Now WotC has taken Dragonlance (merged)

[Relique du Madde]

Like many of the other conspiracy theorists out there I think the timing of all the recent license consolidation suggests that something BIG might appear on WoTC's release schedual for 2008's first quarter.

 

[Friadoc]

Nah, I think the prevailing logic of this being due to the movie is spot-on.

It makes a lot of sense, more so than Weis and Co just letting it go, seriously. If you had the ability to retain a license to a product right before an animated and, per most speculation, likely successful fantasy movie based on it is about to come out, you'd hold onto it.

It makes more sense that WotC, with the same logic in place, save for them retaining the rights instead of licensing it.

While it's obvious that some fans are disappointed, it still makes the most sense AND I'm pretty sure that whatever Weis and Co still have on-hand to sell either gets to finished being sold, or WotC snags it and finishes selling it.

All in all, I'm sure both sides are coming out of this fairly well, not to mention all the other licensed properties they've (Weis and Co) got to work with.

 

[Relique du Madde]

Nah, I think the prevailing logic of this being due to the movie is spot-on.

It makes a lot of sense, more so than Weis and Co just letting it go, seriously. If you had the ability to retain a license to a product right before an animated and, per most speculation, likely successful fantasy movie based on it is about to come out, you'd hold onto it.

The only problem I find with the movie explination is that they allowed Weis to "hold" onto the license for as long as they did. I would have expected them to announce the change much earlier after the majority of the Movie's cast was announced (during Feb and early march) and not month or so later right after pulling Dragon and Dungeon's license.

 

[Winterthorn]

Holy coincidence Batman!

I am wash in the afterglow of serene thought and a cool cider following the weekend's hystrionics in which I too played a role.... Sigh.

So, I've been reading threads and absorbing this latest round of news. While the Dragon/Dungeon news was a honest to goodness PR debacle of epic proportions (ok, I exaggerate a tad), I suspect this announcement regarding DL is a normal development that typically stems from a change in old business plans. MW & Co did a fab job on DL so far and the year is still young before the license (apparently 4 years long, pretty good I'd say) is up so, on its own, this looks perfectly kosher to me. But... I question WotC's silence on this case too - I'll give them 48 hours to pull their socks up before I draw any more dire conclusions...

Oh, and btw, JoeGKushner's idea of a coral of IP before Hasbro sells WotC (or just D&D)? Well that struck a chord, rung a bell, and chimed a note with me too... What was that about a Chinese curse again?

 

[Echohawk]

Actually, I'm not the man to answer that for you, mate. But I can see if Jamie will drop by sometime - he's at GAMA, but he's checking forums when he isn't working like crazy.

Cam, are you able to tell us whether we'll see Dragons of Spring: War of the Lance Chronicles III released before the line ends, or is that a question for Jamie too?

PS: Nice to see the Chulcrix back in print in Price of Courage!

 

[variant]

This is just a sign for me to jump ship completely. I am not going to buy a single book until I see what the future holds for D&D. I may also think about shying away from the new Star Wars game.

 

[mrswing]

So on the D&D gets sold-possibility... Mongoose? Who were in talks to get The Holy Grail of Gaming???
Can't get much holier than D&D and all intimately related IPs...

 

[the Jester]

So on the D&D gets sold-possibility... Mongoose? Who were in talks to get The Holy Grail of Gaming???
Can't get much holier than D&D and all intimately related IPs...

I think the real question is, Who could afford it?

 

[theredrobedwizard]

'We have a plan'.

You know who else had a plan? Cylons. Frakkin' toasters are running WotC.

Ironically, MWP has the rights to the BSGRPG; thus, they could just write the entirety of the Skinjobs of the Coast out of existence.

-TRRW

 

[Friadoc]

The only problem I find with the movie explination is that they allowed Weis to "hold" onto the license for as long as they did. I would have expected them to announce the change much earlier after the majority of the Movie's cast was announced (during Feb and early march) and not month or so later right after pulling Dragon and Dungeon's license.

Except that the license hadn't, I'm assuming, expired yet.

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised that there is something in the license that keeps such a notice going out until it has expired, but I don't know for sure.