Now WotC has taken Dragonlance (merged)

[Vigilance]

They're perfectly within their rights to take those licenses back. But it doesn't mean we have to *like* them for it. Particularly when other companies they'd given the licenses to have done some fantastic jobs with them....in fact, Margaret Weis Products was doing *better* with Dragonlance than WotC/TSR ever did, IMO.

Banshee

Well, it's Margaret's baby, so of course she understands the world and treats it well. That doesn't surprise me.

On your first point, I guess I'm just a little stumped...

They licensed the material out, we got some great books, now the license is over.

How does this make them bad guys? Shouldn't we be happy they licensed it long enough for a fairly substantial game line to be created, instead of being grumpy when licenses end?

 

[Agamon]

So what will this reshaping of the RPG industry look like when its done?

If this keeps up? Probably a black hole....

 

[WhatGravitas]

You're assuming they don't plan to do anything with it. We have no idea if that's the case, do we?

You're thinking of a "Expedition to _________" thing? Or rather a Digital Initiative thing?

(Not to imply that you're knowing anything, just asking for thoughts)

 

[trancejeremy]

You're assuming they don't plan to do anything with it. We have no idea if that's the case, do we?

We know from their history that they aren't. Unless you know something otherwise, since you work for them.

 

[MerricB]

I figured they were getting their licenses back when Ravenloft returned, but that was a while ago, wonder why it took so long for Dragonlance.

Could just be the timing on when it came up for renewal.

Honestly, I'm amazed that these licenses (RL, DL) were ever given out. With Wizards pursuing a "low number of settings" strategy, why were they creating competition?

CMP/Paizo is connected to the Digital Initiative, I think. RL/DL are just about regaining control of properties.

Cheers!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Well, time to grab while the grabbing's good. Will the Dragonlance Bestiary, core book and Time of the Lance all be in print through the end of this year? Ooh, and the Towers of High Sorcery?

 

[Vigilance]

Yes, I do think it's shameful. IMHO, licenses would have an option for the licensee to renew.

I've always found it to be rather unfair when a company spends a lot of time and effort building up the value of a property, then have their license yanked from them.

Not that's exactly uncommon. But people complained when it happened with AEG and Stargate, or WEG and Star Wars.

The license wasn't "yanked", it ended at the agreed upon time.

As for your first point, so the licensee should have all the power? Once you license something to someone they can renew it perpetually?

You have a weird idea of what ownership means my friend. 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".

That doesn't make you a bad guy. It's not "shameful" in any way.

Owning things is better than licensing them. That's why owning Dragonlance would cost more than licensing it: it's more valuable.

If Margaret Weis wants to OWN Dragonlance, she should start raising capital.

 

[Agamon]

Sooo, when WOTC gives something, they have to give it forever, relinquishing all rights to IP they've license, or they're shameful?

I personally wouldn't call it shameful. But, it puts them in a bad light to just start snatching everything back like a spoiled kid in a sandbox.

If we called it WotC in 2000, we should call it the anti-WotC today.

 

[Shroomy]

Could just be the timing on when it came up for renewal.

Honestly, I'm amazed that these licenses (RL, DL) were ever given out. With Wizards pursuing a "low number of settings" strategy, why were they creating competition?

CMP/Paizo is connected to the Digital Initiative, I think. RL/DL are just about regaining control of properties.

Cheers!

They've also eliminated all "official" competition in the adventure market.

 

[Friadoc]

WotC's activities lately are shameful (IMO).

We will probably see Oriental Adventures join the ranks of 'license not renewed', although personally I would like to see a new treatment of that material (especially if revamped for Kara-Tur).

While they might be able to sorta pull back Oriental Adventures, they couldn't pull back Rokugan, which is more expanded upon by AEG than WotC's Oriental Adventures.

Plus, they didn't update OA to 3.5, did they? Maybe my timeline is messed up, but I'm pretty sure the current OA was released 3.0 and then not updated.

All that said, I'm less surprised about the pulling in of IP since, in my view, WotC is running out of some expansion area and it makes a lot more sense to pull in some IP and see what they can do with it.

I don't agree with it, as a lot of work done by others on said IP was pretty good, in a lot of cases (Ravenloft and Dragonlance, as an exmaple).

But, that's the issue with licenses, sooner or later they could get pulled.

I think Dragon and Dungeon were HUGE surprises, while the others have been more of a "That sucks, but duh" sorta feeling.