Dungeon Magazine: New Format, New Subscription Price

[Erik Mona]

The new issue of Dungeon magazine (#114) debuts an all-new format that takes the magazine back to its Dungeons & Dragons roots with a renewed emphasis on D&D adventures and a new focus on Dungeon Mastery. To learn more about the new format, please read our Open Letter (http://www.paizo.com/news/pressreleases/20040514_OpenLetter.shtml).

Some subscribers have already received the issue. Others will receive their copies by mail in the next two weeks. It’s set to appear on newsstands on the 10th of August, just in time for Gen Con Indy.

Dungeon’s new format is guided by the feedback of D&D enthusiasts just like you, who have told us what they want (and what they don’t want) from the magazine in person, in letters, and in message board posts. The new Dungeon is very much your magazine, and we’ve made every effort to ensure that our new format has something for all D&D fans.

Your feedback and suggestions have been invaluable. Now, I need you to take one more step in determining the future of Dungeon magazine.

I need you to buy it.

Reward good behavior. You’ve spoken, and we’ve listened. Together, we can make sure that Dungeon keeps its new focus for many years to come. Sales and subscription numbers alone will determine the future of the magazine.

Check out Dungeon #114. If you don’t like it, please send us a letter and let us know what we could be doing differently. If you do, please consider subscribing.

To make it easier for you to show your support, we’ve just today introduced a new subscription price—1 year of the official Dungeon Master’s monthly resource for $39.95 (that’s about $5.00 cheaper than it was four hours ago). Rates for international and multi-year subscriptions are available on our website (www.paizo.com/dungeon).

If you’ve turned away from Dungeon in the last few years or have never read it at all, I urge you to take another look at our exciting new format. I think you’ll be glad you did.

Sincerely,

Erik Mona
Editor-in-Chief
Dungeon

 

[JeffB]

Thanks Erik for the FYI.

I'm one of the folks who has drifted away from Dungeon & Dragon over the past couple of years, so I'll definitely be checking them out in the months to come. Hope I see enough I like to get me subscribing again

 

[ltclnlbrain]

Erik, I am curious how this new price drop affects those readers who already have a subscription to Dungeon. Will the price drop only affect new subscribers, or will those who already have subscriptions gain a credit to their account or something? I recently renewed my subscription a few weeks ago, but had I known the price was going to go down, I would have waited.

By the way, I just received issue #114 in the mail today. I haven't had a chance to look it over completely, but from what I've seen, it looks great. Keep up the great work!

 

[DaveStebbins]

Too bad I read the press release and decided to support the changes with a subscription (my first since issue numbers were in single digits) last month.

Oh well, it's worth it.

Good luck, Eric. I haven't gotten very far in #114 yet, but I like the direction it's going in.

 

[MerricB]

Erik, is it ok if I continue to buy Dungeon Magazine religiously from my FLGS, as I have done since issue #82?

Cheers!

 

[Alzrius]

I plan on renewing my subscriptions to both Dungeon and Dragon at GenCon this year; the same as last year. To me, both magazines are cheap at any price.

btw, Erik, a content question; is the "Critical Threat" column shifting to become specifically about pre-existing characters? The last several runs of the article have detailed or updated characters that were already mentioned elsewhere. I'm asking because those articles seem like the best place for an aspiring contributor to break in to the magazine.

 

[tmaaas]

I resubscribed for three years about two weeks back.

Just got Issue #114. It was great. I'm looking forward to many, many more.

Thanks!

 

[Erik Mona]

Thanks for the quick responses and questions!

The new price went into effect today, and the difference in price will not be credited to current subscribers. It would have been smart to time the price change to the original announcement of the format change, but we had to pick a start date, and the debut of the new format seemed as good as any. When the subscription price has gone up in the past (and it almost always goes up, rather than down), we didn't make changes to existing subscriptions, so we decided to be consistent this time around. I realize it's a bummer for those people who have already subscribed, but I am certain you will find that your original subscription was a good value once you've had a year to reflect on the new format.

Merric, of course it's ok if you "subscribe" through your local retailer. We fully support game retailers.

Alzrius, the Critical Threat column is not just for old NPCs, although we've admittedly gone in that direction recently. Look for expanded information on how to write Critical Threats for the magazine when we debut our new Writer's Guidelines, which will be ready in time for Gen Con Indy.

It's probably also worth noting that the new Campaign Workbook section offers excellent opportunities for new writers to get into the magazine with relatively little difficulty. I hope you give it a shot.

--Erik Mona
Editor-in-Chief
Dungeon

 

[IronWolf]

I read about the new changes a few weeks ago. They all sounded good (I really liked the idea of a low level, mid-level and high level adventure in each magazine). Picked up issue 113 even though it isn't part of the new format and was still impressed. Signed up for my subscription last weekend!

 

[Steel_Wind]

Your feedback and suggestions have been invaluable. Now, I need you to take one more step in determining the future of Dungeon magazine.

I need you to buy it.

Fairly stated Erik.

One thing - and I know its not necessarily *your* problem, but I'd be happy to subscribe; however, I have visited the Paizo site and you do not accept Paypal, only Visa or MC.

I am comfortbale with Paypal - I am not comfortable with Visa or MC on the net.

This means if I want the product, I must now go stand in-line at the bank, get a U.S.D. money order, get an envelope, fill out the card, put an address on the envelope, find the stamps to mail it to the US, and remember to put it in the mail.

I don't generally bother to do such things for subscriptions and - in this case - I expect I am not going to either.

My point: Paypal for Internet subscription processing makes a lot of sense and the merchant fees charged and difficulties in setting up the website to process such transactions are not appreciably more difficult than Visa or MC, especially when the "reward" is more customers.

Moreoever, given the fact that you don't NEED a credit card to get a paypal account these days, it opens the market among those possible subscribers even more. Knowing the gamers I know, I have to think this is a tangible benefit to you. When you have a reasonably large number of customers who are young, being able to offer e-commerce without the customer having to have a credit card to access it has to be a major plus.

Worth considering.

Looking forward to see what you do with #114 (though I was content with the old format too - My problem is with Dragon, not Dungeon.)