How will WOTC monetize One D&D?

[FrogReaver]

True that but not everyone that is using D&DBeyond will be playing on the VTT. Many are tabletop players.

Sure. But IMO there’s nothing they can do to further monetize tabletop non online tables other than hoping they use/subscribe to beyond and buy the physical books.

So imo The focus will be on monetizing beyond.

 

[Reynard]

If I had to go out on a limb and guess, I'd say they would sell things people want to buy. Books for one. Maybe some minis and maps or map tiles. Dice, too. They will sell these things in physical and digital form.

Just like they have been.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I said they take away Sharing.

Part of this is as he reminded - they want to monetize D&D One like a video game with reoccurring spending.

The other part is they talked about 80% of the player base not being monetized or being under monetized. So they will do something to try to monetize that segment. Eliminating sharing or requiring a paid subscription from players for it and micro transactions are the only real paths to monetize these players.

Not the only path. They may for instance offer a basic version of the VTT for free but with a time of premium access up front. (Sort of like World of Tanks does things), to give you a taste for the shiny. You can then buy certain elements of the shiny for microtransactions but some stuff is only available to subscribers. Or the Subscribers get some of the shiny for less money.
Every couple of months they give you a reminder that there is more shiny in the form of some limited time access to shiny (pay up if you want to keep it).

 

[UngainlyTitan]

They can also sell more toys and have Hasbro make them not just licence to third parties.

 

[FrogReaver]

Not the only path. They may for instance offer a basic version of the VTT for free but with a time of premium access up front. (Sort of like World of Tanks does things), to give you a taste for the shiny. You can then buy certain elements of the shiny for microtransactions but some stuff is only available to subscribers. Or the Subscribers get some of the shiny for less money.
Every couple of months they give you a reminder that there is more shiny in the form of some limited time access to shiny (pay up if you want to keep it).

World of tanks it micro transactions with pay to win. And I said micro transactions were one path - though I see them trying both paths they could potentially just do that one.

 

[FrogReaver]

They can also sell more toys and have Hasbro make them not just licence to third parties.

They will do that too but most likely in addition to monetizing the online platform.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

World of tanks it micro transactions with pay to win. And I said micro transactions were one path - though I see them trying both paths they could potentially just do that one.

Actually I would argue that WoT is pay to reduce grind. The most effective way to spend money in Wot is to subscribe.

I think there are some very strong limits to how aggressive WoTC can be in monetisation. The game is relatively cloneable and by people other than WoTC. WoTC depends a lot on the brand image. This is a difference with video game. You can kill a game in the video game world by aggressive monetisation but come back with a near identical tile and start the process again with a different studio.
If WoTC does too much damage to the brand image it is pretty much dead.

 

[Oofta]

They will try to sell things that people want. The horror.

They're still going to sell books and swag just like they do now. DndBeyond is already a subscription model with so-called microtransactions in the form of buying new content and customized dice or cool looking character sheets. I could potentially see some more options there, things like a customized character portrait generated by an AI or other things we haven't thought of yet. I don't see dramatic changes there though.

The VTT will be where they see the most opportunity to sell people small shiny bits. There will probably a free version, a subscription version, visual add-ons and map packs. Just like every other VTT out there. They've already stated that there will be map packs with assets (that you can reuse) for published modules. You'll likely be able to just purchase the map packs and assets without purchasing the module just like you can buy just parts of books on DDB now.

Most of the new revenue is going to be game adjacent with movies, toys, other related products. When it comes to the physical game product, I could see them giving people DDB with the physical product although how that would work is still open to speculation.

 

[FrogReaver]

Actually I would argue that WoT is pay to reduce grind. The most effective way to spend money in Wot is to subscribe.

I think there are some very strong limits to how aggressive WoTC can be in monetisation. The game is relatively cloneable and by people other than WoTC. WoTC depends a lot on the brand image. This is a difference with video game. You can kill a game in the video game world by aggressive monetisation but come back with a near identical tile and start the process again with a different studio.
If WoTC does too much damage to the brand image it is pretty much dead.

It’s also pay for less grind. Then there’s the paid ammo that is pay to win.

 

[BookTenTiger]

Pay 99 cents for a +1 on that d20 roll, or $2.00 for a natural 20.

 

[FrogReaver]

I think there are some very strong limits to how aggressive WoTC can be in monetisation. The game is relatively cloneable and by people other than WoTC. WoTC depends a lot on the brand image. This is a difference with video game. You can kill a game in the video game world by aggressive monetisation but come back with a near identical tile and start the process again with a different studio.
If WoTC does too much damage to the brand image it is pretty much dead.

I agree here. I just don’t think all content and our vtt play for 5 dollars per month is aggressive monetization - and such a model has a lot of customer value and spreads the monetization around. Is that the one they go with. Not sure but I think it’s likely a top contender and more importantly it shows a way they can drastically increase monetization with increasing the amount the dm spends and for a fairly minor buy in on the player side.

 

[MGibster]

It's not just merchandise. Their CEO said she wants "the type of recurrent spending you see in digital games."

When I think of the type of recurrent spending we see in digital games the words abusive and exploitative immediately pop into my head. When a CEO tells me they want to emulate an industry with exploitive and abusive practices it sets off alarm bells for me.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Exchanging books, media and merchandise for legal tender.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

It’s also pay for less grind. Then there’s the paid ammo that is pay to win.

I never paid for the paid ammo, I do not know if anyone does. (Expect by accident once or twice). You can buy it for silver.

 

[renbot]

The VTT will just charge you for outside the base aspects for models.

Your Tabaxi glaive echo knight fighter will cost 5 bucks each for the tabaxi head, snow leapard skin, glaive weapon, cape, and echo effect.
Then if you want to import that to the MMO and tactics game, that $25 dollars each unless you have DNDB Premium.

No one will laugh at human longsword fighters ever again.

Sure they will. They will mock them for being cheap.

 

[Reynard]

Pay 99 cents for a +1 on that d20 roll, or $2.00 for a natural 20.

Some friends and I run a competitive multi-table charity event every year at a regional con and basically use microtransactions like this to raise money for sick kids. It's highly effective in that context, but I doubt it is broadly applicable.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I said they take away Sharing.

Ok. I clarify. Who with anything resmebling knowledge of wotc insider information or the furure does say that.
What you say is completely irrelevant to my answer to @Retreater.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Part of this is as he reminded - they want to monetize D&D One like a video game with reoccurring spending.

The other part is they talked about 80% of the player base not being monetized or being under monetized. So they will do something to try to monetize that segment. Eliminating sharing or requiring a paid subscription from players for it and micro transactions are the only real paths to monetize these players.

So this is still jumping to a conclusion.

It is not the only path. And maybe not even the best. It is one of many possibilities.

It is quite possible that you can still share all the books you own.
But maybe you can also chose an option to not buy books, but just pay a monthly fee to gain access to certain books, which is not sharable.

 

[FrogReaver]

So this is still jumping to a conclusion.

It is not the only path. And maybe not even the best. It is one of many possibilities.

It is quite possible that you can still share all the books you own.
But maybe you can also chose an option to not buy books, but just pay a monthly fee to gain access to certain books, which is not sharable.

I’m game. Name another possibility that aligns with those statements.

What other ways can d&d one monetize the 80% other than micro transactions or paid subscription or some combination of the 2?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I’m game. Name another possibility that aligns with those statements.

What other ways can d&d one monetize the 80% other than micro transactions or paid subscription or some combination of the 2?

Sorry. I don't take that bait.
Jump to any conclusion you like. You might be right in the end. But it is not the only option.