If Wizards of the Coast went out of business

[Ghendar]

Not in the first year, no... But over the course of years and decades, they will if D&D is gone.

While I agree that the gamer base would diminish, there are still people out there playing OD&D, Menzter D&D, 1st ED, and 2nd ED. There would also still be people playing 3rd ED.

There will always be gamers available, albeit a smaller pool, but to say they will all vanish is inaccurate.

 

[kigmatzomat]

*isn't sure he wants to know what the Wall of Sound is...*

Thanks for making me feel old.

You see, it's a pun based on confusing Phil Spector and Warren Spector into one person.

Warren Spector is a game designer (Spelljammer & Toon) that went into computer games.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Spector

Phil Spector is/was a music producer who had a trademark sound known as "wall of sound" that involved lots of instruments and an echo chamber.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_of_Sound


Wall of Sound is also an appropriate name for a spell, probably of 5th level or higher.

 

[pawsplay]

If WotC did go under, I think there would be a void to fill that might allow more companies to pick up full time employees. And definitely, the people are already freelancing in their spare time could probably find more work. While it would be bad for the full time employee, it wouldn't mean the end of the industry. Conversely, with the 800 pound gorilla down for the count, it might be a good time to be a writer-self-publisher.

 

[Nellisir]

That assumes that those ex-WotC designers will stay in the industry at all.

WotC is one of the few companies able to pay game designers a living wage. They can actually write game books enough money so that they don't have to work at a second job at the same time!

And the only other company that might be able to do that at the moment is White Wolf, and even they make heavy use of freelancers. I rather suspect that if WotC closes shop, many of these people will say: "Bugger this for a game of soldiers" and move on to other industries. Maybe a few of them will return to writing game books as a hobby, but their output will go through the floor.

I did say "financing", right? Business acumen and -financing-. WW might be the only other company currently able to keep fulltime game designers on staff, but this wouldn't be a run-of-the-mill situation, nor would it likely be a permanent one.

If WotC suddenly went under, I have trouble seeing the bigger companies out there just shrugging their shoulders and carrying on as usual. There's a time to play safe, and a time to risk a little bit. That'd be the time to risk it a little bit. Slam out a few emails, make a few phone calls, and see if you can get Mike Mearls, Andy Collins, Steve Kenson, and...someone else cool to sign on to write the new PH, DMG, and MM.

You don't have to hire them as employees; let them be freelancers. You just need them to be experienced, dependable, and fast. And a little name recognition wouldn't hurt.

The early bird would win.

 

[Mark CMG]

(. . .)there's no one to approve d20 license content which I guess means they're stuck using the SRD.

Assuming you mean "the OGL" and not "the SRD" it is worth pointing out that the d20 License does not require approval of materials prior to publication.

If Wizards goes down, so does the license to use the d20 System logo. They can revoke it or change the license at any time; it isn't the same as the perpetual OGL.

I see nothing in the d20 License that requires WotC to remain in business. WotC can terminate the license as a whole (or in regard to individual persons or companies using it), and WotC can change the license at their discretion, but barring either a termination or change, if Hasbro shut them down, there would seem to be no provision to bar continued usage of the license by anyone who properly follows it.

Strange.

 

[Nightfall]

Thanks for making me feel old.

Thanks for making me feel young then for a change!

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

I did say "financing", right? Business acumen and -financing-. WW might be the only other company currently able to keep fulltime game designers on staff, but this wouldn't be a run-of-the-mill situation, nor would it likely be a permanent one.

If WotC suddenly went under, I have trouble seeing the bigger companies out there just shrugging their shoulders and carrying on as usual. There's a time to play safe, and a time to risk a little bit. That'd be the time to risk it a little bit. Slam out a few emails, make a few phone calls, and see if you can get Mike Mearls, Andy Collins, Steve Kenson, and...someone else cool to sign on to write the new PH, DMG, and MM.

Actually, that's a perfect time to play it safe. After all, if the Big Guy in the gaming industry can't stay afloat, then why should they if they keep on relying on their RPG sales?

Now that White Wolf has been bought up by that Icelandic corporation, they would probably shift more of their staff to developing MMORPGs. Steve Jackson Games would probably shift their focus even more to board and card games - the "Munchkin" card game already produces most of their income. Other large gaming companies ("large" being defined as "can afford to hire more than one person as full-time staff") would take a long, hard look at their numbers - and downsize.

You don't have to hire them as employees; let them be freelancers. You just need them to be experienced, dependable, and fast. And a little name recognition wouldn't hurt.

The early bird would win.

Assuming that any worms are available to be caught at all. I mean, other companies simply can't afford to hire people for the conditions that WotC offers at the moment. There's simply too much of a difference in sales between WotC and anyone else.

And many of the long-lived second-tier RPG companies stayed long-lived precisely because they did not take any stupid risks...

 

[Nightfall]

Curse you Icelandic peoples and your "We don't wanna do d20 no more!!"

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

Curse you Icelandic peoples and your "We don't wanna do d20 no more!!"

Actually, that takeover was a recent affair - long after the decision to drop the Scarred Lands line was made.

AFAIK their current plans are to develop the (new) World of Darkness line into an MMORPG. I expect some funky social and economical dynamics in such a game - after all, we are talking about the same company that made EVE Online...

 

[Maggan]

I
If WotC suddenly went under, I have trouble seeing the bigger companies out there just shrugging their shoulders and carrying on as usual. There's a time to play safe, and a time to risk a little bit. That'd be the time to risk it a little bit. Slam out a few emails, make a few phone calls, and see if you can get Mike Mearls, Andy Collins, Steve Kenson, and...someone else cool to sign on to write the new PH, DMG, and MM.

You don't have to hire them as employees; let them be freelancers. You just need them to be experienced, dependable, and fast. And a little name recognition wouldn't hurt.

The early bird would win.

If there was a hypothetical situation where not even WotC, with two of the most visible and profitable brands in gaming (D&D and Magic), Hasbro's backing and the distribution deals that are in place and all else, couldn't stay afloat ...

... I think many, many people would be hesitant to take over.

My thoughts would be:

"Hey, maybe I can get hold of D&D!"

"Hmmmm ... wait a second ... if a multimillion dollar corporation with a full castof designers, editors, sales people and all that stuff, couldn't keep this thing going ... how could I?"

"Nah, I'll pass."

/M