To address the constant topic of "when will the next D&D version be released?" I offer a new possibility with much potential ...
It's a given that D&D players love their game books. But books are expensive to produce.
Also, WotC has seen how popular and CCG market has been over the years (thank you, Pokemon and M:tg). Gamers love to collect stuff, and many of those players feel special when they get a so-called "rare" card in their collection.
So rather than produce full-size specialty-focus game books for D&D -- ala Complete Warrior or Oriental Adventures -- WotC will begin downsizing their books to include a more limited range of information and produce them in limited volume, attaching "rare" or "common" tags to the covers. Those high-quality, pocket-size books will include, say, a single prestige class and a couple of related magic weapons, a mount, a gawd or special spell, and some flowery background information. They will be almost as expensive as their larger cousins, but far more popular and collectable. ("Campaign Setting" books may still be chunkier, but with far fewer specific references; collect the small books for that!)
So one month, for example, you'll see the release of a "common" prestige class hardback pocketbook for the Duelist PrC along with the "rare" version of Duelist (which will include two magic rapiers, an extra feat, and a blessing from Olidamarra) for $10.99, and just one week later game shop owners will be bagging the "rare" version and selling it for $25.
Sound crazy?
It's a given that D&D players love their game books. But books are expensive to produce.
Also, WotC has seen how popular and CCG market has been over the years (thank you, Pokemon and M:tg). Gamers love to collect stuff, and many of those players feel special when they get a so-called "rare" card in their collection.
So rather than produce full-size specialty-focus game books for D&D -- ala Complete Warrior or Oriental Adventures -- WotC will begin downsizing their books to include a more limited range of information and produce them in limited volume, attaching "rare" or "common" tags to the covers. Those high-quality, pocket-size books will include, say, a single prestige class and a couple of related magic weapons, a mount, a gawd or special spell, and some flowery background information. They will be almost as expensive as their larger cousins, but far more popular and collectable. ("Campaign Setting" books may still be chunkier, but with far fewer specific references; collect the small books for that!)
So one month, for example, you'll see the release of a "common" prestige class hardback pocketbook for the Duelist PrC along with the "rare" version of Duelist (which will include two magic rapiers, an extra feat, and a blessing from Olidamarra) for $10.99, and just one week later game shop owners will be bagging the "rare" version and selling it for $25.
Sound crazy?
