Now WotC has taken Dragonlance (merged)

[sir_ollibolli]

I've just checked Kenzer's website...

the newest Kalamar products do not sport the nifty "Dungeons & Dragons" logo on their cover.

Maybe that license also was not renewed... but we didn't hear about that, since Kenzer chose to continue publishing under the d20 license.

 

[Friadoc]

Hey, I didn't put forward even one crackpot theory. Give me some credit.

Fine, I'll give you that.

This is just a wacky year I guess. GAMA Trade Show is going on in Vegas this week and traditionally it's used as a platform for big, exciting announcements. The week leading up to GTS we haven't seen hype but controversy.

I guess it's up to Green Ronin to provide some good news. And look at that, tomorrow is the opening day of GTS...

*grins*

Good news is nice.

By the way, on a slight tangent, I just recently noticed and bought M&M Second Edition, nicely done.

I figure a late kudos is better than none.

Heck, I also order the M&M items you had in the Lucky 7 sale (Noir and Gizmo, I think), as well as the Second Edition Screen, too.

Anyhow, I look forward to the good news. Best of luck!

 

[Friadoc]

Which was, of course, an absolutely predictable response from the playerbase.

WotC has plenty of smart cookies working there; I do not believe for a moment that no one raised their hand at a meeting and said "Guys? Folks are going to FREAK OUT over this. How about we hit them with our plans right when Paizo drops the bomb?"

The guy who gave that the thumbs down needs to spend some time in the corner.

Oh, yeah, it'd be fitting if that guy (not the one who said we'd freak out) was the one who got stuck at the booth? Or, better yet, have a special complaints box booth that they'd have to hold in their lap.

*chuckles*

 

[caudor]

I've just checked Kenzer's website...

the newest Kalamar products do not sport the nifty "Dungeons & Dragons" logo on their cover.

Maybe that license also was not renewed... but we didn't hear about that, since Kenzer chose to continue publishing under the d20 license.

Wow, I hadn't noticed that. Sure enough, no D&D logos. Hum...

 

[delericho]

Yep - Taking all their lumps at once I suppose.

If that's what they're doing, then it's actually very wise. Things won't be markedly worse for them for doing this now than they would have been otherwise, and they're taking one hit instead of two.

However, I'm inclined to think instead that the timing of this is just coincidence - someone high up at Wizards has taken the view that they no longer want to license bits of the IP, so none of the licenses are going to be renewed. Which I have a hard time as viewing as particularly evil, to be honest.

However...

If I were a d20 publisher, I would at this point be very seriously considering dropping it, and switching to all OGL all the time. Because I fear that license might be the next to go.

Also, if there's anything you want from Athas.org and similar setting sites, make sure you get it now, just in case.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I'm not particularly bothered by this, as I'm not a fan of either Ravenloft or Dragonlance as campaign settings.

But as many others have observed, the timing sure is curious.

 

[Job]

...If you rent your house to me, you can later come to me and say "hey, you were a good tenant, but you lease is up, and I want to empty the place out, repaint it, and move in myself".

In some eyes, this may also best position the owner to sell.

Job.

 

[DonTadow]

This is sucking and making it harder to defend wotc.

Wotc shoudl know that they are getting some terrible PR in the gaming community from all of this. I can understand their reasoning, its not too far off to know that Wotc is the one screwed by having all their licenses out there

But they opened this can of worms.

I don't think I"d enjoy a dragonlance product without margaret weis association. I don't think that I would like a dragon or Dungeon without Eric Mona at the helm (because he's a good editor). I don't think Id want a part of a 4th edition without monte cook and skip. This feels like the empire is coming and not giving a darn about us citizens, just point the death start and shoot. I defended the digital magazines and cancelation of dragon and dungeon, but wotc's brash behavior is undefendable.

We were also told that there would be no announcment at gencon. The PR for these things is just plain horrible. We have to count on the screwed over company to give us the info.

 

[rounser]

I don't think Id want a part of a 4th edition without monte cook and skip.

Don't agree in the least there. They've left more than enough of a footprint on the game already, both good and bad, thank you very much. Time for some new blood with new approaches.

 

[Odhanan]

Something huge is on the horizon. What this might be, exactly, I do not know.

I am feeling very uneasy.