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Message: <blockquote data-quote="TerraDave" data-source="post: 5427785" data-attributes="member: 22260">I have been meaning to write this for what seems like months…and each time there is some new development that keeps me from posting it. But I figure now is as good as time as any. Its been obvious for a while now that WotC has felt the need to make a number of changes to its approach with 4E D&D. I have been a little surprised at the number of issues that have come out. In any case lets speculate why:*Well documented problems with the mini line, in part driven by a lack of play as a stand-alone game, in part by quality and cost problems, and in part by market saturation (remember when people use to buy cases of the things?);*Initial failures with their originally very ambitious e-offerings only partially made up for by DDI, in large part thanks to rampant piracy (or so they say);*After years of success going back to 3.5, near saturation of player crunch in hardback compounded by competition with DDI itself (no reason to buy a book for a feat any more) and an everything is core approach that left retailers sitting on a bunch of books;*Somewhat high levels of errata and other mechanics issues in part due to the ambitious nature of 4E and its revisions vis-à-vis past editions (i.e. it’s a whole new game, and its taken a while to get the kinks out);*Disappointing market share/takeup due to general pressures on the industry (WoW, dying hobby stores, kids these days…) a still competitive RPG marketplace (there are actually other games out there) and, crucially, people still playing older D&D editions, and now newer editions of older editions. If I was going to look for a cross-cutting “theme” it might be, lets say, “ambitious”, I am tempted to say “arrogant”, but lets just stick with ambitious. In 2008 they launched a majorly revised version of the game, unleashed Gleemax, were on the verge of a 3D tabletop. A new strategy for minis. A big agenda,  accompanied by a lot of noisy marketing (I still miss that bald guy who made videos), some of quite negative. Maybe too ambitious.Now the Surge. Again, pretty ambitious. Going back over the last 15 months or so: firings, reshufflings, and more work for key free-lancers, the launch of Encounters, a whole new set of core/entry products, attempts to save--then the end--the minis line, a number of actions to stop piracy and drive people back to the website and DDI including a new tabletop. Paring back on books and launching new kinds of products that don’t overlap with DDI as much. The other theme: messy. I have already mentioned Gleemax once…but now, this latest surge, very messy. Maybe surges are like that. But it also seems to follow from ambitious. Throwing a lot of stuff out there before its quite ready or the strategy is completely thought through. Before they where able to pull together, at least for a while. People liked the CB and DDI, takeup on the player books and later DM books seemed pretty good. In many ways 2010 was a very good year for the fans.But clearly not good enough, hence the Surge. If before is any guide, some part of this will probably fail or are already doing so (lower profit margins on digest sized books?). And what is success? People come into the game with essentials, they and us subscribe to DDI, buy down the existing book stock and the new box sets and cards and maybe we get that 08-essentials “bridge product” at some point. For years to come we have a balance of online offerings and a careful mix of books and boxes and cards.Could happen.</blockquote>

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