Exclusive interview WotC President Greg Leeds

[Nagol]

Do you have an independent source of information that contradicts your position? Or is it all just guesstimating or what you feel should be right? Do you merely have an anecdote to tell us?

Do we have actual sales number? Do we have a peer reviewed study on piracy or sales? Do we have technical details on the processes used to track sales, download numbers or piracy? Do we have contradicting data to anything of what WotC says?

Why yes, as a matter of fact. http://www.ifo.de/pls/guestci/downl...orking Papers January 2004/cesifo1_wp1122.pdf

The money quote in the conclusions is "We have analyzed the RIAA’s claim that music downloads are causing a substantial decrease in CD sales. Our cross-section regression confirms their fear: we find that music downloading could have caused a 10% reduction in CD sales worldwide in 2001."

(Here come the ifs in the hypothesis) If pdfs are similar to mp3s in the patterns of acquisition then the 10:1 download ratio actually results in a 1:11 reduction in sales.

 

[xechnao]

Is there another interview?

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

What, when a company makes a perceived misstep and the CEO puts out what amounts to a press release by way of two interviews, I'm supposed to believe he is telling the truth?

I don't take Mr. Leeds at face value, but I do respect that he is addressing the community directly. I also appreciate that WOTC is allowing me d/l TSR and WOTC product that I purchased through RPGNOW. That does count for something in my book. But when a company makes a decision that to me flies in the face of reason color me skeptical. And then it tries to rationalize it in a manner that makes my BS detector go off, that's when others and I start looking deeper.

The rest of your post does not pertain to why I questioned your earlier comment. I think my previous post (written while you were writing the one I am responding to now) expresses how I perceived your initial post. By all means correct me if I am wrong. Honest discourse is impossible if one holds to their preconceived notions in the face of conflicting evidence.

PS. Unless otherwise mentioned in a thread or blog, I take everything said as either opinion or speculation.

What, when a company makes a perceived misstep and the CEO puts out what amounts to a press release by way of two interviews, I'm supposed to believe he is telling the truth?

Yes, why not? He is the only one here that actually speaks from knowledge on the situation, the rest is just guessing and expressing opinions.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Why yes, as a matter of fact. http://www.ifo.de/pls/guestci/downl...orking Papers January 2004/cesifo1_wp1122.pdf

The money quote in the conclusions is "We have analyzed the RIAA’s claim that music downloads are causing a substantial decrease in CD sales. Our cross-section regression confirms their fear: we find that music downloading could have caused a 10% reduction in CD sales worldwide in 2001."

(Here come the ifs in the hypothesis) If pdfs are similar to mp3s in the patterns of acquisition then the 10:1 download ratio actually results in a 1:11 reduction in sales.

Does this mean it can't be the reason for WotC decision? As you say, there is an "if" involved, and moreover - WotC might just see it differently, however wrong they are.

Is there another interview?

I think there was one on whats-it-called ICv2? or something like that? If my Internet wasn't dragging along so badly at the moment; I'd look up the link for you.. Truth Seeker posted a link on Cirvs Maximvs.

 

[xechnao]

Why yes, as a matter of fact. http://www.ifo.de/pls/guestci/downl...orking Papers January 2004/cesifo1_wp1122.pdf

The money quote in the conclusions is "We have analyzed the RIAA’s claim that music downloads are causing a substantial decrease in CD sales. Our cross-section regression confirms their fear: we find that music downloading could have caused a 10% reduction in CD sales worldwide in 2001."

(Here come the ifs in the hypothesis) If pdfs are similar to mp3s in the patterns of acquisition then the 10:1 download ratio actually results in a 1:11 reduction in sales.

But that 10% is independent of legal mp3s that now make a substantial part of the market. Back in 2001 were there any?

Also the entertainment industry has been exposed to a tremendous inflation of product availability or supply due to the new possibilities of the information age. Is there a study that takes this to account? In the rpg front there are 13000 publishers in RPGNOW and I immagine much more available product to purchase. This definately may have an impact IMO and it would be very interesting a study on this of matter.

 

[Zil]

MMORPGs are "pirate proof" because everything is on the server.

Although this is a bit of tangent from the thread, this isn't strictly true. It's definitely possible to reverse-engineer your own MMORPG server. It's already been done for WoW, for example. However, these private servers are just that - disconnected from the main server(s).

 

[I'm A Banana]

I don't know why you wouldn't trust his statements at face value.

They're not extremely substantive statements to begin with, so, you know, for what they are, do you have any contradictory info?

Cuz otherwise this isn't about what he said; it's more about your personal feelings. There's a place for that, but I don't think this is the place.

 

[Jasperak]

"Trust, but verify."

This captures my thoughts well. I cannot automatically nor blindly trust Mr. Leeds; nor am I calling him a liar. But I do appreciate his reaching out to the community, and that does add to his credibility. Since I am still interested in the earlier editions, I hope that in the future I will be able to add to my collection, even if it must be digitally only.

Is it me or do most companies seem to do better the more open and forthright they are with their customers?

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Um, should we bother having PR firms and White House press secretaries then? Or never question politicians again, please.

You parse through the lies and read between the lines, and hold their feet to the fire when they are finally caught.

I respect Mr. Leeds for addressing these issues with his responses to the two interviews, but that doesn't change that fact that he is the CEO and his primary duty is not to tell the truth, but to parse his language in a way that does not hurt the shareholders he works for or bring undue damage to the brand. His addressing this issue directly tells me that this is one of the most important issues that they face right now. In the best of worlds the head of WOTC has to be a CEO first and gamer second. Others like Paizo, Green Ronin, Necromancer Games, or Goodman Games may be gamers first, CEOs second, but you never see that from a Hasbro Subsidiary.

There is a difference between pointing out contradictions and comparing claims to actual data and just not accepting an explanation without any contradictions or data to compare to.

I know it sucks that we do have so little data, but that means we don't have information. Not that we are lied to.

And usually (just usually) politicians and PR departments try to avoid outright lies, they just avoid giving out negative information and highlighting positive stuff.

Selective perception is good both for self deception as for marketing. Make sure you don't avoid the selective perception created by marketing to run into the selective perception created by yourself.

 

[Mark]

I know it sucks that we do have so little data, but that means we don't have information.

I think people are looking at the interview in the light of WotC's track record and series of PR problems over the last year and a half, plus the evident facts connected to the current situation, and making their assessment based on that data. I understand your willingness to give WotC the benefit of the doubt but a lot of people are up in arms for what appear to be very fair reasons. I think if the WotC track record and current evident facts were not as weighty, you would not have to be working so hard to calm those who are angry or quell those who are suspicious.