D&D General DDB/WOTC Price Increases

[Clint_L]

I just wait until they have one of their regular sales and buy the digital stuff I want at a big discount. It's a way better deal than buying physical books.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I just wait until they have one of their regular sales and buy the digital stuff I want at a big discount. It's a way better deal than buying physical books.

I get it, but it still makes me sad.

 

[Clint_L]

I get it, but it still makes me sad.

Don't worry, I more than make up for it with what I spend on miniatures, paints, dice, and games at my FLGS.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

WOTC may be a pass for me moving forward.

Then you are going to be paying more if you want print books. WotC has been using it's size to absorb some of the costs of [politics], but there is only so much any business can do.

It is mostly print that is affected by [politics] though. WotC do pitch their digital prices quite high to keep print editions competative.

 

[delericho]

RPG books have long since passed the point where I'll happily buy them simply because I like the sound of them, or even on the strength of good reviews. These days I have to have a solid expectation that I'll make heavy use of the book in the near future or I'll pass. That means I now have an ever-increasing list of "maybe one day" books...

However... I feel it's important to note that the above is not a complaint about the prices of books. These are very much luxury items, and actually priced very well (assuming they actually do pass that "I'll make serious use of it" threshold).

 

[Blue]

Yep. The deal for digital and physical is fantastic, and foe the books themselves, much less of an increase over the last decade than inflation.

Nope. The deal for digital and physical is horrible. If I buy just one I get all of the content. If I buy both I'm spending all of the extra $$ for no additional content, just a format change. Look at things like Peregrine Press's Bits and Mortar program where if you buy the physical, even from a FLGS, they will send you the PDF for free. And they've gotten a number of other publisher on board.

"Buying the same content twice" does not add value, so you can't honestly compare the bundle value to the sum of the individual prices. You are getting one of the parts at full value, and then paying everything else for just an extra format. One that some publishers will throw in for free.

Publishers | Bits and Mortar

About the Bits and Mortar ProgramThe Bits and Mortar program benefits publishers by providing customers with more value when they purchase your books in physical stores. We help ensure that when you offer a print-and-PDF bundle that everyone can take advantage of that deal. We’ll want you to buy...

bits-and-mortar.com

 

[mamba]

Then you are going to be paying more if you want print books. WotC has been using it's size to absorb some of the costs of [politics], but there is only so much any business can do.

their printed books are about on par with other parties, their digital price just jumped ahead of the pack. Whatever savings they have from volume mostly goes to their 50% profit margin, not as a discount to the customers

 

[Belen]

Nope. The deal for digital and physical is horrible. If I buy just one I get all of the content. If I buy both I'm spending all of the extra $$ for no additional content, just a format change. Look at things like Peregrine Press's Bits and Mortar program where if you buy the physical, even from a FLGS, they will send you the PDF for free. And they've gotten a number of other publisher on board.

"Buying the same content twice" does not add value, so you can't honestly compare the bundle value to the sum of the individual prices. You are getting one of the parts at full value, and then paying everything else for just an extra format. One that some publishers will throw in for free.

Publishers | Bits and Mortar

About the Bits and Mortar ProgramThe Bits and Mortar program benefits publishers by providing customers with more value when they purchase your books in physical stores. We help ensure that when you offer a print-and-PDF bundle that everyone can take advantage of that deal. We’ll want you to buy...

bits-and-mortar.com

Agreed. You do not even get the PDF with DDB. You get a license to use that content on their subscription platform. I could have been ok if I owned that content but they can take DDB away anytime.

I always buy WOTC physical so that I own the product. Now they have increased the license fee by 50% and not provided any extra value for that increase.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Nope. The deal for digital and physical is horrible. If I buy just one I get all of the content. If I buy both I'm spending all of the extra $$ for no additional content, just a format change. Look at things like Peregrine Press's Bits and Mortar program where if you buy the physical, even from a FLGS, they will send you the PDF for free. And they've gotten a number of other publisher on board.

"Buying the same content twice" does not add value, so you can't honestly compare the bundle value to the sum of the individual prices. You are getting one of the parts at full value, and then paying everything else for just an extra format. One that some publishers will throw in for free.

Publishers | Bits and Mortar

About the Bits and Mortar ProgramThe Bits and Mortar program benefits publishers by providing customers with more value when they purchase your books in physical stores. We help ensure that when you offer a print-and-PDF bundle that everyone can take advantage of that deal. We’ll want you to buy...

bits-and-mortar.com

Lol okay. I have had this conversation too many times to bother trying to engage further. Have fun being mad that a service has value.

 

[AlViking]

Agreed. You do not even get the PDF with DDB. You get a license to use that content on their subscription platform. I could have been ok if I owned that content but they can take DDB away anytime.

I always buy WOTC physical so that I own the product. Now they have increased the license fee by 50% and not provided any extra value for that increase.

If you're worried about DDB going away, use one of the many free utilities that convert web books to pdf. If it's not worth it to you, don't pay for it. Problem solved.