Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Upper_Krust" data-source="post: 3301981" data-attributes="member: 326">Hi RyanD (and everyone)! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />I have been following this thread closely while embroiled in a discussion in the "WHAT IS NEXT BIG THING" thread.I have been arguing that a purely pen & paper 4th Edition won't sell anywhere near as well as 3rd Edition, because it won't be that great of a leap this time around. Also with regards books that are more fluff than crunch what will be the great incentive to revisit them?While exploring the online sector should continue, thats far from becoming a successor to tabletop D&D this generation of the game at least.Which means that the next way forward must surely be along the lines of the boardgame format. A greatly simplified version of the game (akin to the D&D Boardgame) thats a marriage of board, minis and cards. Along the lines of the "new design release" you mentioned Ryan.Personally I think such a vehicle could easily sell over 1 million units in the first year, possibly ten times that many. This could be achieved by broadening the brand extension as follows.Start with:Dungeons & Dragons...then you target all the obvious:Dungeons & PiratesDungeons & DinosaursDungeons & VampiresDungeons & RobotsDungeons & WizardsDungeons & NinjasDungeons & ZombiesDungeons & CthulhuThen you can branch in multiple directions, mainstream...Dungeons & DC Dungeons & MarvelDungeons & HaloDungeons & Dragonball Z...more self-referential:Dungeons & Drow...to the unorthodox:Dungeons & Harryhausen...promotional idea:Dungeons & Donuts (with Dunkin Donuts - buy the 'Beholder Cookie' get unique minis/cards)Dungeons & Pizza (with Pizza Hut - buy the extra hot 'Dragon Pizza' get free unique minis/cards)...want to court the young female demographic:Dungeons & Dora (the Explorer)Dungeons & BarbieDungeons & Tomb Raider...3rd Parties can license the use of the name.Dungeons & Conan (Mongoose)Then factor in expansion sets (or even 'sequels')Dungeons & Pirates 2: The Isle of DreadDungeons & Vampires 2: Castle Ravenloft...I haven't even touched on a similar, but subtley different, idea for using the Star Wars license. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />Every boxed set retails for $39.95/£25, has about 30 prepainted minis, dice, flexible board pieces (by that I mean individual rooms and corridors rather than simply large board sections) which are also reversible, cards which do away with the necessity of book-keeping. Rulebook, Adventure Book, as well as blank cards, maps and character boards so that people can even create their own. As well as an Advanced Rulebook which presents optional rules for those wanting to make it a far more detailed roleplaying experience.With each new boxed set you gain new classes, new NPCs, new feats, new magic items, new monsters, new locations, new adventures and potentially new themed rules (effects of vampirism in Dungeons & Vampires, sanity in Dungeons & Cthulhu etc.). But at the same time each has everything you need to start playing right away.Its an insidious way of getting D&D into peoples hands, and you can't say well I don't want to play dumbed down D&D because the Advanced Rulebook can cover every aspect/feature of the game not present in the basic Rulebook.Does anyone think that wouldn't be a massive seller? If so, why not?</blockquote>

Verification