No 4th Edition

[rgard]

4e will come at some point, of that there's no doubt.

WotC's expectations for profit from the line are probably artificially high, based on results from when 3e came out; the number of ever-less-useful things they're churning out of late speaks to trying to maintain an unrealistic bottom line. The gravy train runs a bit longer with 4e release.

But, if WotC - or whoever has the D+D brand after them - lowers their profit expectations to a more reasonable level, the long term will look much more promising. There's profit to be made in the game, unless you're run like 1990's-era TSR, but if profit x is there for the taking and you try to squeeze for profit x+y, things don't always go well.

I wonder...how many of us will end up buying some 4e product simply out of loyalty to the game and brand, with or without intention of ever using it?

Lanefan

How are you defining 'reasonable' level with respect to profit expectations?

Is it for example:

1. Loss?
2. Break even?
3. Break even plus $1?
4. Break even plus $5?
5. Break even plus $1,000?
6. Break even plus $1,000,000?

Pardon the sarcasm, but do you have any hard numbers for what WotC made on D&D products?

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Fenes]

I am buying 3.5 stuff just for some stuff useful in my 3E games. Sometimes just out of curiosity.

 

[Allandaros]

Hmph. I never saw the need for a *third* edition of the game...but as is kinda evidenced, most people disagree with me.

Regarding the "print or die" thing - aye, it's absolutely true. It's perhaps not best for us consumers, but the company doesn't really have much choice in the matter.

That said, I also think it's very foolish to buy a product if you're not going to use it, but just because you want to support the company. If you want to do that, buy some of their stock or something. But then again, I've not got that much disposable income, so I have to be conservative with my purchases.

 

[Lanefan]

How are you defining 'reasonable' level with respect to profit expectations?

Is it for example:

1. Loss?
2. Break even?
3. Break even plus $1?
4. Break even plus $5?
5. Break even plus $1,000?
6. Break even plus $1,000,000?

Enough to keep the company functioning, pay the staff, etc. and make a reasonable living for the owner. Simple, really.

Pardon the sarcasm, but do you have any hard numbers for what WotC made on D&D products?

No. I'm speculating, just like we all are.

Lanefan

 

[Umbran]

Enough to keep the company functioning, pay the staff, etc. and make a reasonable living for the owner. Simple, really.

Well, remember, the "owner" is Hasbro - a largish publicly traded company. Small-company thinking doesn't apply very well, as Hasbro has significantly different needs than say, Monte Cook owning Malhavoc.

 

[Ranger REG]

I was almost ready to give a rumored 4e a chance until i heard the Miniature news, then i was like no.

I don't know the full details regarding the miniatures that turned everybody off. Personally, I don't mind the miniature-friendly rules. What I don't want is having the rules scattered in random packs, or employing collectible rules model, where the book tells you to refer to this product or that product for material that are not present in the product you have owned.

(I seemed to notice a trend in some of the recent D&D gamebooks.)

I'm a role-player. I'm not as naive nor gullible as miniatures collectors* and MMORPGers* that pays-2-play. I go against the grain of many, including iPodders*.

*Yes, I blatantly offend thee.

 

[Harmon]

What we need to do is send Hasbro a $100 a month to maintain your favorite D&D edition. I mean corperations are failing, look at BP and Exxon. If we were in trouble they would help us, so what we need to do is send money to the multi millionaire CEOs and tell em "please, we know you are hurting, that money isn't flowing and you might not have record profits this quarter so you might have to come out with a lame product to get us to buy, so please- take my $100 and keep my favorite edition a float for just another month."

We all do that and we could save the corperations of this great and mighty world.

 

[Cadfan]

Dear Slaunt,

Unfortunately, what you want doesn't matter. As rumor on these boards has it, fourth edition will be sold by men in tuxedos who will come into your house, break your knees, steal all your 3.0 and 3.5 books and burn them, and then give you 4th edition books while deducting the money straight out of your bank account. Furthermore, it will be released TOMORROW. The fact that no evidence exists to support the impending release of a 4th edition beyond the carping of a bunch of whiners on message boards is just proof of how incredible the conspiracy really is, and it just goes to show that we all need to be INCREDIBLY UPSET AND UP IN ARMS AT ALL TIMES just in case a 4th edition is released while we were in the bathroom. We're too sharp to let THAT trick slip by us!

Sincerely,
Cadfan.

 

[Ranger REG]

What we need to do is send Hasbro a $100 a month

Isn't that what shareholders do, invest?

I feel your pain, but 4e is inevitably coming. I personally want it delayed until after December 31, 2009.

 

[Ranger REG]

Dear Slaunt,

Unfortunately, what you want doesn't matter. As rumor on these boards has it, fourth edition will be sold by men in tuxedos who will come into your house, break your knees,...

Are they hiring? I look good in a tuxedo.

(Summer heat makes me violent. No apology.)