it won't have much of an impact.

WotC reversing course on knee-capping the OGL is a good example of how fan outcry can affect corporate decisions.