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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Steel_Wind" data-source="post: 3695894" data-attributes="member: 20741">This is the most insightful comment on this thread, imo.If by "I" you mean "hardcore ENworlder" I am not sure what the answer to that question is. I would like to think that the mere presence of WotC staff on these forums is an indication that we are still "relevant" to WotC, but I don't think that is always true. I think the answer is "it depends".I recall an interview with Erik Mona on Mortality Radio about three years back. I think at the time his take on the hardcore gamer was that they were extremely hard to please, critical to a fault and a pain in the ass to deal with.... but that their presence and support gave you a guaranteed minimum sales base.  The guaranteed sales base  permitted you to do certain things on a business level with some wiggle room. Without that guaranteed sales base,  the risk inherent in your business venture goes up significantly.So - are we relevant to WotC's business of selling core rulebooks? No. I honestly don't think we are relevant to them at all when it comes to that.  That's a product that is mass marketed - and lifestyle gamers are not the mass market.But in the bigger scope, in terms of introducing new gamers to the hobby, maintaining a minimum sales level to keep FLGS's open - and to buy non-core rule products at a level that ensures a certain level of profit, yes, I think we remain relevant.Taken for granted perhaps - but relevant.The problem is - when it comes to new editions and new business models designed to reach new customers - our relevance is minimal.In the end, we are not the engine that drives this car - we are merely the seat belt that will save their ass should it crash.</blockquote>

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