D&D's October Product Revealed to Be Stranger Things Tie-In

[ScYork]

Not every product is for you. I love both D&D and Stranger Things and I doubt it's my cup of tea (a game built around medieval fantasy character classes just doesn't map that well onto a show where the protagonists are children in the 1980s). But of rpg products released this year this almost certainly has the most potential to onboard a bunch of new people into the hobby who would not otherwise have tried it, and that benefits everyone.

Nope never said every product was for me, but it just smacks of another cash grab based on a formula tried and true, why push the envelope of new ideas, new worlds to explore and/or more NEW story adventures to tell when you can just reheat leftovers. Variety is the spice of life...and maybe, just maybe you might draw even more people into the hobby, thats all I'm saying. Peace!

 

[Juomari Veren]

Given WotC's general aversion to product tie-ins -- they didn't even do one for DADHAT, and the Baldur's Gate 3 one is in a book released years before the videogame and there's nothing on the cover to suggest it is a tie-in -- I'm not sure we can make any conclusions about how the Stranger Things starter kit sold.

They did do tie ins for Honor Among Thieves, but they were free. Free promotional material is still promotional material.

 

[Clint_L]

When I revamped the Vecna adventure I replaced Krynn with Hawkins. I really wish this was already out; it would have saved me a ton of work.

 

[Clint_L]

A foreword to the ENTIRE Enworld Message board, I've yet to see Stranger Things and I'm waiting for both parts of Season 5 to come out before going that route. No spoilers please.

This is an unreasonable request. Come on - it's been out for years and is iconic within D&D circles. At this point, the onus is on folks who haven't seen it to stay out of threads relating to it or take your chances.

It's like asking people not to spoil Star Wars because you are totally going to get around to it one of these days. Also, Darth Vader is Luke's father.

 

[MNblockhead]

I was disappointed with the first Stranger Things D&D boxed set. I liked the concept of it, but it felt rushed and the adventure and overall production values were bad. This looks a lot better and I might pick it up for a family game day, if I hear good things about the adventure.

 

[MNblockhead]

This is an unreasonable request. Come on - it's been out for years and is iconic within D&D circles. At this point, the onus is on folks who haven't seen it to stay out of threads relating to it or take your chances.

It's like asking people not to spoil Star Wars because you are totally going to get around to it one of these days. Also, Darth Vader is Luke's father.

Yeah, it is very difficult to discuss this product without spoilers for earlier season. I suggest just putting a spoiler warning in the thread title and OP. I understand wanting to avoid spoilers. I know many people don't care, but I'm one of those who is a bit obsessive about avoiding them. But I put the onus on myself. I just avoid threads discussing shows, even tangentially, that I don't want spoiled.

 

[Dire Bare]

Nope never said every product was for me, but it just smacks of another cash grab based on a formula tried and true, why push the envelope of new ideas, new worlds to explore and/or more NEW story adventures to tell when you can just reheat leftovers. Variety is the spice of life...and maybe, just maybe you might draw even more people into the hobby, thats all I'm saying. Peace!

Cash grab? That's a term I dislike intensely, as it simply means, "Why didn't they make a product I would have liked?"

And what is inherently wrong with making a product that is likely to be successful and make money . . . to grab cash?

Tried and true formula? If you got one, use it. But this product, if you actually look at what is included, does not follow any formula, it's a fairly unique product. It ties in to a popular tv show of course, but beyond that, the format is pretty unique. Four adventures, art design that evokes the 80s, character standees and maps . . . and even with the tie-in to Stranger Things, they are ADDING to the lore of the show rather than simply putting a Stranger Things coat of paint on a D&D set with the World of Greyhawkins . . . these are new stories, set in the world of Stranger Things . . .

Variety is the spice of life? What, have all or most of the recent D&D products been tie-ins with other franchises? Nope. We got Stranger Things, Rick & Morty . . . and I think that's about it.

WotC has given us new adventures, new worlds to explore . . . go pick up "Journeys through the Radiant Citadel" an anthology where every adventure takes place in a brand new, unique world!

TLDR: Hard disagree with your rather myopic hot take on this product . . .

 

[Older Beholder]

The narrative around here went from 'WotC are idiots for not making more tie in products' to 'I can't believe WotC are making more tie in products, what a bunch of sellouts' so fast I got whiplash.

 

[Demetrios1453]

Booorrring! I'm tired of movie tie-ins, prequels, sequels, can't WOTC have a new original thought/product to deliver to ttrpg gamers?! Instead of rehashing the same old same old.

When they don't do tie-ins, they get pilloried for being stupid by throwing away easy money (and creating easy on-ramps for potential new fans). There are plenty of threads on this very forum criticizing them for not doing BG3 tie-ins at the time the game was released. The same for the D&D movie.

I guess if they're going to be criticized for whatever choice they make in this situation, they might as well choose the one that makes them more money.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

They did do tie ins for Honor Among Thieves, but they were free. Free promotional material is still promotional material.

Half-hearted D&D Beyond material released after the movie was already out is not a meaningful tie-in.

A starter set set in one or more of the areas the movie was set in would be a tie-in. A Neverwinter sourcebook that includes Forge and other characters is a tie-in. Featuring the DADHAT characters in Golden Vault would be a tie-in.

"Hey, people are asking why we aren't talking about the movie on D&D Beyond, someone knock out some NPC stat blocks that suggest we may not have actually seen the movie in 10 minutes and post them" isn't a meaningful tie-in.

WotC doesn't like doing tie-ins for some reason. Well, the probably now-former staff didn't. And I can't imagine they'll ever explain why or that anyone other than me would ask them. But they clearly didn't want to do them.