Yes, I think there is a way to do it: keep it accessible & familiar. I mean, established gamers will buy into new editions as long as they are relatively easy to get into & keep many concepts that players already know (& love).
Here is my own experience. D&D peaked for me with 3.0. I played all the prior editions from 1980 to 2000, to greater & lesser extents. I played a lot of 2e and really liked it. In fact, I started my 1st 3e game with a new group to "save" my 2e game for an established (but infrequent) group. Ironically, after running 3e, I converted the 2e game to 3e. d20 isn't what I would now call simple, but it was accessible and familiar enough to me to be easy to understand; and it kept much of what I already knew about the game. I even branched into a couple of other d20 games and really liked that experience, too.
3.5 (like its predecessor SWSE) was the beginning of edition fatigue for me. It changed just enough to be different but not enough to really be worth the change. I bought it--the core books. I've played it, but it wouldn't seek it again. I've run it, but I won't again. I have and would go back to 3e.
In fact, the D&D game I ran last year was a D&D minis skirmish campaign. Basically a simpler d20 game. What it lacked in depth, it more than made up for in being easy and fun. I would have preferred something more robust with roleplay, but who has the time for all the rules and options that brings--not me at this point in my life. I really only need the bad guy to do a few things that should be able to be summarized on a card that I can scan at the table. I need the PCs to be able to do a lot more, especially with skills; but I can't have the game bogged down with all the NPCs and foes having the same complexity. Plus, the minis and maps are so much fun on the tabletop when combat encounters are due.
When 4e was announced, I figured it was my chance to get off the edition roller coaster. A good friend and fellow gamer predicted that I would not do so. In fact, he foresaw me embracing 4e even more than 3e. He's usually right. Not this time.
I read the 4e previews and freebies that showed basically how it worked. We even played a few sessions that one of our group ran. Turned out it wasn't for me (or anyone else I game with). 4e just makes everything bigger without making it better. The only thing I have purchased with the 4e brand is Hammerfast because I thought it was intriguing (turned out to be a great product, too). Otherwise, 4e just doesn't appeal to me.
Now, here's the curious part. I love the new Gamma World, which is based on 4e. But, it's simpler (accessible) and uses many foes that I remember from several editions of GW (familiar). Even the rules hearken back to d20 in many ways (familiar). I love the fire & forget nature of everything I need being in the box, including counters and maps (accessible). I've even bought the first expansion and a couple of booster decks of cards. I plan to buy more as I continue to run it. If WOTC would market 4e (or 5e) the way GW is managed, I could become a good D&D customer again. I won't buy it all, but I will buy some.
So, that is my take on edition fatigue and how to cure it. Keep new editions accessible & familiar.
Here is my own experience. D&D peaked for me with 3.0. I played all the prior editions from 1980 to 2000, to greater & lesser extents. I played a lot of 2e and really liked it. In fact, I started my 1st 3e game with a new group to "save" my 2e game for an established (but infrequent) group. Ironically, after running 3e, I converted the 2e game to 3e. d20 isn't what I would now call simple, but it was accessible and familiar enough to me to be easy to understand; and it kept much of what I already knew about the game. I even branched into a couple of other d20 games and really liked that experience, too.
3.5 (like its predecessor SWSE) was the beginning of edition fatigue for me. It changed just enough to be different but not enough to really be worth the change. I bought it--the core books. I've played it, but it wouldn't seek it again. I've run it, but I won't again. I have and would go back to 3e.
In fact, the D&D game I ran last year was a D&D minis skirmish campaign. Basically a simpler d20 game. What it lacked in depth, it more than made up for in being easy and fun. I would have preferred something more robust with roleplay, but who has the time for all the rules and options that brings--not me at this point in my life. I really only need the bad guy to do a few things that should be able to be summarized on a card that I can scan at the table. I need the PCs to be able to do a lot more, especially with skills; but I can't have the game bogged down with all the NPCs and foes having the same complexity. Plus, the minis and maps are so much fun on the tabletop when combat encounters are due.
When 4e was announced, I figured it was my chance to get off the edition roller coaster. A good friend and fellow gamer predicted that I would not do so. In fact, he foresaw me embracing 4e even more than 3e. He's usually right. Not this time.
I read the 4e previews and freebies that showed basically how it worked. We even played a few sessions that one of our group ran. Turned out it wasn't for me (or anyone else I game with). 4e just makes everything bigger without making it better. The only thing I have purchased with the 4e brand is Hammerfast because I thought it was intriguing (turned out to be a great product, too). Otherwise, 4e just doesn't appeal to me.
Now, here's the curious part. I love the new Gamma World, which is based on 4e. But, it's simpler (accessible) and uses many foes that I remember from several editions of GW (familiar). Even the rules hearken back to d20 in many ways (familiar). I love the fire & forget nature of everything I need being in the box, including counters and maps (accessible). I've even bought the first expansion and a couple of booster decks of cards. I plan to buy more as I continue to run it. If WOTC would market 4e (or 5e) the way GW is managed, I could become a good D&D customer again. I won't buy it all, but I will buy some.
So, that is my take on edition fatigue and how to cure it. Keep new editions accessible & familiar.
