D&D (2024) D&D Pre-orders; this is sad

[UngeheuerLich]

I guess I should better explain

Capitalism is fine. Predatory Capitalism is not. What we have today is Money over Morals. If a Corp can poison a river to make a few extra $$$ they will (and concerning new US laws that's about to get worse).

What I have a problem with is exploitation. Those with money and power using it to better themselves at the expense of the plebs.

It's not a joke that we do in fact live is a dystopia and it's only going to get worse.

People will live and adapt, but people will also die because of it. And not just the US but other countries.

Greed is the issue. Pure naked barely regulated greed.

And yes WotC is a minor player in all of this but they are still out for profit over costumer. What some people see as free digital incentives that doesn't hurt anyone is just that, an incentive to get on the digital train. The fact that people can't see or believe that WotC would like to "ONE DAY" (not right now or soon) get rid of paper products and go full digital subscription to play D&D blows my mind. Yes you don't have to worry about it now. Yes you can just keep using your 5th ed books forever. But as a company who wants money, and not just the money but more money, they have to find a way to make you keep ponying up $$$ and that doesn't work as intended when you can just buy 3 books and call it a day.

Am I part of the problem? Yes. I love D&D. I've loved D&D probably longer than a lot of fans on here have been alive so I'm not going to abandoned it. But that doesn't mean I can't want it and WotC to DO BETTER (and every other corp on Earth LOL). Which I would hope we could all agree on that WotC (and any corp) can and should do better and not be only enticed by the bottom line so beloved by a few shareholders.

But yeah nothing is going to change but wishful thinking is fun.

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I like the saying: put your money where your mouth is.

Since I like both, (translated) books and digital, I buy books and digital.

Ans since I want the alternate covers in english too, I first go to the FLGS, buy the special edition covers (the first I really want). Then I will get digital copies. And then I will buy the German books on top.

And I don't even feel bad. I feel good, because I have supported my favorite RPG, the conveniency of having online access to those books, I support my FLGS and I support the effort to translate the books.

Yeah that is it.

Some people do underestimate the work that has to be done for such a book. Research and development, art, playtesting, proof reading, proof reading the proofreading, double checking for consistency, proof reading, checking again. Then layout. Proof reading again. Printing, distributing, having customer service that replace misprints or books that fall apart. Communication.
Constantly supporting the game with fresh material.

That does not mean I like everything they do and if greed is too much, I stop buying. Again, because I pay for what I really want not for things that have no value (like backdrops or digital dice).

Right now, the pricing is still more than fair. I buy books, everyone else can just use them. Digital with master tier subscription or physically.
Digital is way more convenient right now though.

 

[Oofta]

From how I read it:

"Ive seen this before. This is the beginning of how they start to over-monetize things."

And of course a lot of people rush in to say "Nah, it's different THIS TIME."

They're over-monetizing by giving people discounts? That's an interesting concept.

 

[overgeeked]

Weaponized fear of missing out (FOMO). Welcome to marketing in late-stage capitalism.

 

[KYRON45]

Talk about missing the point.

The point seems to be that everyone who complains about the pricing structures or the price or the art or the AI or any of those things will buy the product in some form or another even if the intent is just to complain about the product later.

 

[mamba]

IF we lived in a world where someone could legally copy and sell another's ideas or code or art or publications then we would not have the problem we have today with gouging and monetizing products. Companies would be prevented from doing this because other companies would undercut them on their own product.

I realize this position is unpopular but for the life of me I can't understand how it benefits society to say that only WOTC is allowed to publish a D&D Players Handbook or how it helps society that I can't copy someone's artwork and sell it myself.

there is a simple answer to that. If anyone could copy what someone created / invented, then there is no incentive for that someone to do so, as everyone who can copy it for free can undercut their price, since they did not have any upfront investment.

That is the whole point of IP, patents, etc. to give incentive to create something by preventing immediate rip-offs, so society overall benefits from increased innovation.

The only question is where the right balance is, not whether such protections should exist

 

[DarkCrisis]

They're over-monetizing by giving people discounts? That's an interesting concept.

You must have missed the "This is the beginning of how" part of that sentence.

 

[mamba]

There is no indicator from this one image that you are being forced to buy a subscription to dnd beyond or anything of the sort.

you need a subscription for the early access

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I read somewhere that FLGS are getting the core books early. Maybe @FitzTheRuke can clarify?

Yes, we get them two weeks early and we get the funky alternate covers (as well as the regular covers). I'm not thrilled with all the ways they're trying to get people to order them directly from them, but y'know - I can't imagine why they wouldn't.

 

[Belen]

I doubt it is more expensive than printing however many books, and it scales much better too

Print is only about 20% of the cost of developing the book and that does not include coding the content for DDB. I have been in publishing for 20 years and people always assume printing is expensive. Mailing, however, is a much larger cost driver.

 

[dave2008]

Yes, we get them two weeks early and we get the funky alternate covers (as well as the regular covers). I'm not thrilled with all the ways they're trying to get people to order them directly from them, but y'know - I can't imagine why they wouldn't.

I believe my wife contacted you, but I am planning to make the trip up to your shop once the physical bundle is available. Can I preorder that from you or reserve it in some way? Or do I just need to wait?