I am
fascinated by this.
I think the possibilities for McWOD (as they are calling on RPGnet) break down as follows:
1) Monte Cook's WoD fiction
2) A d20 (or, much more likely OGL) version of the existing WoD 2.0
3) An OGL/d20 version of WoD 1.0
4) Monte's alternate (but, extremely likely, still SRD-based) "take" on the WoD concepts
Number 1 (McWODfic) is possible because Monte Cook was supposedly leaving RPG writing behind for fiction. On the other hand, it could've been complete or in progress before that announcement. WW is smart enough to have a profuct in the pipe and wait for the best possible market conditions, even if that wait was long.
Number 2 (McWOD 2.0) is, I think, the most likely of the 4.
Number 3 (McWOD 1.0) seems remote, but I (and many old school WoD fans) might welcome it under the right circumstances. WoD 1.0 has a substantial backlog of products that could be repackaged/converted. That product line could hit a new audience and be "new" again, sort of.
Number 4 (McWOD3E? Heh) is also possible, but this depends on whether Monte Cook approached WW with an idea, or if WW asked him. I don't think WW would ask for an "ultimatized" WoD (forgive the comics reference), but a creative guy like Monte Cook might've had an idea.
I think I, like many of us, would prefer it not be fiction, but a game product. Luckily, the anecdotal evidence here seems to suggest this:
DragonBelow said:
I went to ask on saturday at the WW booth in GenCon Socal, and was told by a lady which introduced herself as the Marketing Manager (or something similar to that) that the book would be D20, It will be Monte's last gaming book. (I thought Ptolus would be the last one but oh well).
Even if one doesn't really want to do the whole WoD thing, I'm sure many people would be anxious for new elements to inject into other OGL games. Also, I think MoogleEMpWog is right, if anyone could do translate the Mage metaphysic into game terms (something I'm not sure WW ever got totally right, though Phil Brucato did a lot with the ideas) it would probably be magic system/d20 crunch expert Monte Cook.
And I also agree that, yeah, while this really intrigues, I think I'd be way more intrigued by Monte Cook's Exalted. That is a game that needs the right system, and it might not be d20, but even a noble failure on that front would be more palatable to me than the current system.