Best time to release a Forgotten Realms product on DMsGuild?

[Epic Meepo]

I'm wondering if anyone can offer some insight into the best time to release a 3pp product. Specifically, I've been writing a Forgotten Realms product for the DMsGuild in my spare time over the past few years. Life permitting, I could probably release it this summer, if not earlier. However, WotC has announced the release of two new Forgotten Realms campaign setting books near the end of this year. That leaves me wondering when I should publish.

If I had enough inside knowledge to coordinate my content with the official books, the answer would be easy: I'd release my product at the same time as the WotC books and emphasize how it expands upon those books in particular. Obviously, I can't actually arrange that level of coordination. That makes me wary of releasing anything at the same time as the official Forgotten Realms books. But then, when should I release my 3pp Forgotten Realms book?

On the one hand, I could just release the book when it's ready this summer; but I worry some folks might decide anything released prior to the latest official books is obsolete, even when it isn't. Alternately, I could wait until after the official Realms books have been released, possibly make some edits in response to content in the official books, and then release something shiny and new after the fact. But then I risk being late to the party.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I have no idea, but it strikes me a bigger issue is how to make any particular product rise above the sheer mass of stuff on there already.

 

[Epic Meepo]

I have no idea, but it strikes me a bigger issue is how to make any particular product rise above the sheer mass of stuff on there already.

That's certainly a fair point. I don't really have an existing audience to leverage, so I'll probably sell somewhere around three copies. But I want to make sure I sell all three of those copies, not just one or two!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Every time WotC releases a product, a ton of new stuff related to it goes up on DMs Guild. I haven't done so myself (yet) so I can't speak to how effective it is, but certainly a large number of DMG creators think it's a good system.

So maybe get it as polished as possible and release it around the same time as the Players Guide, especially as there will be people looking to jump into the Realms ASAP at that point, rather than wait for the DM's book.

 

[aco175]

I have seen enough people release something and then, later release the updated version. This might be free to those who bought the original but your call. I also see modules where there are 3 in a series and then a compilation comes out. I have no plans to go back and update my stuff to the new rules or MM formats, but I'm guessing some will.

Guessing on the right time to release, I would think about early June. People have summer coming up and some are out of school all summer. College kids come home. Starting a new campaign feels right.