D&D (2024) Early access to 2024 books in DnDBeyond is tied to subscription tier.

[Oofta]

My brother in Selune, if they didn't think it would work, they wouldn't be doing it.

They're not doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. I think you appreciate that perfectly well. They are literally, unarguably, doing it because they think it will make them money. They think it will cause people to renew subscriptions, or to sign up at Beyond and so on.

The reason they think that is FOMO or whatever term we want to call it (I actually think it's about 15 degrees off classic FOMO). You say it doesn't work on you, and I 100% believe you. FOMO is not universally effective. It never has been. It never will be. The videogame industry is a perfect demonstration of the power and lack of power of it. You have gamers who will pay $20 or even $40 (or in some cases more) to play a game for 3-7 days before it's officially released. You have other gamers who are 100% happy to not only wait for something to release, but to wait for it to go on sale.

So you are right - no-one can deny this is weak FOMO for you. You know your own mind. And it's probably weak or non-existent FOMO for a significant percentage of D&D players/DMs. But for some other unknown percentage, that Beyond surely at least hope is quite high, it is effective FOMO. And two weeks is a long, long time on the internet. Two weeks of being informed and able to discuss something or play something is, to a lot of people, especially those with more louche spending habits, significant. I mean, I'm not going to lie, whilst this wouldn't cause me to resub, that'd be stubborn-ness on my part, because I am pleased that my current Beyond sub goes to November, so if I do buy this digitally, I will be able to see it early.

As for "blame", well, I think it's a matter of sign rather than something itself to be particularly abhorred. It's not cool. It's not good. It's not positive. It's relatively minor but it's likely to be a sign of the future direction of Beyond, which is to say, the direction @darjr predicted earlier. It's not the first sign either - the first was probably stopping people buying specific contents of books and forcing them to buy entire books. The next will probably be either subscription price rise (not an excessive one - it's too early for that) or an extra tier on the subscription.

Getting something two weeks ahead of time is obviously a benefit, I just don't see how it is that big of a deal for a game like D&D. If I get an MMO two weeks earlier, that's two weeks I have to level up and be better than all the newbs who don't get it early. My advantage may be short lived, but it is still an advantage.

Is getting things a bit earlier a perk? Of course! Is it bad that companies do this or are they blocking all access? No. In my opinion of course. Obviously.

 

[mamba]

Will I be able to access Tasha when the Sun is about to engulf Earth?

unless you expect that to happen a lot sooner than expected, you will not have to worry about that… there won’t even be humans around any more at that time, one way or the other (extinction / evolution)

 

[mamba]

I’ve only skimmed most of this, but people are upset because a company gives a very minor benefit to people who support the company?

no, they are upset because they took that away from all non-subscribers

 

[Oofta]

unless you expect that to happen a lot sooner than expected, you will not have to worry about that… there won’t even be humans around any more at that time, one way or the other (extinction / evolution)

Which is a real downside to immortality. Someday everyone else will either evolve into something you don't recognize or die out. Eventually all life will die and the planet (and you) will be consumed in fire. After that you will either be sucked into the collapsing sun and eternally crushed to expelled out into the cold depths of space.

Anyways, back to our regularly scheduled argument.

 

[mamba]

The only reason to order the combined bundle is the discount. The early access does not matter. The $60 discount does.

that is about the same discount I get by not buying it from WotC but on Amazon instead

I won’t be getting physical books from WotC either way

 

[Oofta]

no, they are upset because they took that away from all non-subscribers

I guess I just don't see it as a big issue. If you really want early access follow the pattern I've started for streaming. Pay the $5.99 for a couple of months, get the stuff early (at a discount) and then cancel your master subscription.

As far as business practices go, it doesn't really rise up to the level of something terrible.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Yes and your response was a completely different thing:



Which again, no one said. Which also has nothing to do with "Corps aren't your friends".

No they are not.

As someone posted above. WotC is in this for money. So is almost every company ever. That doesn't mean they can't be nice and won't donate and help people but at the end of the day its the bottom line that matters. Why you get pizza parties over pay raises.

Keep in mind, I support these companies with my $. I'm not about to give up my Iphone or my D&D or my Netflix but I'm under no illusion that mean I jack to them and they will gouge me for $ the instant its in their best interest. We can see that with ever increasing streaming prices while they continue to make record breaking profits.

I like D&D. By that extension, I like WotC. I plant o give them money in exchange for products. But I know the shareholders come first and the page count may get thinner as the price goes up. The "Good stuff" might get placed behind a subscription service. WotC is going to do everything it can to get more of my money with a product as cheap as they can manage. You can't blame a dog for being a dog. Doesn't mean I have to like it or act like it's okay.

Ok.
That is all something I agree with in general.

Then maybe it is all a misunderstanding.

 

[mamba]

I guess I just don't see it as a big issue.

I am not saying it is, I am disagreeing with those that try to spin it as a new benefit for subscribers.

They did not add a benefit to subscribers that those did not have before, they took a benefit away from anyone who is not subscribing

 

[Micah Sweet]

you might also get a digital art book, not sure if that is for the physical + digital bundle only or for all preorders of the three core books, the text seems to say both things in different places

Fair enough. New art seems to make a big difference to some people.

 

[Belen]

no, they are upset because they took that away from all non-subscribers

They only took it away from people who were not subs and who bought the most expensive physical + digital version.

How tiny is that group?

Instead, they reduced the cost by half the previous cost. You can sub for 1 month it early access is that critical.

Again, the only real benefit for me was the discounted price of the bundle.

WOTC has done some crappy things over the last 2 years but this is not one of them.

Are folks not understanding that early access is now cheaper?