D&D 5E Early release dates - Starter Set on July 3, PHB on August 8?

[JEB]

According to this, if you order the Starter Set or PHB at Wizards Play Network stores (look them up here), you can get them almost two weeks early.

Considering this gives many brick-and-mortar stores a big advantage over online retailers (you pay more, but you get it sooner), why is it so little advertised?

 

[Morrus]

Yeah, we've known that for a couple of weeks - WotC said it on Twitter a while back.

Amazon date for me though!

 

[DDNFan]

Yes

It is very poorly thought out to not let more people know about the "pay more but get it now" option. As the only person in my group(s) who regularly reads this kind of news and these forums, I was surprised.

The DM who DMs our local Encounters game didn't even know about the in-store early purchase dates.

The main reason I want the starter set is of course to get the basic PDF immediately, although I'm sure it will be scanned and shared online at some point between now and the end of the month. So that we can upgrade our characters in our main campaign, and see if by some miracle they sullied up the rules with stupidities. It's unlikely, but possible. If something like that happens, not only would I cancel my Amazon orders for the books, but I'm likely done with this hobby. I have many others anyway, and with VR around the corner, it's doubtful that D&D will be able to compete with photorealistic online multiplayer games of the future anyway.

Mearls and the rest have one last chance to screw up in my book. This is it. Let's wish them luck, they're finishing up the PHB right now.

 

[Morrus]

It is very poorly thought out to not let more people know about the "pay more but get it now" option. As the only person in my group(s) who regularly reads this kind of news and these forums, I was surprised.

The DM who DMs our local Encounters game didn't even know about the in-store early purchase dates.

It's a reward for the stores for being part of the network, not the customers. It's up to the store to market it to you. WotC doesn't get more money because a few people got the game early.

 

[DDNFan]

It's a reward for the stores for being part of the network, not the customers. It's up to the store to market it to you. WotC doesn't get more money because a few people got the game early.

Wouldn't it be beneficial for Wizards to have more people buy the game in-store? In a roundabout way, they need players of other games to get exposed to the new rules. I can't think of a more exciting reward for myself and my fellow Encounters gamers if we got a nice surprise in a few weeks on a tuesday game.

 

[Morrus]

Wouldn't it be beneficial for Wizards to have more people buy the game in-store? In a roundabout way, they need players of other games to get exposed to the new rules. I can't think of a more exciting reward for myself and my fellow Encounters gamers if we got a nice surprise in a few weeks on a tuesday game.

I'm sure the stock will sell through. I don't imagine there's any chance that stores will be stuck with unsold stock.

But it is an incentive for stores, not a pleasant surprise for you. The latter is just a bonus side-effect.

 

[JEB]

Yeah, we've known that for a couple of weeks - WotC said it on Twitter a while back.

Oh? Then why isn't this part of your 5E summary? I only found the early release dates myself through a mix of rumors, hints, and Google. Surely your readers would like to know there are advantages to buying the books from a brick-and-mortar retailer, too?

 

[JEB]

Wouldn't it be beneficial for Wizards to have more people buy the game in-store?

it is an incentive for stores, not a pleasant surprise for you. The latter is just a bonus side-effect.

Why can't it be both? A reward for WPN stores, and a way to encourage gamer interest in FLGS, which still have value to both Wizards and the larger RPG community?

 

[Agamon]

Anyone that pre-orders online can always cancel the pre-order when they see the books in their FLGS. But yeah, it is odd that it isn't advertised more. Hopefully the FLGSs know and let their customers know, as well.

 

[Morrus]

Oh? Then why isn't this part of your 5E summary? I only found the early release dates myself through a mix of rumors, hints, and Google. Surely your readers would like to know there are advantages to buying the books from a brick-and-mortar retailer, too?

Sometimes little things slip through the cracks. Sorry.