Pathfinder 1E I get the feeling Paizo isn't worried about Wizards of the Coast.

[ForeverSlayer]

5e could hit Paizo hard. Really hard. The company has been growing at a steady pace buoyed by heavy sales. If WotC starts taking back sales that might lead to belt tightening at Paizo as they have to trim staff they can no longer support. But I don't think they're in danger of going under any more.

Your right it could, but what I've found out by talking with a lot of my fellow society players, people play Pathfinder for Pathfinder. You aren't going to find Pathfinder in Next, in 4th edition, and even in 3rd edition. If I want a game of Pathfinder, or even 3rd edition, I am going to play those particular games. I'm not going to buy a game like Next and attempt to morph it into a likeness of either of those two games. That is one of the main reasons I think Next is going to fail because instead of playing a game that attempts to mimic certain editions, you can just go and actually play the edition you are trying to mimic.

I also look at Pathfinder and Paizo as giving you the equipment to play a game of baseball (the rules), while at the same time, giving you plenty of field (the AP's and modules) to play the game on. Basically all you have to do is bring your own players and they provide the rest.

 

[DEFCON 1]

That is one of the main reasons I think Next is going to fail because instead of playing a game that attempts to mimic certain editions, you can just go and actually play the edition you are trying to mimic.

So what metrics are you going to invent for yourself to determine that Next has failed in your mind? Certain sales goals? How many years before they start working on 6E? If you just don't like the game?

I'm fascinated by how you intend to self-fulfill this prophecy of yours. LOL.

 

[DaveMage]

As I have said before I think the thing that tordepoed 4e book sales the most was DDi. Back before DDi the people I played with bought 4e books, well mainly the PHB. But once DDi hit, especially the character builder, then it was a whole new game. Suddenly the paper books were obsolete. With DDi your didn't even need a book to play the game. When you made your character with the CB and printed out the character sheet then everything you needed to play your character was on those sheets. Ever power and magic item was completely described.

On top of that you didn't even need your own account. Just log into your friend's account and update your character a few minutes before the session and you were good to go.

Then on top of that those that did have there own accounts didn't need to keep them at all time since the CB was usable offline and you only had to renew the account a couple times a year to get updates. This changed when the CB went to an online system only, except that the old offline CBs were still out there and clever fans still update it.

All of this lead to lower sales then I am sure WotC expected. And this is for the people that actually liked the game. Then those that didn't like it stopped being consumers as well.

While this is possible, Pathfinder's rules are all online for free. That doesn't seem to have had a crippling effect on their book sales. (Now, granted, Paizo's sales requirements and WotC's sales requirements are likely not on the same scale.)

 

[fjw70]

DDi and the PRD are two very different things. The PRD does not let you make a few clicks and the let you print off a CS with everything your character needs. The PRD is just n alternate version of the book that needs to be referenced and most people would rather reference a book during play than a website.

You can use the PRD to create a DDi like CS for your character but that would take a lot more effort.

And as you said PF and 4e probably had very different expectation for books sales. It's possible that 4e outsold PF in number of rulebooks and Paizo is very happy with their numbers and WotC are very disappointed with their numbers.

 

[DEFCON 1]

It's possible that 4e outsold PF in number of rulebooks and Paizo is very happy with their numbers and WotC are very disappointed with their numbers.

Or that they were very happy with their numbers, and they realize they can maintain those WotC-like levels by releasing a new edition rather than trying to wring out more sales of obscure splatbooks of the old one.

If WotC sold hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of copies of the core 3E, 3.5, and 4E books every five years... why on earth would we think they wouldn't do so again with another edition? If people buy them, then they will produce them and sell them.

It's only us message board people who get all up in arms about it... apparently because we're the only ones incapable of saving $3 bucks a month over the five years to eventually pay for the next set of books.

 

[athos]

It's only us message board people who get all up in arms about it... apparently because we're the only ones incapable of saving $3 bucks a month over the five years to eventually pay for the next set of books.

Wow... snarky much?

Someone likes something different than you so they are either poor or cheap?

Grow up.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Wow... snarky much?

Someone likes something different than you so they are either poor or cheap?

Grow up.

So long as people on the boards here keep using "WotC's making me buy a new set of books" as their reasoning for why the company sucks or why D&D has failed... I don't think my reasoning is that far off the mark.

Once they stop using that excuse to run down Wizards and D&D... I'll stop pointing it out.

 

[billd91]

Once they stop using that excuse to run down Wizards and D&D... I'll stop pointing it out.

Meh. People can run down Wizards for any reason that works for them. What's the point of "pointing" out anything other than to start unnecessary arguments?

 

[ForeverSlayer]

So what metrics are you going to invent for yourself to determine that Next has failed in your mind? Certain sales goals? How many years before they start working on 6E? If you just don't like the game?

I'm fascinated by how you intend to self-fulfill this prophecy of yours. LOL.

I knew when I saw 4th edition that it wouldn't last and now I see the same thing with next, it's sort of a knack I have.

Next is too busy trying to do what full versions do better. It's trying to give you a little feel from past editions and I feel that's not going to keep enough people interested. WoTc has already shot themselves in the foot re-releasing the old editions. Now, if you want that old skool feel, you just go and buy that old skool product that is now readily available.

If I'm wrong then I'm wrong, but I feel this edition will fail.

 

[Umbran]

Meh. People can run down Wizards for any reason that works for them.

Yes, but it would help if that reason were, well, reasonable, wouldn't it?

You don't generally get entertainment for free. Hobbies, in general, cost money. Such is life.