KQ interview with J. Goodman

[Jack99]

I was commenting on how it was possible to make a buck from 1E players, for many years after 1E fell by the wayside.

Unless your friends numbered in the thousands, I doubt you could make a living of it, which was the point, since it was in responce to someone finding it funny that GG was doing 4e when he prefers another edition.

Also, making a buck of 1e is not quite the same as making a buck of 1e players.

 

[ggroy]

Unless your friends numbered in the thousands, I doubt you could make a living of it, which was the point, since it was in responce to someone finding it funny that GG was doing 4e when he prefers another edition.

Also, making a buck of 1e is not quite the same as making a buck of 1e players.

These days I would certainly agree it would be hard to make a buck from 1E players and 1E AD&D itself.

Though back in the early days of 2E (ie. from 1989 to 1993/1994), it was still possible for TSR to make some bucks from 1E players with some of the 2E fluff-heavy/crunch-lite splatbooks, and some of the 2E Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk stuff. By the time it was 3E/3.5E, very few of my hardcore 1E AD&D friends bought any "new" D&D stuff. Even my friends who were hardcore 1E/2E Forgotten Realms fans, they largely stopped buying any FR books. They didn't like the direction 3E FR was going.

So even back in 2000-2001, I would probably agree with the assertion that it was hard to make a buck from 1E players, or for that matter 1E AD&D in general. But I disagree with this assertion for the years 1989 to 1993/1994. Between 1995 and 1999, I don't know enough to say one way or the other.

 

[ssampier]

Great interview.

I think it is interesting that Mr. Goodman does not play 4e. Or, at least, does not prefer 4.

Perhaps the fact that Mr Goodman does not play 4e lets him distance him himself from the game. He can then made hard business decisions. There's a saying, "Never sell the things you love."

Bad game stores are a popular meme. It's sort like people trying to convince you of the Easter bunny. I have a hard time believing a good one could exist.

The old The Bookshelf in Ogden, Utah was just okay. It was more of a bookstore-and-everything-else store anyway. I understand it has new owners, though.

 

[amethal]

Does at least one of these seem obvious?

It didn't at the time, but it does now.

Why is that all the interesting stories about D&D as a business never seem to get told? Everything's always tied up in NDAs, confidential out of court settlements and the like.

By the time everyone involved is too dead to sue, the audience will have gone too, so there'll be no reason to tell the stories anyway.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

The old The Bookshelf in Ogden, Utah was just okay. It was more of a bookstore-and-everything-else store anyway. I understand it has new owners, though.

Yes.

The old owner got an offer for the building it was in, and it was too good to pass up. He sold, and did a "going out of business" sale and retired, but what remained was sold to the manager who started up Bookshelf 2.0.
Considering that manager was someone I never considered a good businessman, it hasn't done all that well. Two months after the switchover, their gaming section had not had anything new in it.

Now back when Tim was running the place and the owner let him, it was a great place to get stuff (back in the 80's early 90's).

Ogden really doesn't have a great RPG place. HeebyJeebies sucks, and Game Grid is mostly a card/mini shop - although They do carry all the 4E stuff (just not much else in RPGs)... and besides I have to say good things about that place, a friend of mine owns it and that is where I get all my 4E books.

 

[Dire Bare]

I think it is interesting that Mr. Goodman does not play 4e. Or, at least, does not prefer 4. Perhaps the fact that Mr Goodman does not play 4e lets him distance him himself from the game. He can then made hard business decisions. There's a saying, "Never sell the things you love."

I should probably reread the interview, but I remember Goodman saying 4e was not his preferred edition. Actually, quite a bit different from saying he does not play 4e or enjoy 4e, it is just not his favorite.

I prefer 4e over prior editions . . . but I still play and enjoy 3e, and probably would play and enjoy earlier editions if other friends wanted to play.

 

[SteveC]

I think this is a great interview, largely because it represents an opinion from someone who really has some information on how the edition is selling. Most of what we see on this issue comes from a very small sample size, and beyond that is largely people projecting what they want to be true.

Does Goodman have the last word on it? Obviously not, but his opinion carries a lot more weight with me than someone who's just seeing it from buying (or not buying) product at a particular store.

--Steve

 

[Mark]

I think this is a great interview, largely because it represents an opinion from someone who really has some information on how the edition is selling. Most of what we see on this issue comes from a very small sample size, and beyond that is largely people projecting what they want to be true.

Does Goodman have the last word on it? Obviously not, but his opinion carries a lot more weight with me than someone who's just seeing it from buying (or not buying) product at a particular store.

--Steve

Well, let's be clear. Joseph has access to Goodman's numbers. I don't believe he can legally have access to WotC's numbers, or even share them if he did. I'm actually a bit surprised that he characterizes the impression of sales by retailers as "satisfied" which does not seem as enthusiastic as I would have hoped for an edition just a year out of the gate. I wonder if spreading the core material out over a few years (PH, 1, 2, 3, etc., DMG 1, 2, 3, etc.) has caused a whole different perception among retailers than the 3.XE era expectations engendered?

 

[mach1.9pants]

I wonder if spreading the core material out over a few years (PH, 1, 2, 3, etc., DMG 1, 2, 3, etc.) has caused a whole different perception among retailers than the 3.XE era expectations engendered?

Very good point, and combined with DDi is certainly a better business model than selling heaps in the first year an bog all after.

 

[Mark]

Very good point, and combined with DDi is certainly a better business model than selling heaps in the first year an bog all after.

I often forget to consider how the DDI might be either increasing print sales due to tempting people with info, bits and pieces or decreasing print sales because it gives away too much.