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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dannyalcatraz" data-source="post: 5324260" data-attributes="member: 19675">Re-invention is not neccessary, but it IS effective and easy enough to do, relatively speaking.  However, its not the only path.While it is fair to point out the stability of CoC (or HERO) as a counterpoint to reinvention, neither system is anywhere near the size or profitability of D&D.  There is a real risk that without some kind of rejuvenation of its IP, D&D- or more accurately, WotC- could stagnate or even diminish.I could easily see a version of D&D in which spells known by a given PC depends upon purchases of collectible booster packs.  About 10 years before M:tG, this was used for Nova Games' Lost World character, <a href="http://www.nobleknight.com/ProductDetail.asp_Q_ProductID_E_14429_A_InventoryID_E_0_A_ProductLineID_E_159_A_ManufacturerID_E_46_A_CategoryID_E_0_A_GenreID_E_218" target="_blank">Fighter-Mage with Magic Sword.</a>I could also see a game substantially like what we see with 3.5Ed or 4Ed, with a set of Core books and expansions, where the core books (the ones that are the most constant sellers) are revised every 5-10 years to consolidate errata or rules changes, but the system remains fundamentally unchanged.  And in order to get boosts in revenue or maintain a certain level of income flow, the game company would then release adventures (a mixed bag, saleswise) or possibly other RPGs.  Those other RPGs would perforce be significantly different from the original or other games in the company's stable, in order to stave off market cannibalization.Indeed, I wouldn't be surprised if WotC- given its size- couldn't have launched 4Ed as a FRPG independent of the D&D imprint and done just fine with it and 3.5 on the same shelves.  Its a business model that works for most of the CRPG companies, after all.  Not only would 3.5Ed still be fully supported, 4ED (whatever its other name would be) would have been freed of any legacy issues- the designers would have been working with a blank slate...and IMHO, might have been even better for it.(Hell, WotC could have resurrected Everway and Primal Order.)And that's just a couple of ideas off the cuff.  I'm sure with more time and other minds brainstorming, other business models could pop up.But my gut feeling is that most of them would be riskier than simple system reboots.</blockquote>

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