If Hasbro Pulls the Plug....

[Pilgrim]

Quite honestly, I don't think it would matter much to me if the game got pulled. Matter of fact, as crazy as it sounds, I could see it possibly being a good thing if the game was put in moratorium for a while.

Let people step back from all the edition warring, the personal bias, and just enjoy what is previously or currently available. Let several years roll by without everyone getting in a tizzy over what the "next edition" may or may not hold. Not to mention it would be nice to do away with the revolving edition door, which is quickly driving me away from D&D in general anyhow.

Of late, I've somewhat already reached a breaking point with "D&D". I've grow tired and weary of the constant need for WotC/Hasbro to revamp, evolve, and change the system for the sake of business. I know it is somewhat standard for businesses to do that, but with D&D I just don't care to keep taking that ride.

So if the game got dropped, it might be a bit sad to see it come to that, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit to also being more than a little relieved.

I think there are more than enough games available for people to jump into to take D&D's place if it comes down to it. My guess would be that Paizo would take the place as top dog with Pathfinder.

 

[Mark CMG]

No offense to Paizo or Pathfinder fans, but without 4e or a 5e that builds on 4e's framework, I and I suspect a majority if not all 4e players WILL NOT switch to Pathfinder. It has too many issues for us and just doesn't do what we want it to do over the long run.

4e is my D&D. If Hasbro stops supporting it, I will probably use the OGL, strip out WotC's IP and trademarks, and publish it as an OGL game. There is nothing in 4e mechanics wise that is not derivative of 3e.

No offense to 4E fans who wouldn't switch but I think PF fans would prefer not having 4E fans switch and begin demanding 4E-like elements be added to PF. I suspect if D&D were shelved as a brand most 4E fans woudl switch to something else and those producing what they could under the GSL (would would actually, likely be revoked, since it can be unlike the OGL) as well as those producing 4E material under the OGL (a very difficult prospect, as anyone who looked into would tell you) would find an ever-dwindling fanbase for which to produce 4E-like material. The IP holders of 4E went to great lengths to ensure trying to produce 4E materials under the OGL would be an extremely difficult endeavor.

 

[Mark CMG]

Oh, and I agree with those that believe that what we will see might not be officially titled 5E but rather be something on the order of a 40th anniversary game that attempts to incorporate traditional D&D sensibilities more closely into a game with more modern RPG game mechanics, and will possibly try and move the artwork into some blend of old and new as well. Timing this with June 2013 or Gen Con of that year, on the virtual eve of the fortieth year of D&D, makes a lot of sense. Some have suggested names like Ultimate D&D but I think just calling it Dungeons & Dragons with no addendum or prefix makes more sense. There would be no confusion in the marketplace regarding it and the 1974 edition. I think it's detractors and even some who feel the need to distinguish it from previous versions will call it 5E and that those who are more vehement about it's perceived marginalization will use this as provocation for edition warring. And the cycle will continue.

 

[Aberzanzorax]

Wrong?! Wrong?!I'll show you wrong!

Now that's wrong!

The Auld Grump, apropos of nothing, really... other than wrong!

CLEARLY wrong. Those sheep should be made of mutton!

 

[Aberzanzorax]

If Hasbro pulled the plug, I'd be very sad.



Now, I do think it'd do wonders for Paizo and Pathfinder going forward...make them the de-facto inheritors of D&D.

I also think 4e would not die....there would be some sort of clone or clones that would support it (possibly with better adventures than we currently have for 4e). I'm thinking maybe a hackmaster type deal from Kenzer Co or something from Goodman.



So, on the one hand, I think it could possibly be better for both major versions of the game we currently have (no offense to old schoolers here).



On the other hand, I worry that it would be bad for D&D overall, and the size (breadth and depth) of the market.

I doubt we'd see D&D in Target ever again, for instance. No one would have uber $$$ to back up a substantial marketing campaign that required $$$.


On the other, other hand (WHAT? YOU don't have three hands?) I think that if Hasbro pulled the plug on D&D the TTRPG, they'd still try to profit from the IP. I'd expect more boardgames, maybe movies/tv shows, etc....and MAYBE, just maybe, in 10-20 years a totally new version at a time that the market is just begging for it...potentially reinvigorating D&D (once again) for a new generation as we have seen for the Transformers franchise recently. I also wonder if a "rest" from the market might allow for a less "nerds only" marketing perspective/public view of the game.


So it could be good, and bad, and maybe later good again.

But, being totally sincere, it would make me sad. Almost like when I heard a friend's dog had died. Not a good feeling at all.

 

[Therise]

BLASPHEMY! VIENNA SAUSAGES?

Of -course- they're Vienna sausages. Roman Catholic.

 

[Aeolius]

I agree with those who have stated that the plug has already been pulled. The last time I walked into a gaming store to look for D&D products was the day 4e was released.

For the past 4 years, I have been running my weekly 3.5e D&D game. With luck, I will be running it for at least four more. If all of my gaming materials mysteriously disappeared and I had to begin from scratch, I would no doubt move to Pathfinder.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

CLEARLY wrong. Those sheep should be made of mutton!

Those aren't sheep, they're clearly wiener dogs.

 

[Aberzanzorax]

Touche, sir.



Touche.





Then I guess there's NOTHING wrong in that picture....oh Auldgrump.

 

[William Ronald]

BTW they need to continue to publish a 'D&D' RPG at least every 5 years in order to keep the trade mark rights safe, at least in UK & EU TM law. Given that 'D&D' is often used generically to mean 'RPG', it would be very dangerous to Hasbro's IP portfolio to stop publishing an actual RPG that is 'D&D'.

Hasbro might be required to do something by the law, but it could just release something with a few minor changes and meet the requirements of the trade mark law. (I am not sure how it works here in the US.) So, they could put something out i with a very small run.

I suspect that US copyright law is different, as Hasbro has held on to some properties like GI Joe and Jem and the Holograms for years and not do much with them.

I would be sad to see Dungeons and Dragons put on the shelf, but it has happened to other properties.