New GSL Announcement

[SSquirrel]

I cant believe I actually agree with JRT on something.

Yes Clark, but you can console yourself in knowing that it is only in immutable fact that you agree with him

 

[kunadam]

WotC eliminated much of the competition in the last decade or at least tied the competition to the D&D system. After that decade most of the surviving publishers that are tied to D&D are so dependant

What game were the competitors of WotC? I cannot name any.
Please note that an alternate PHB or even an a completly new systems is not necessary a competitor of WotC. Most people, who bought Connan, Iron Heroes, Aracan Evolved, True20 probably have the 3rd edition PHB (3.5 too). They are D&D players, who wanted a different flavour or just tried out a bit different system.

WoD from White Wolf? (not to mention WoD d20) It is a different genere. You either were a D&D player who happened to want something else for a change, or you never were into fantasy RPG and preferred modern horror. In non of the cases are there any competition for WotC.

This is what Monte Cook wanted to show to us, this is what probably many people at WotC do not understand any more.

There is no such thing as competition to D&D!​

 

[kalanijasmine]

What game were the competitors of WotC? I cannot name any.

There is no such thing as competition to D&D!​

Palladium Fantasy, GURPS, MERP/Rollmaster, Warhammer Fantasy, Legend of the 5 Rings....

These are all very different systems which competed with D&D directly for the fantasy RP market and have been very successful doing so. Nor are they the only games to have done so, but are simply the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

• GURPS and MERP faded into the background during the 90s, with GURPs still having some success, and MERP being replaced by the new LOTR RPG.
• Legend of the Five Rings was picked up by WoTC as their 3.0 Oriental Adventures Setting.
• Palladium Fantasy (and the rest of the Palladium System) and Warhammer Fantasy continue to do very well to this day, although their market-share has been eclipsed by D&D thanks to the success of the 3.X engine, or more accurately, the d20 OGL.

You have been corrected.

 

[see]

What game were the competitors of WotC? I cannot name any.

That's so sad. You see, you seem to have that odd form of illiteracy, so prevalent on the Internet, that leaves you capable of writing but not of reading.

You see, a bunch of D&D's competitors were named just a handful of posts earlier in the thread, and if you were literate, you could have read their names. As it is, since you can't read, it isn't even possible for me to tell you that they were mentioned just above.

I really hope someone comes up with a cure for your affliction, I really do.

 

[Plane Sailing]

That's so sad. You see, you seem to have that odd form of illiteracy, so prevalent on the Internet, that leaves you capable of writing but not of reading.

You see, a bunch of D&D's competitors were named just a handful of posts earlier in the thread, and if you were literate, you could have read their names. As it is, since you can't read, it isn't even possible for me to tell you that they were mentioned just above.

I really hope someone comes up with a cure for your affliction, I really do.

Now I don't know whether you meant this as humour or not, but you've been around long enough to know that being rude to other people here isn't allowed.

This thread is sensitive enough without adding in personal attacks, so don't post in this thread again.

 

[Tao]

with GURPs still having some success

Wait... you actually know someone who plays GURPS? Cause I heard there's only one active GURPS gaming group in the whole world and that they meet under the streets of Paris to play, but only on full moons.

Sorry... had to do it.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

Wait... you actually know someone who plays GURPS? Cause I heard there's only one active GURPS gaming group in the whole world and that they meet under the streets of Paris to play, but only on full moons.

Sorry... had to do it.

Given the mood - wouldn't that be Vampire or Werewolf (under the streets and under a full moon?)


Yeah, D&D is the industry leader, but that doesn't mean there aren't a lot of other stuff out there - I've been playing HERO for nearly 20 years... and I primarily GM Fantasy Hero.

I still play the odd occasional D&D game still though.

 

[jmucchiello]

Palladium Fantasy (and the rest of the Palladium System) and Warhammer Fantasy continue to do very well to this day, although their market-share has been eclipsed by D&D thanks to the success of the 3.X engine, or more accurately, the d20 OGL.

Um, the market share of all the systems you names, all the ones you forgot and all the systems in other genres do not add up the market share of D&D several times over. WotC calls a book selling 30k units disappointing. WoD books might sell that well and when they do, I doubt White Wolf is disappointed. This had nothing to do with the OGL, TSR's sales were also far better than any competitor's sales since the first D&D box release.

You have been corrected.

In the sense that you named competitors to D&D, yes. In the sense that WotC must care one iota what those competitors do in order to stay relevant, no. WotC, D&D specifically, is the 800 pound gorilla in the RPG market.

 

[Pale]

I thought that White Wolf had a larger share of the market towards the end of the Second Edition days.

 

[Pale]

In the sense that WotC must care one iota what those competitors do in order to stay relevant, no. WotC, D&D specifically, is the 800 pound gorilla in the RPG market.

So why do they seem to care what third-party publishers do with 3.5 OGL material? If there position is as secure as you make it out to be, why bother with the so-called "poison pill" clause at all?