December Dragon & Dungeon - the Hiatus begins

[Scrivener of Doom]

Sadly, one of the people who wrote KotS was... Mike Mearls. (snip)

Yeah, I am aware of that.

Then again, I haven't been a fan of his work since he was spamming d20 glut as a freelancer. And I do see a real irony in being the author of the two adventures that probably did the most to kill 4E and then end up being rewarded with oversight of the next edition....

(snip) I somewhat agree, but I think if they're going to continue to offer DDI as a subscription service they will need ongoing content to make that subscription attractive. And that content might as well be called "Dungeon" and "Dragon".

No doubt.

But WotC had a history of screwing the pooch on the execution of its half-arsed online strategies. I actually renewed my DDi subscription in October knowing full well I wouldn't be getting Dungeon and Dragon but simply because I love the DDi tools. While I have those plus my inordinate affection for 4E I will remain a subscriber... but I do hope I will have access to the mags again before my latest renewal runs out. They're not just a make or break thing for me now.

 

[fjw70]

The new Dungeon is out today.

 

[Plaguescarred]

I wouldn't be surprised if Dragon & Dungeon magazines return combined as a single Dungeons & Dragons online magazine, dissociated from DDi.

 

[dd.stevenson]

I wouldn't be surprised if Dragon & Dungeon magazines return combined as a single Dungeons & Dragons online magazine, dissociated from DDi.

That would be my first bet, followed by the less-likely possibility that they'll re-purpose the trademarks to push out periodical adventure releases in direct competition to paizo APs. Followed by the even less likely possibility they'll just let the mags rest in peace.

 

[Warunsun]

That would be my first bet, followed by the less-likely possibility that they'll re-purpose the trademarks to push out periodical adventure releases in direct competition to paizo APs. Followed by the even less likely possibility they'll just let the mags rest in peace.

I just don't believe that Wizards of the Coast will publish any periodicals again, ever. Paizo was their periodical department before they amicably split. The funny thing is that if Wizards actually wanted to have an active D&D periodical they probably would go to Paizo for help.

 

[delericho]

The funny thing is that if Wizards actually wanted to have an active D&D periodical they probably would go to Paizo for help.

I doubt Paizo would be interested in such an arrangement again. I think that ship has sailed long ago.

In addition, shortly after the print magazines ended, I'm sure I recall one of the Paizo top dogs (I think it was James Jacobs, but it could have been Erik) posting that bringing them back in print was effectively impossible - that as soon as they'd missed just a few months they'd lost their place on the newsstand and so would effectively be launching as a 'new' title.

So I really can't see the magazines ever coming back into print, nor any new official D&D magazine taking their place. It will be electronic, or nothing.

But my big doubt is: will the magazines ever come back in electronic form, or is this basically it? My heart really wants to say they'll be back, and revamped with a new lease of life. My head says that if they're not in print then there's little reason to insist on calling them magazines, especially when Dungeon adventures (in particular) are really better presented as discrete downloadable articles anyway.

 

[delericho]

On another topic: kudos to WotC for a well-chosen theme for their last Dragon issue before the hiatus!

 

[Warunsun]

In addition, shortly after the print magazines ended, I'm sure I recall one of the Paizo top dogs (I think it was James Jacobs, but it could have been Erik) posting that bringing them back in print was effectively impossible - that as soon as they'd missed just a few months they'd lost their place on the newsstand and so would effectively be launching as a 'new' title.

So I really can't see the magazines ever coming back into print, nor any new official D&D magazine taking their place. It will be electronic, or nothing.

I would guess there will not be any continuation of the "Magazines" period. However, that ship could sail again. Perhaps Paizo doesn't have the connections to get back on the magazine rack; perhaps even Wizard's didn't have those great connections before; but Hasbro certainly has the connections. Paizo does have the staff that could do the grunt work and did a great job at it and Hasbro could float a new start financially if they thought such thing was a good idea for the D&D brand. Again, I also doubt it would happen but I wouldn't say it is impossible.

The most likely situation is that Dragon & Dungeon e-zines are dead. My prediction is that the current forums and backed-up Gleemax (or whatever it is) will be wholesale deleted very soon. In its place will be a new subscription only website with a forum, web article section, and possibly blogs or wikis and some bare bones online tools. All behind a pay-wall. The best stuff will be sold individually like on dndclassics.com.

 

[dd.stevenson]

I just don't believe that Wizards of the Coast will publish any periodicals again, ever. Paizo was their periodical department before they amicably split. The funny thing is that if Wizards actually wanted to have an active D&D periodical they probably would go to Paizo for help.

I wasn't using "periodical" to mean "magazines", but rather "regularly scheduled". A sloppy word choice on my part: I should have gone with "periodic" instead.