If Hasbro Pulls the Plug....

[TheYeti1775]

On a personal level, probably not much.

I have everything already I need to play.

On the hobby scale, I think it would effect any influx of stranger newbies.
That is to say it isn't ones you invite, but the noobs that come to the boards in hopes of finding others newbies. Dead games rarely influence newcomers that aren't introduced by older players.

O and don't forget the nerdrage that would ignite if they did announce that.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

On the hobby scale, I think it would effect any influx of stranger newbies. That is to say it isn't ones you invite, but the noobs that come to the boards in hopes of finding others newbies. Dead games rarely influence newcomers that aren't introduced by older players.

I would love to know some actual statistics on entry into the hobby. That is, what percentage of gamers were "stranger newbies" that bought an RPG without influence from a friend (e.g., sitting in on a game, watching a game, recommendation/word-of-mouth, et cetera). I'm sure they exist, but I'd expect the percentage to be minuscule.

 

[Ahnehnois]

I would love to know some actual statistics on entry into the hobby. That is, what percentage of gamers were "stranger newbies" that bought an RPG without influence from a friend (e.g., sitting in on a game, watching a game, recommendation/word-of-mouth, et cetera). I'm sure they exist, but I'd expect the percentage to be minuscule.

I'd like to know those stats too. And I suspect the number would be small too.

 

[caudor]

If Hasbro pulls the plug then I think they deserve to make 25 million (or whatever D&D really brings in per year) LESS than they are now. Breaking WotC into pieces and then expecting each piece to generate 50 plus million a year is corporate gobbly-gook.

As for myself, I'm insulating myself from any possible plug-pulling by trying (for the first time in 30 years), a TRPG game other than D&D. Just decided this today after reading Ryan Dancey's comments.

I'm going to keep my 4e stuff in case things work out, but for now my active gameplay is going to Pathfinder. I hope Hasbro/WotC works things out, but I'm not waiting around for it this time.

 

[Virel]

I couldn't careless what WotC/Hasbro aka WizBro does or what happens to either company.

I'll keep playing AD&D as before.

Pathfinder is alright to and I would play that if AD&D wasn't an option.

 

[tylerthehobo]

Seconded. It's a valuable intellectual property - not happening.

 

[thedungeondelver]

"Hey, TheDungeonDelver! WOTC just pulled the plug on D&D!

...Delver?"

...

 

[El Mahdi]

Don't worry everybody, I can rig something up.

Does D&D run on 110 or 220?

 

[megamania]

What will folks do if Hasbro pulls the plug on D&D?


The Auld Grump

You mean they have not yet?

No Dragon / Dungeon magazines

No 3.5 support

Little 4e setting support

no more miniatures



I thought they HAD already given up on us. I have on them anyway.

 

[BryonD]

You cut to the quick, sir. 3e has sailed for WotC, something many of us agree with. It's not a slight on your edition of choice. I was simply prefacing my comment about WotC building on the current edition fan base, whom they still have.

I agree with you.

But I wonder, do you think WotC agrees with you? Do you think they see their current fan base as a adequate foundation to build up from? I'm not asking if it is reasonable or possible. I'm asking if you think they are content to focus on the bird in the hand and nurture that into growth? Or do you think they are more inclined to fixate on pure numbers that they think they might or even *should* have?

I recall a lot of comments when 4E came out talking about the massive number of WoW players and how those were a strong target market for new D&D players.* And a lot of 4E fans were very vocal that losing a segment of their existing base was a total non-issue because they were going to gain four new players for every one they lost.

Now it may be they they got burned once and learned their lesson. But is may also be that four years ago they thought they could make non-gamers into gamers so thinking now that all they have to do is bring back people who are known value gamers and used to be part of their fan base probably sounds like low hanging fruit. Again, I do think that would be a mistake and I hope they have learned. But it is easy for me to see how they would repeat the mistakes of the past.






* - I am NOT saying that 4E is WoW or that targeting WoW players meant making 4E be WoW.