WotC New D&D survey from WotC as part of the 50th anniversary year.

[Reynard]

I haven't read the whole thread but what happened with this survey that got everyone's back up?

 

[Scribe]

I am really asking you some honest questions. Do you know how stock market works. Why companies are having shareholders? Why shareholders lend companies their money?
Why people don't put their money under their pillow?

Very much so. D&D/Wizards/Hasbro made an outsized profit off the backs of a VERY small group of people for 5e. I hope they got a fat bonus, and it didn't all just get funneled back to Hasbro to be paid out as dividends.

That's all.

 

[MoonSong]

I haven't read the whole thread but what happened with this survey that got everyone's back up?

WotC asking if we hated them reminded people that they made plenty of bad things last year to actually hate them.

And the poll asking that question got removed quickly.

 

[mamba]

Nah, I'm not talking about the May date. I'm talking about the original statements that they would all be released during the 50th anniversary.

they are, not sure when they started pointing out that the anniversary is not 1/1/24 to the end of the year however

Unless you think they 100% grossly incompetent idiots the plan was to have all 3 books come out in the year of the anniversary.

I have no idea what the original plan was

Then things slowed down at about the same time that they let people go during development.

either they were way behind by then already, or things would not have slipped this much yet, the people are barely out the door yet.

So not sure what your basis for this one is, or how you measure WotC’s progress. I’d say if anything delayed the release, it was the OGL debacle

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Very much so. D&D/Wizards/Hasbro made an outsized profit off the backs of a VERY small group of people for 5e. I hope they got a fat bonus, and it didn't all just get funneled back to Hasbro to be paid out as dividends.

That's all.

Ok. That seems reasonable.

But don't forget that those 5 people were allowed to keep D&D alive because someone trusted them and gave them money 2 years before it might possibly make money. And books had to be printed before they make a single cent of money. There was some risk involved that all the money was lost.
And that money could have bought other things. People who invested in hasbro could have bought real estate or something else.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Nah, I'm not talking about the May date. I'm talking about the original statements that they would all be released during the 50th anniversary. Unless you think they 100% grossly incompetent idiots the plan was to have all 3 books come out in the year of the anniversary.

Then things slowed down at about the same time that they let people go during development.

I guess it was apparent way before the layoffs that they won't hit the dates. I think the OGL debacle had more of an impact. But your guess is as good as mine in that regard.

 

[Scribe]

Ok. That seems reasonable.

But don't forget that those 5 people were allowed to keep D&D alive because someone trusted them and gave them money 2 years before it might possibly make money. And books had to be printed before they make a single cent of money. There was some risk involved that all the money was lost.
And that money could have bought other things. People who invested in hasbro could have bought real estate or something else.

Do you believe the runaway success of 5e, has made them outsized profits?

Yes, some risk. Yes, it could have been lost. Yes, there was some initial outlay of capital. This is not in question. Yes it could have bought land, homes, and Hasbro could go from a gaming/toy company to a predatory real-estate flipping company, yes, yes.

Did 5e make an outsized return on its investment? Seems likely.
Were those 5 staff compensated or was most of that profit returned to Hasbro, to be paid out to shareholders.

I bet the latter, far more than the former.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Do you believe the runaway success of 5e, has made them outsized profits?

I don't know what you mean here.. Maybe a language barrier.

Yes, some risk. Yes, it could have been lost. Yes, there was some initial outlay of capital. This is not in question. Yes it could have bought land, homes, and Hasbro could go from a gaming/toy company to a predatory real-estate flipping company, yes, yes.

Not hasbro. The shareholders could have invested in those things.
Hasbro could have produced more different toys.

Did 5e make an outsized return on its investment? Seems likely.

Yes.

Were those 5 staff compensated or was most of that profit returned to Hasbro, to be paid out to shareholders.

I guess they were paid quite well.

I bet the latter, far more than the former.

The question is to what extend. People who buy shares have chosen to invest their hard earned money. It could have bought them other things.

 

[Scribe]

The question is to what extend. People who buy shares have chosen to invest their hard earned money. It could have bought them other things.

I mean if you are asking if I support the current model of our stock market driven western world, even as yes I participate in it, the answer would be no, so perhaps we are wasting our time.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I mean if you are asking if I support the current model of our stock market driven western world, even as yes I participate in it, the answer would be no, so perhaps we are wasting our time.

The alternative would be that people who have a good idea but no money behind it have no chance at all. Need to borrow money from rich people who will take a big percentage out of everything you earn.
The stock market allows not so rich people to invest in good ideas.

That said, probably that is only the original idea and what we have now is some abberation of it. But the original principle is actually quite democratic.