dargoth3 said:
I dont think Hasbro/WOTC would be able to do that with the Forgotten Realms though
Apparently Ed Greenwoods deal with TSR/WOTC/Hasbro includes a clause where the setting reverts back to Eds control if the current holder of Licence doesnt stops publishing realms products.
So basicly if hasbro did what Sanguinemetaldawn said they'd loose the FR licence
This is interesting, if it is true.
I am certain WotC (and Hasbro) identify FR as part of their base value. If this is true, then WotC will have to continue to publish FR, or forfeit a significant chunk of value.
Can anyone verify this? It would substantially alter the outlook (at least for FR).
Tinner said:
This theory completely ignores the normal MO of Hasbro.
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Hasbro knows things come and go, but IP is always valuable.
Could they change the production level/support for D&D? Probably.
Are they likely to ditch the D&D brand?
I highly doubt it. It doesn't fit the character of the company.
Hasbro has been around for a long time. They are not a sort-term cash-making operation. They understand long-term value of IP.
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True enough, but does Hasbro look at D&D the way it does its other properties?
I don't think so.
D&D is certainly not a "toy" in the traditonal sense.
While I agree with you on a few points, I do not agree with your conclusions, especially given the evidence I cited previously.
Maggan said:
It would be cool if you could give us a ball park as to what "soon" is. Are you talking "soon" as in "one year" or soon as in "ten years."
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So give us a rough estimate. When is "soon"?
Actually, I did state this previously...6-15 months was my guess. Thats based on the assumption that D&D is still profitable right now, but is in a slow decline phase. Of course, the postulate is only as good as the assumption its based on.
Turjan said:
If they want to keep the rights to the setting, it's sufficient for them to publish novels; there's no need to dish out gaming material. As far as I know, the novels still sell well.
Even this I don't have confidence in. I could certainly believe it if it was confirmed by someone reputable, but I just don't know enough about WotC's novel divison to have an informed opinion.
Henry said:
I was with you up until here. The thing is that D&D as a name is making Habro a pretty decent amount of money, as much as any of their other sideline businesses, if we believe what is out there, but not from the RPG sales. The Tabletop RPG sales hold their own and turn a profit, but not as much as other lines, and in no way could their schedule be called "endless release churn", because they still produce only one-third to one-fourth what TSR did in its self-destruct days. From what we've seen, they set obtainable schedules and keep sufficient distance between product lines. What makes it seem more than it is is the third-party companies' activities on top of WotC's.
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However, I'll only believe it when I see them recall or buy back more than one or two licenses. But right now, Minis sales, computer game sales, etc. all mean that there's still a good bit of life left in the bird, and with as many future projects still being turned in and worked on, I don't forsee D&D going anywhere for at least two to three years.
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Well, maybe novels and minis do bring in enough to make D&D worthwhile to Hasbro.
Keep in mind what I am postulating here: that Hasbro will keep the D&D license until they deem it not profitable, then cut it loose, and that they are positioning themselves for that right now.
There are many possible variations on this scenario. Maybe it takes 24 months instead of 15 months. Maybe they kill the RPG line, but keep the minis and novels line active. Maybe they sell the novel rights, because they consider publishing outside their core business.
Umbran said:
Hr. There's a logical problem here - the property is only worth that much if you can get that much out of it on a reasonable timescale. If the D&D property is proving so unprofitable for Hasbro that they want to ditch it, that tells buyers that they are unlikely to make back their investment any time soon.
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On the other hand, if it is making reasonable profits, there'll be no motivation to sell that has it's roots in the property itself. ...
And the conclusion of your model is that nothing would ever be sold in the business world, because anything worth buying would not be for sale. However, this is clearly untrue.
I suspect D&D is reaching a convergence of the two. It is still profitable (but not very) and Hasbro has a dim outlook on its future. What I read, and the anectodal evidence I have supports this view. But its still speculation.
Vigilance said:
Jesus, what is it with these threads people?
Is Wizards in trouble?
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Is Hasbro about to sell D&D because Wizards is in trouble, the market is dying and 4th edition is on the way?!?!?!?
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Full moon?
Equinox?
Sheesh.
Chuck
Really, what spurred me to start this thread was the bizarre handling of Greyhawk, and putting together scenario where their actions make sense.
People are postulating 4E will be a "toy-like" D&D, based on Hasbro's stance. My opinion is that Hasbro does not view D&D as part of its core business model, and just plain don't want to deal with it. Unlike Pokemon and Magic TG. We'll see.
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