D&D 5E PDFs!

[Umbran]

WotC has two choices when it comes to PDFs: they can sell them or people will "find" them online. I love the new basic stuff, but if they don't get on the ground floor on this, they will lose money!

Given that Basic is free... I'm guessing they aren't so worried about the profit made by the Starter Set itself. It is a hook, a loss leader, if need be, intended to get people in position to start buying other products later.

 

[Blackwarder]

One The One Hand I love digital books, OTOH I'm growing fond again of real books, Especialy now that we can just use the books, On The Gripping Hand Project Morningstar sounds very interesting so I'd rather wait for more details for that before throwing a tantrum for the lack of PDFs.

Warder

 

[Abstruse]

I'm betting that whatever Codename Morningstar turns into will be the digital avenue to get core rulebooks and everything else will be on D&D Classics as well as print. PDFs aren't the ideal format for rulebooks digitally and I hope that they do something more than just a hyperlink indexed output from Indesign.

 

[Zaukrie]

Ebook>>>>>>> pdf

 

[Agamon]

The core 4e books were still available in print...no pdfs on Drive Thru.
The core 1e books were reprinted...no pdfs on Drive Thru.
The core 3e books were reprinted...no pdfs on Drive Thru.
The core 2e books were reprinted...no pdfs on Drive Thru.
The core oD&D books were reprinted...no pdfs on Drive Thru.
The core B/X and Rules Compenduim books were not reprinted...but there are pdfs on Drive Thru.
The 5e Basic rules are not in print...but you can get it in pdf.
The 5e Starter is in print...but not available in pdf.
The 5e Core books are about to be printed...

...anyone want to wager and take the "there's going to be pdfs at Drive Thru for the core 5e books very soon" side?

 

[Thaumaturge]

WotC is releasing the 5e books 11 days early at WPN stores, theoretically to give those stores an advantage over online retailers. I imagine a pdf store counts as an online retailer.

As to whether the pdfs will be available on general release...I think so. Mearls mentioned on twitter his view of why 4e struggled is because of how WotC approached everything around the game. He specifically mentioned pulling the pdfs as one of those things.

Thaumaturge.

 

[GX.Sigma]

Well I'm hoping they're just finalizing details and timing at this point. They definitely have the files already; On multiple podcasts and recorded interviews Mike's said "I've got the Player's Handbook PDF open on my tablet|laptop blah blah blah" when talking about content and art, both times the interviewers joked that he can just send it over for their review. So I'm hopeful that it's just a matter of details.

That doesn't mean anything, though. They're publishing a book in the 21st century; of course they have it in a digital format. That doesn't mean they're planning on releasing it in that form.

 

[Tony Semana]

That doesn't mean anything, though. They're publishing a book in the 21st century; of course they have it in a digital format. That doesn't mean they're planning on releasing it in that form.

Thanks for the pointer on what century it is :/

But seriously, I didn't post that to prove that they will or have to. I was simply adding my voice to the side that hopes they will. The anecdote was to reinforce that they're being referenced and the demand for them is there.