Pathfinder 1E Is PAIZO becoming the next Wizards?

[Mark]

Huge depends on where you are standing.

Objects in a magic mirror are often nearer than you'd approve.

 

[CasvalRemDeikun]

Correct. "Huge" is a relative term. Compared to Hasbro the entirety of WotC is quite small.

But, compared to D&D, which certainly is the definition of "huge" as RPGs go, WotC itself is huge.

Hasbro >>> WotC >>> D&D >>> Paizo.
Huge depends on where you are standing.

I think you hit the nail on the head right there. Is it possible that somewhere down the line Paizo's operations could reach the size and scope of WotC's D&D Dept.? Absolutely. But WotC is so much more than just D&D. Besides just RPGs, they are responsible for(at least the development) the most successful CCG ever (at least in the US), as well as many very popular board games. And that doesn't even take into account that WotC is just a subsidiary company. Their parent company happens to be one of the biggest toy companies in the world. That adds a lot in terms of scope to WotC since they probably are given larger budgets than other RPG companies.

Although, I wonder what would happen if say, Mattel, decided they wanted to own Paizo, no ifs ands or buts about it. I bet something like that would put them on equal footing with WotC.

 

[ggroy]

Although, I wonder what would happen if say, Mattel, decided they wanted to own Paizo, no ifs ands or buts about it. I bet something like that would put them on equal footing with WotC.

If Paizo ever turned to the dark side, Paizo may not be the "old Paizo" anymore that many people have known and loved. There may be a turnover of the Paizo staff, that after a year or two none of the original Paizo staff are still working there. It mind as well be a completely different company by then.

 

[Waylander the Slayer]

Lisa has clearly stated that she does not want the staff size to grow beyond a certain size and scope where the company starts to loose it's personal touch and effectiveness (something that can be read up on in a few different studies as well as in "The Tipping Point. ").

 

[ggroy]

In the case where one or more of the large private shareholders of Paizo ends up dying unexpectedly (ie. auto accident, sudden heart attack, etc ...), hopefully the next person who owns enough of the company's private shares will also be a gamer type who understands the business.

I imagine they don't want to be in the situation of TSR, where the company had to deal with the Blume brothers having a majority share in TSR and later Lorraine Williams.

 

[Wayside]

You know, the fact that the Paizo CEO is a gamer like us who jumps into EnWorld threads and has substantial discussions without a Marketing Filter is just one more reason that I'm glad I play Pathfinder!

I don't know what posts you've been reading. Offhand the only company I can think of with active ENWorld posters who don't strain everything they say through a marketing filter is White Wolf. Then again, being blunt instead of cagey could also be part of their marketing strategy.

 

[MrGrenadine]

I don't know what posts you've been reading. Offhand the only company I can think of with active ENWorld posters who don't strain everything they say through a marketing filter is White Wolf.

Thats odd, because I often see posts free of marketing-speak from Paizo's leads in ENWorld threads. And other gaming companies as well. Must be the threads I read, (including this one).

Then again, being blunt instead of cagey could also be part of their marketing strategy.

Sorry, I'm confused. You don't think Paizo folks are posting to ENWorld, but if they are, then their comments are blunt, (or as I like to call it, open). And if they make blunt comments (which you haven't seen them do), as opposed to cagey comments, then thats just them being cagey by acting blunt.

Right?

 

[Wayside]

Thats odd, because I often see posts free of marketing-speak from Paizo's leads in ENWorld threads. And other gaming companies as well. Must be the threads I read, (including this one).

A marketing filter is not the same thing as marketing speak. There's very little in the way of marketing speak on these boards, luckily. Off the top of my head, the last thing I remember seeing was the guy eyebeams called out for his Mouse Guard "review."

Sorry, I'm confused. You don't think Paizo folks are posting to ENWorld, but if they are, then their comments are blunt, (or as I like to call it, open). And if they make blunt comments (which you haven't seen them do), as opposed to cagey comments, then thats just them being cagey by acting blunt.

Right?

Confused indeed. The antecedent of "their" in "Then again, being blunt instead of cagey could also be part of their marketing strategy" is White Wolf, not Paizo. If you've ever read Justin Achilli's old Vampire: The Masquerade writer's guidelines you'll know what I'm talking about.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

In the case where one or more of the large private shareholders of Paizo ends up dying unexpectedly (ie. auto accident, sudden heart attack, etc ...), hopefully the next person who owns enough of the company's private shares will also be a gamer type who understands the business.

I imagine they don't want to be in the situation of TSR, where the company had to deal with the Blume brothers having a majority share in TSR and later Lorraine Williams.

Do we need the

smiley?

As far as I know, everyone at Paizo is a gamer, so it seems there is nothing to worry about. Unless you worry about whether he's also business savy in general. I don't know about that...

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I still think Paizo are quite a way off becoming the next WotC.

Are they a successful company that makes great gaming products? Yes.
Are they anywhere near the size/sell as many copies of their products as WotC? I don't know for sure, but I highly doubt it.

So while Paizo are doing well, I still think they are a long way off being the big fish in the pond.

For Paizo to be more along the path to being the next WotC, they would need to do something like come up with their own RPG. Many people will state that Pathfinder RPG is just that. However I consider Pathfinder to just be a revised version of 3.5E.

Sure Paizo changed some things, but considering you can run 3.5E adventures and Pathfinder RPG adventures using either system with almost no changes required, I would say that they are still effectively the same system.

Does that mean that Pathfinder is a bad RPG? Not at all. It just means that it isn't a different game to 3.5E D&D (in my opinion at least).

And one important question that probably only Lisa Stevens can answer:

Does Paizo even want to be like WotC (in any regard)? I imagine the answer to most, if not all, of that question would be no.

Olaf the Stout