D&D 5E Given WotC plans with the RPG will 5e always be the #1 seller?

[TrippyHippy]

I believe that the D&D brand itself can make significant money on other mediums beyond the game itself - which is something alluded too my Mearls himself in recent interviews - so long as the brand itself is critically acclaimed and recognisable. Other mediums - like a TV show, or online games or novels - can also mutually bring in new D&D players that could open up new markets for the game (rather than just cater to an ageing core fan base all the time).

Personally, I do hope we see a general shift towards settings and adventures as support - possibly with some free online adventures too. Crunchy ‘splatbooks’ and the like have traditionally sold better than adventure modules, but often to the detriment of the line as a whole. On the one hand, established fans clamour to buy new rules and ‘options’, but to a newbie it often intimidates against investing in it.

So while you may see a short term spike in sales, it can often create a longterm downwards spiral. It’s a bit like creating too many sequels for a movie franchise.

 

[TerraDave]

I made my prediction of being a sustained number 1 seller when few others, well [MENTION=6677017]Sword of Spirit[/MENTION], was willing to do so.

Everything we have seen since has only increased my confidence.

3 years from now, 5 years from now, heck even 8 years from now, D&D will clearly be the unquestioned dominant RPG. Over that period it will be the 1 seller for most of the time.

They may have a different model. But if they know that core books are the big sellers, and player acquisition and retention (versus pilling on a shrinking base) are the key, then they know, and work from that premise. Another reason they will be #1.

 

[Starfox]

Anyhow long story short I suspect we'll continue to see the back and forth between Pathfinder and D&D with the ICV2 sales positions as WotC looks more at building D&D as a brand than the RPG.

I'd love such an outcome. Competitions makes things stronger.

 

[The Black Ranger]

I see what you're trying to get at, but it's pretty unrealistic. Hasbro owns WotC but doesn't manage its operations. WotC knows its own business as well as anyone.

Is your entire assessment of 5E based on the ownership structure of the corporation publishing it? Because that's not a good sole basis for assessing a product.

I'm afraid I am going to have to step in here and say you are incorrect about your comment. Hasbro most certaintly "DOES" manage it's operations. Wizards of the Coast is a subsidiary of Hasbro so even though they are not in the same building and even in the same state, Hasbro will be there to see everything go through the way "they" want it. You don't just go and buy a company and then let it do it's own thing.

 

[The Black Ranger]

Hasbro does not interfere with the creative team. Its interaction is pretty much "how much cash are you handing over to us this quarter?" and stops there.

That's not how it works.

Mother company doesn't sit back and wait for the cash to flow. They have a list of everything that is going on and they will have their eyes on everything. Remember, they supply the money so they want to know how it's spent and what the plan is to get that money back and then some.

It never just "stops there".

This will be doubled due to what happened with 4th edition.

 

[Morrus]

That's not how it works.

Mother company doesn't sit back and wait for the cash to flow. They have a list of everything that is going on and they will have their eyes on everything. Remember, they supply the money so they want to know how it's spent and what the plan is to get that money back and then some.

It never just "stops there".

This will be doubled due to what happened with 4th edition.

No, that is pretty much how it works. WorC staff say so pretty much repeatedly. Hasbro barely knows D&D exists.

 

[The Black Ranger]

No, that is pretty much how it works. WorC staff say so pretty much repeatedly. Hasbro barely knows D&D exists.

I'm afraid I will have to call that claim into question because I have a degree in finance and corporate business management. That is not how corporations operate. Also, that is not information that employees of a corporation would give out to non employees.

 

[The Black Ranger]

I'm not trying to seem rude or arguing for the sake of arguing, I am just taken back by their business practices.

Do you have any quotes from staff on record?

 

[Morrus]

I'm afraid I will have to call that claim into question because I have a degree in finance and corporate business management. That is not how corporations operate. Also, that is not information that employees of a corporation would give out to non employees.

There aren't many things more obnoxious than someone calling you a liar because they "have a degree".

Guess what? So do I. A lot of people here have qualifications, dude.

And WotC has always been pretty frank about this sort of stuff, whether you believe it or not.

For Hasbro, WotC is mainly about the CCGs. There are only about 15 people total on D&D. And Hasbro does not interfere with the creative team.

 

[The Black Ranger]

There aren't many things more obnoxious than someone calling you a liar because they "have a degree".

Guess what? So do I. A lot of people here have qualifications, dude.

And WotC has always been pretty frank about this sort of stuff, whether you believe it or not.

For Hasbro, WotC is mainly about the CCGs. There are only about 15 people total on D&D. And Hasbro does not interfere with the creative team.

All I did was call it into question because this is a topic I know. I am not calling you a liar. It is merely a disagreement because it is not a common occurrence amongst the corporate community, especially with a big corporation that is up the ladder on the Fortune 500 list. Everytime someone disagrees with me I am not going to make the claim they are calling me a liar. If that was the case then most conversations would be one sided because the other person would fear they are being rude because they disagreed with the person and therefore seem like they are calling them a liar.