WotC Gale Force 9 Sues WotC [Updated]

In the second lawsuit against WotC in recent weeks (Dragonlance authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman sued the company for breach of contract and other things about a month ago), Gale Force 9 is suing the company for breach of contract and implied duty of good faith.

Gale Force 9 produces miniatures, cards, DM screens, and other D&D accessories. They’re asking for damages of nearly a million dollars, as well as an injunction to prevent WotC from terminating the licensing contract.

From the suit, it looks like WotC wanted to end a licensing agreement a year early. When GF9 didn't agree to that, WotC indicated that they would refuse to approve any new licensed products from GF9. It looks like the same sort of approach they took with Weis and Hickman, which also resulted in a lawsuit. The dispute appears to relate to some product translations in non-US markets. More information as I hear it!

UPDATE. GF9's CEO, Jean-Paul Brisigotti, spoke to ICv2 and said: "After twelve years of working with Wizards, we find ourselves in a difficult place having to utilize the legal system to try and resolve an issue we have spent the last six months trying to amicably handle between us without any success. We still hope this can be settled between us but the timeline for a legal resolution has meant we have been forced to go down this path at this time."

 

[TheSword]

It’s not being Cavllier. If people were buying a board game they would often pay as much. With all due respect there is a lot of exaggeration here. Even $70 for a game that lasts 5-10 years, and can be played for hours is pennies on the hour.

I get that not everyone has large amounts of disposable income but compare it to video games, painting, wargames, board games, fishing, sailing, running, knitting, musical instruments, swimming, cinema, tennis, golf and pretty much any other I can think of, all have greater core costs than D&D.

I can’t believe we’re having this discussion in 2020, with someone using cost to justify being a rpg piracy apologist.

 

[Zardnaar]

It’s not being Cavllier. If people were buying a board game they would often pay as much. With all due respect there is a lot of exaggeration here. Even $70 for a game that lasts 5-10 years, and can be played for hours is pennies on the hour.

I get that not everyone has large amounts of disposable income but compare it to video games, painting, wargames, board games, fishing, sailing, running, knitting, musical instruments, swimming, cinema, tennis, golf and pretty much any other I can think of, all have greater core costs than D&D.

I can’t believe we’re having this discussion in 2020, with someone using cost to be a rpg piracy apologist.

Video games tend to be cheaper per hour.

I bought 3 books with shipping it was over $200 usd. It was around $230 usd.

In USA less than $100.

Buy the right video game you'll get multiple years out if them, no work required, no postage and more hours per week spent on them.

 

[TheSword]

Video games tend to be cheaper per hour.

I bought 3 books with shipping it was over $200 usd.

In USA less than $100.

You’re paying more than the US sure. However $200 split between 4 people, for one year, playing fortnightly for 4 hours a session. 48c an hour. It’s a relatively cheap hobby.

 

[Zardnaar]

You’re paying more than the US sure. However $200 split between 4 people, for one year, playing fortnightly for 4 hours a session. 48c an hour. It’s a relatively cheap hobby.

Cost doesn't get split.

My video games per hour are a fraction of that no work required.

I basically getting the books for free now though but that's a recent thing. Out of 30 odd books only 1.5 were free.

 

[TheSword]

Cost doesn't get split.

My video games per hour are a fraction of that no work required.

It’s a hobby, not work. If it’s work, you should probably stop unless you’re getting paid for it.

Depends which video games you play.

 

[Zardnaar]

It’s a hobby, not work. If it’s work, you should probably stop unless you’re getting paid for it.

Depends which video games you play.

I play grand strategy games and a bit of retro gaming.

Civilization III was $2.50.

8 years Crusader Kings II

7 years Europa Universalis IV

D&D 5 hours fortnight, missed a year plus some sessions probably 100 hours a year. 150 tops.

My games according to steam is 5000 hours.

ATM cost to me is $0 for them.

 

[TheSword]

I play grand strategy games and a bit of retro gaming.

Civilization III was $2.50.

8 years Crusader Kings II

7 years Europa Universalis IV

D&D 5 hours fortnight, missed a year plus some sessions probably 100 hours a year. 150 tops.

My games according to steam is 5000 hours.

ATM cost to me is $0 for them.

With all due respect, you’re not a typical player.

And that kind of play is equivalency in RPG terms isn’t WOCs market.

...
...
... that said I bloody love Civ 3, and a bit of Alpha Centurii

 

[Zardnaar]

With all due respect, you’re not a typical player.

And that kind of play is equivalency in RPG terms isn’t WOCs market.

...
...
... that said I bloody love Civ 3, and a bit of Alpha Centurii

I bought AC for the third time on GoG.

Played it back in the day, bought the disk reissue a few years back.

Amazing what 20 years of perspective can do.

D&D not that cheap compared with Netflix either.

It's those stupid Paradox Interactive games that are time sucks.

 

[Olrox17]

I play grand strategy games and a bit of retro gaming.

Civilization III was $2.50.

8 years Crusader Kings II

7 years Europa Universalis IV

D&D 5 hours fortnight, missed a year plus some sessions probably 100 hours a year. 150 tops.

My games according to steam is 5000 hours.

ATM cost to me is $0 for them.

Ah, a fellow CK2 player. I see you're a man of culture, as well

 

[Eltab]

You’re paying more than the US sure. However $200 split between 4 people, for one year, playing fortnightly for 4 hours a session. 48c an hour. It’s a relatively cheap hobby.

To my knowledge, you cannot buy a rulebook on the installment plan; there is no "mortgage" for a PHB &c. Do all the math you like to show how inexpensive per hour the hobby is, the purchase price on the book is still a fixed $XYZ - up front, in cash, all at once, before it leaves the store.

If somebody can get a rulebook via payments, please tell us where and how.