New Metrics to Measure the Industry By

[Maggan]

It's Charles Ryan's job to tell you D&D is doing better than ever in situations up to and including the WotC offices being on fire while he's typing from a smoke-choked cubicle.

And your job, mysterious stranger on the Internet, seems to be to point this out to us. Again, and again, and again, and ...

/M

 

[eyebeams]

And your job, mysterious stranger on the Internet, seems to be to point this out to us. Again, and again, and again, and ...

/M

. . . until you collectively apply some consumer skepticism.

 

[kenobi65]

. . . until you collectively apply some consumer skepticism.

Hey, I never said that "sales are great, because Charles Ryan says so." I said, "Charles Ryan says that D&D sales are great." Of course, he may well be putting spin on it. Duh. But there's a difference between spin and flat-out lying.

All I was doing is pointing out to Sholari, who stated flatly that "sales are bad", that not everyone agrees with that statement, and some companies' sales may well not be bad.

 

[nyrfherdr]

That data is plenty actionable just not to all gaming companies. For instance, what activities can WOTC or GAMA do to aid with group formation, new player recruitment, DM satisfaction levels, etc. I'd argue there is a good deal that can be done to move the needle on those things very cost effectively. However, everyone is so laser-focused on the direct sales numbers that they miss the big picture. I'd say if you look at the lifetime value of the average D&D consumer, it has the potential to be quite substantial.

SNIP.

Sholari,
I was a bit busy and didn't see this feedback until now. I never said that action couldn't be taken. The challenge with your 'survey' concept is what actions should be taken. Surveys have to be very carefully constructed to insure that the actions you are planning will garner the results you expect. This gets expensive.

Then you list a lot of things you would do, but there is no evidence that your actions would generate the results you expect. Since you don't have specific actionable data from your surveys, you have decided what needs to be done without the data you need to support it. That's OK and many businesses do that, but you are no longer doing what the community is asking for, you are doing what you think the community needs.

I think you have some good ideas, don't get me wrong, but to spend money on this stuff you have to be pretty darn sure of the results you are going to get. Taking big financial risks have some serious drawbacks if they fail. Including tanking otherwise healthy companies.

If this was inexpensive or easy, we'd all be rolling in money. It is neither inexpensive nor is it easy. I have seen WOTC (and its predecessors) try some of the things you have suggested with questionable results. Once burned, twice shy...

Just more ramblings of the nyrfherdr
Game ON!

 

[Sholari]

Sholari,
Since you don't have specific actionable data from your surveys, you have decided what needs to be done without the data you need to support it. That's OK and many businesses do that, but you are no longer doing what the community is asking for, you are doing what you think the community needs.

In all honesty, that's a fair comment. I don't have a bunch of detailed data, though, I really wish I did. I have my intuition, my professional opinion, and evidence I see on the street. I just hope someone out there whether that be GAMA or WOTC is looking at the long term metrics, as well as direct short term sales.

I do know that things like new player recruitment, group formation, and group activity level are important activities to promote. Elevated levels of these activities will likely create more sales for everybody. If you look at the gamer lifecycle as a process, the ideal case would be a huge pipeline of new recruits, seamless group formation, a high level of gaming activity within groups, and perfect retention. Although this isn't feasible in the real world, to the extent that you can minimize constraints and obstacles to these things you would have a much bigger resevoir of gaming activity, which in turn would lead to sales. For example, what are the constraints to bringing new people into gaming... is it social stigma, is it the price point to try it out, is it difficulty finding a group, is it complexity of the rules, etc. If we could identify the top three than we can figure out what to do about it and see if we can move the needle on new player recruitment.

The real competition isn't within the gaming industry, it is with other forms of leisure activity outside of the gaming industry. As an industry gaming needs to be a lot more streamlined and be in better fighting weight to take on these other competitors. As they are improving a lot more quickly than the gaming industry as a whole.

 

[nyrfherdr]

SNIP
The real competition isn't within the gaming industry, it is with other forms of leisure activity outside of the gaming industry. As an industry gaming needs to be a lot more streamlined and be in better fighting weight to take on these other competitors. As they are improving a lot more quickly than the gaming industry as a whole.

Sholari,
I agree with you. Your points are valid. I think that everyone, especially WOTC is trying to discover ways to do exactly what you are suggesting. Not everyone will agree on the approach, however. It is a moving target after all. If I knew what to do, I'd be selling my idea to the various marketing departments for fat loads of cash.

Based on my conversations with current and previous Marketing people in WOTC, that is exactly how they spend their time. Figuring out how to drive growth in the community.

I hope you can get some time to talk to them yourself. They really do want your ideas and feedback. (other companies too, although the marketing people are often the sales people, design people, etc.)

Just more ramblings from the nyrfherdr.
Game ON!

 

[Maggan]

. . . until you collectively apply some consumer skepticism.

Which is, I believe, a true Sisyfos task.

But wait, look at it like this: many gamers thinks that WotC will collapse and go bancrupt any second now (for any unsubstantiated pet reason), and at the same time many gamers think WotC is doing fine (also for any unsubstantiated pet reason).

On an average, the collective "we" have a healthy scepticism. So your task is done, and you can retire to your luxury mansion to reap the rewards of your altruistic actions.

/M