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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Croesus" data-source="post: 5696606" data-attributes="member: 35019">Some recent threads have me thinking about the future of D&D, specifically whether or not new versions will have obsolescence built in.A thread discussing Diablo III raised the point that buyers of the program will only be able to play the game online. While one can still play the game single-player, one will not be able (legally) to play without first connecting to Blizzard’s servers. One issue with this is that at some point in the future, Blizzard will stop supporting the program. While I can still play the original Diablo, or for that matter, older games such as X-Com and Master of Magic, even though the original publisher (Microprose) is long gone, I won’t have that option with D3.Likewise, D&D has been moving for some time to incorporate the advantages of computers and the Internet. I fully expect WOTC to continue down this path, especially given the comfort level many current players have with smartphones, tablets, laptops, and the Internet. I’ve read countless comments from current 4E players that they see no need to purchase the books, or at least the splats, because everything is available via D&D Insider. For committed 4E players, there’s no question that Insider can be a bargain, and in many ways, far more useful than a stack of printed books. But…doesn’t this place 4E players in exactly the same position as future D3 buyers? Once either company decides, for any reason, to stop supporting the product, won’t players find themselves with limited options? D3 players would have to obtain an illegal crack that allows one to play offline (or hope that Blizzard provides a legal patch for the same purpose). Likewise, I would expect that gaming groups that are dependent on Insider, especially the Character Builder and the Compendium, will be significantly impacted when (not if) WOTC stops supporting 4E. WOTC has already shown it is not willing to support older editions. I see no reason to expect that they would change their strategy when a new edition is released. So, is this a valid concern? Will the cancellation of 4E support via Insider have much impact on those currently playing 4E? Are groups planning ahead for such an eventuality, and if so, in what way? Finally, what about 5E and technology? If more and more gameplay (and game prep) are moved online, and can be cut off any time the publisher desires, how much will that affect your decision whether or not to purchase the game?</blockquote>

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