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<blockquote data-quote="Iosue" data-source="post: 5801239" data-attributes="member: 6680772">I don't think anyone can say what WotC will do with the 4e materials on DDI; there's never been quite an edition like it before.&nbsp; Canceling print support for an old edition is a no brainer -- the lingering market simply wouldn't be big enough to justify the expense.&nbsp; But here WotC has a population of 4e players who subscribe to DDI.&nbsp; When they release 5e, they'll undoubtedly release 5e tools on DDI.&nbsp; Some, if not most, of the 4e population will go over 5e.&nbsp; If they kill the 4e tools though, the holdovers cancel their subscriptions.&nbsp; Maintaining the current 4e tools would cost them no extra money, particularly since they wouldn't be adding material to the compendium or character builder.&nbsp; The VTT will have 5e functionality added, but by design it's already being developed to work for all editions.&nbsp; So they would simply lose that 4e holdover revenue if they killed the builders and compendium.Of course they want people to buy print books, and maintaining 4e tools may disincentivize some 4e players from buying 5e.&nbsp; But, 4e already has this model: no DDI subscriber has any need to buy any 4e print books.&nbsp; A year's subscription to DDI is $71.40.&nbsp; 3 core books for 5e will probably run to $105 (not all of which will go to WotC).&nbsp; By killing the 4e tools, WotC would be risking a renewable $70 a year for a one time sale of $105.&nbsp; Whereas if they keep the tools, they get the sure $70 a year, plus maybe even the $105 if the 4e playing subscriber remains a happy camper.&nbsp; (Edit: And of course, those who don't DM have no need for the DMG and MM, so really for many subscribers they'd be risking that renewable $70 for a one-time sale of $35 or so.)Not to mention, it gives them the chance for &quot;premium&quot; subscriptions: 4e tools for $6 a month, 5e tools for $5 a month, and then premium subscriptions of $10 for both 4e and 5e.I suspect they'll keep the 4e tools up as long as they bring in money.&nbsp; If their usage plummets after the release of the 5e tools, they'll probably pull the plug to focus on 5e.&nbsp; If a lot of subscribers continue to use them, they'll probably keep them going for a while.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Iosue, post: 5801239, member: 6680772"] I don't think anyone can say what WotC will do with the 4e materials on DDI; there's never been quite an edition like it before. Canceling print support for an old edition is a no brainer -- the lingering market simply wouldn't be big enough to justify the expense. But here WotC has a population of 4e players who subscribe to DDI. When they release 5e, they'll undoubtedly release 5e tools on DDI. Some, if not most, of the 4e population will go over 5e. If they kill the 4e tools though, the holdovers cancel their subscriptions. Maintaining the current 4e tools would cost them no extra money, particularly since they wouldn't be adding material to the compendium or character builder. The VTT will have 5e functionality added, but by design it's already being developed to work for all editions. So they would simply lose that 4e holdover revenue if they killed the builders and compendium. Of course they want people to buy print books, and maintaining 4e tools may disincentivize some 4e players from buying 5e. But, 4e already has this model: no DDI subscriber has any need to buy any 4e print books. A year's subscription to DDI is $71.40. 3 core books for 5e will probably run to $105 (not all of which will go to WotC). By killing the 4e tools, WotC would be risking a renewable $70 a year for a one time sale of $105. Whereas if they keep the tools, they get the sure $70 a year, plus maybe even the $105 if the 4e playing subscriber remains a happy camper. (Edit: And of course, those who don't DM have no need for the DMG and MM, so really for many subscribers they'd be risking that renewable $70 for a one-time sale of $35 or so.) Not to mention, it gives them the chance for "premium" subscriptions: 4e tools for $6 a month, 5e tools for $5 a month, and then premium subscriptions of $10 for both 4e and 5e. I suspect they'll keep the 4e tools up as long as they bring in money. If their usage plummets after the release of the 5e tools, they'll probably pull the plug to focus on 5e. If a lot of subscribers continue to use them, they'll probably keep them going for a while. [/QUOTE]

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