4th Edition: portable?

[MojoGM]

Actual softcover volumes are unlikely. Someone posted a long time ago indicating that the reason we hadn't seen a softcover PHB in 3e was that if they release a softcover edition, bookstores would return all unsold copies of the hardcover edition and stop selling them. I'm not clear on the details, but apparently that's normal in the book industry.

Quite right. I work in the publishing industry, and when we release a paperback version of one of our books it is the death knell of the hard cover. We get tons of returns of the HC and they end up selling as remainders (for 10 cents each) in bulk or get destroyed.

Of course, RPG people would still buy the HC instead of the PB just for durability and collectability, but such notions are unheard of in the larger publishing realm.

 

[Ranger REG]

So, for those more in the know than myself, what are the chances that our military boys and girls are going to get a soft-backed, portable version of the core books this time around? Cause lemme tell ya, those weight restrictions are a BEAST.

I'd be in favor of WotC making a limited edition pocket version of D&D for the men and women serving our respective countries.

 

[arscott]

I know that WotC did end up releasing a softcover PHB by bundling it with a pamphlet and some dice and calling it a "player's kit". Maybe they'll do something like that, though I can't see it happening particularly soon.

Alternately, what about distributing a softcover to game stores only? Will Bookshops still stop carrying the hardcover if they can't get the softcover?

 

[SteveC]

I know that WotC did end up releasing a softcover PHB by bundling it with a pamphlet and some dice and calling it a "player's kit". Maybe they'll do something like that, though I can't see it happening particularly soon.

Alternately, what about distributing a softcover to game stores only? Will Bookshops still stop carrying the hardcover if they can't get the softcover?

I was going to say this as well: we did have a softbound PHB for 3.5, but it came as a part of the "players kit" and most people didn't really know about it. I'd say something like this for 4E would be a great idea, but it's also unlikely since I don't think the previous one sold very well.

--Steve