Digital Initiative?

[Cryptos]

It's odd that the level of emphasis that they've put on the subscription-based online tools has gone from about 50% of 4e news (the 4e announcement seminar) last year to almost 0% one month from the launch of 4e.

I kind of think that they realized that it might be a mistake to try to overcome people's sticker shock on buying the books for a new edition of the game, and try to convince them to spend $10-$20 a month on tools for it at the same time.

The lack of news is probably not a technical issue so much as an economic one, in my opinion. I think they're probably trying to get their fingers on the pulse here, but at their current subscription rates, the pulse is so faint that they are deciding to focus on what they know they can do (sell books) instead.

 

[Kaffis]

The lack of news is probably not a technical issue so much as an economic one, in my opinion. I think they're probably trying to get their fingers on the pulse here, but at their current subscription rates, the pulse is so faint that they are deciding to focus on what they know they can do (sell books) instead.

Probably a good observation. So does a faint pulse mean they'll go ahead as planned, with little fanfare? Scrap some or all of the featureset and release as free online supplements (basically, Dungeon and Dragon as online articles, as they've been doing, without the other tools)? Postpone the release of the digital initiative alltogether until a few months after the books release, and the "sticker shock" as you put it, is a done transaction and in the past?

 

[keterys]

Well, it's probably also worth noting that they recently launched a new version of Magic Online and opened up the Gleemax Games Portal. It's a very, very busy year for WotC and I'd not be surprised if there are some delays... purposeful or otherwise.

 

[Wormwood]

Wait . . . Digital Initiative?

Oh. Nevermind then.