D&D 5E (2024) D&D Pre-orders; this is sad

[Oofta]

of course, that is the 'too much demand for printed books to phase them out now' part. It still means WotC has incentive to get their audience to the point where they can

There are many reasons to sell books, not just profit per unit sold. Assuming we even know how much profit they make per book sold digitally vs access via DDB which unless you have insider info you don't.

In addition if they were looking at getting rid of books I don't think they would be spending significant money on art.

The sky is still not falling.

 

[Mercador]

It it only around me or any preorder got a rebate?

I don't expect that TTRPG will follow the same route as videogames because I think people will still want physical books. In videogames industry, having a DVD or even floppies makes no sense since games are released in a beta state all the time. And once installed, you don't need those at all. I think there always be a market for physical books, like for novels, even if there's ereaders and tablets, a lot of people prefer paying more to have a physical books.

That being said, marketing is killing the medium, as videogames. When I started covering videogames in the late '90, marketing was about 10% of the budget of videogames, when I stopped in 2012, it was more around 50-60% or the budget of videogames, that's not sustainable. Nowadays, big studios don't take risks anymore and we have only "remasters" and "remakes" or P2W games.

I'm still confident that TTRPG won't go that far or perhaps I'm just hoping for the best. I really love that medium and I don't want it to follow videogames industry at all.

 

[mamba]

I don't think that is possible. At least as long as I live. Maybe the 100 years aniversary is the digital only break point.

I don't even think we can safely assume that it takes them more than 10 years. Guess we will see

 

[mamba]

In addition if they were looking at getting rid of books I don't think they would be spending significant money on art.

why not, the same are is in the digital books

 

[mamba]

It it only around me or any preorder got a rebate?

if you take the digital + physical bundle you do get a discount, no idea about rebates, have not preordered

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I don't even think we can safely assume that it takes them more than 10 years. Guess we will see

Yes we will. Or won't.

 

[Oofta]

why not, the same are is in the digital books

I have DDB, I almost never look at the actual book, I just pull up the specific info.

 

[Chaltab]

I suppose it helps that I've never been a fan of D&D beyond's character sheet. Way too busy and cluttered for my taste, so, to me, buying stuff from WOTC digitally when they don't sell PDFs of current edition material is just not that appealing.

 

[Chaosmancer]

of course, that is the 'too much demand for printed books to phase them out now' part. It still means WotC has incentive to get their audience to the point where they can

So, how do you think you make people stop buying DnD physical books AND maintain the market penetration of being able to sell them in major retailers like Wal-mart? What is the step WoTC takes?

Make their VTT super super good? That doesn't expand their reach into the general populace via sales in Wal-mart and other major Retailers. And even if you tripled the profits they made digitally... well those digital profits come from fans, and a sale to a wal-mart customer is a potential to make up to 5 to 6 new fans, which may end up buying those digital products as well, making them even more profit.

I just don't see a coherent argument for this until all brick-and-mortar stores across the country go out of business.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

I don't even think we can safely assume that it takes them more than 10 years. Guess we will see

Physical media is how WotC makes most of their money, you are assuming too hard. Nothing is even suggesting they want to get rid of their physical books.