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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Storm Raven" data-source="post: 2503582" data-attributes="member: 307">It would be virtually impossible for WotC to publish a version of D&D that was wildly different from the one they have now. It would simply disrupt their own market too much. The publication of 3.0 was possible because of a market situation unlikely to be replicated any time soon (the death of the publisher of D&D). That situation created an environment where a major overhaul was not only viable, but seen as needed by a large proportion of the gaming community.It was reduced to zero market value because an alternative was open to third party publishers, the 3.5 OGL. Without that they could have still published 3.0 material and advertised it as compatible. Companies in the past, before the OGL, did exactly that. TSR got itself into a tizzy about it, and drove them out of that business (i.e. Mayfair and Judges Guild), but WotC would be hamstrung on that score by the 3.5 OGL.When everything gets boiled down, it is a no brainer for them. They may lose some sales at the margins to standalone OGL products, but those products are going to need the PHB, which is a WotC product, and at this point mostly profit for them. WotC would be damaged by a contraction of the RPG market, because they depend on a large, active volume of gamers to support their lines - and if they cut off other sources of product, then gamers will likely move away from the hobby, just as happened when games dried up in the 1990s. WotC killing the OGL would likely return the hobby to the status of the 1990s, and that would be slitting their own throats.Like I said: the sky is falling.</blockquote>

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