New D&D Mini Fails and then...

[Felon]

They oughta just make a tender offer for HeroClix already.

Just think: if they got HeroClix, they'd then have an incentive to develop a good superhero RPG.

 

[Quantarum]

So you are saying that WotC sets the target profit number. Either way there is a profit number that needs to be met. Its not a matter of making or losing money but meeting a target profit amount set by someone. If WotC sets the number so be it, but WotC will be working under some sort of target number set by Hasbro. If WotC doesn't meet the target number then they will cancel whatever is dragging the overall number down whether it is making a profit or not.

Corporate sets the numbers, but essentially correct. In reality it's unlikely there is more than a handful of people at Hasbro's corporate who have any idea what WotC is putting out, it's simply too small a chunk of their total assets. I work for GE and I can tell you it's a long, bureaucracy-choked path to get anywhere close to the corporate offices. Most of the decisions that directly affect us are made at our subdivision HQ a few states away.

-Q.

 

[the Jester]

Actually, a plastic + decal token (akin to a poker-chip) would be dirt cheap to make, and allow for tiny-gargantuan sizes, plenty of artwork, and could be made by the dozens for pennies on the dollar.

I'm not sure, but you may be underestimating the cost of the art.

I really don't know enough to speculate on the cost of development of things like counters. Shrug. But I love my minis and vastly prefer 3D props when I don't have an appropriate miniature to use.

 

[rgard]

Let's define failure...<SNIP>

WotC really isn't a big financial part of Hasbro, so they can still afford to experiment with the DDM line.

Like when they recently 'experimented' with staffing levels.

 

[Jhaelen]

If the minis line tanked for some reason, I'm pretty sure we'd see a line of Monster Tiles made similarly to WotC's Dungeon Tiles.

Yep. Aren't they already doing this, btw.?

IIRC, both the 4E D&D Starter Set and the upcoming 'Against the Giants' megamodule include monster counters. I could totally see myself using those, if they stopped producing minis (and I needed something to represent a monster I didn't already have as a mini).

 

[Dragon Snack]

If the next iteration of DDM fails WotC will just morph it into something else. According to their own research (although very dated now), people that buy miniatures will spend FAR more on their gaming than those who don't. They have do something to tap into the market...

2. Reaper gets a license.

I hope not, but I don't think it's going to happen anyway. Not only does Reaper not have enough money to pay what WotC would want, they don't need to pay it.

It's also funny that as much as people want to proclaim Reaper's LE prepaints dead, they're missing the 2 Reaper lines that have failed*...

Exalted and Lot5R. Both licensed lines, both not renewed, both unavailable.

*Shadow Corps was sold.

 

[AllisterH]

re: WOTC's importance to HASBRO

I'm not sure WOTC is that insignificant. Well, when compared to other subsidaries, remember they did push both Avalon Hill and Heroscape to WOTC so someone at corporate must know about WOTC.

Reading Hasbro's wiki entry, given that Hasbro directly manages GI Joe and Transformers now, (no more Kenner subdivision), wouldn't the only subsidary as large as WOTC be the board game ones like PB and MB?

re: Reaper's plastic line
As long as I can get the not so common but not unique monsters like things like Xorns and Bulettes, I'm willing to give it a chance...