Roundtable Discussion: New Player Acquisition Strategy

[dmccoy1693]

First, I think it is impossible to determine what hurt the RPG category more, the immense success of World of Warcraft, a massive exodus of hard core RPG players deployed overseas in armed conflicts, the rise of widespread internet discounting for RPG products, the failure of the marketshare leader to implement a successful new player acquisition strategy, or a substantial erosion of the disposable income of the target demographic. All are factors in combination, creating a perfect storm, to be sure.

Source Emphasis Mine, Thank you Scholar & Brutalman for the quote.

Well there's not exactly alot all of us can do about overeas armed conflicts, WoW, Amazon, and the economy as a whole. But we can work on a New Player Acquisition Strategy. Granted none of us are the "marketshare leader" (well ok, 99+% of us aren't the market share leader), but what we lack in not being the marketshare leadershipness (as of right now, that's a word), we make up for in numbers. There are more people that visit ENWorld everyday then work for the marketshare leader's RPG department. Monte Cook said on his site that he first heard back in 1990 that RPGs would be replaced by computer games in 5 years. Obviously that didn't happen, nor will it probably happen in the next 5 years. But frankly, our numbers could be better. So I open up the floor for ideas. What can we gamers do to help attract new gamers into RPGs? No idea is to dumb, stupid, silly or whatever you may think of your idea. (Sometimes the dumbest idea is really the best idea.)

I know that MeetUp.com has been tried in the past. Anyone have any success/failure stories? RPG.net has a thread going right now started by a gamer/librarian about what can libraries offer gamers. Anyone have any ideas on how we can use libraries to attract new gamers? The "get RPG books into libraries" idea has already been brought up on that thread.

 

[Nifft]

My friend has an unmarked van.

We bank on Stockholm Syndrome.

"To be considered for our game, appear drunk and alone in the Meatpacking District early Thursday morning!"

Cheers, -- N

 

[Doug McCrae]

We bank on Stockholm Syndrome.

Beautiful.

 

[DrunkonDuty]

I tried MeetUp and have gotten a group out of it. A couple are from WoW and other online games, trying out this old-fashioned pen and paper stuff. But most are existing pen and paper gamers. Had a group of 10 originally but we're down to 6 now as several have dropped out already for various reasons.

Something to note: All the drop outs have been new-ish gamers. For them gaming lacked the weight needed to continue taking up (limited) free time in the face of real world issues. Damn real world.

But still got 2 WoW players sticking with the game.

 

[Jack99]

No idea. I have played with the same 6 people for the better part of 20 years. During that time, we have lost one player of the core team, if you will. We have tried to "pick up" a new one, twice.

Once it was a colleague of one my players. He lasted perhaps 3 months, then we kicked him due to incompatibility of personalities.

The other guy we tried, was someone I picked up in a gaming store, which turned out to be a utter failure. He brought his semi-retarded brother to play, and it got too weird, so we ditched them.

 

[the Jester]

If you're talking about acquiring new gamers for your group, I'm sure there will shortly be dozens of great ideas posted here, from online message boards to physical bulletin boards at game shops to clubs at schools.

If you're talking about acquiring new gamers for the game, I think a key element is to train new dms. That way, when groups break up or hive off, there is a greater likelihood that more of the component gamers will remain gamers and will find new gamers.

Without new dms, dnd cannot grow.

 

[Blackwind]

I have a strategy that has worked surprisingly well for me over the years.

First, I realize that a particular friend, who doesn't play D&D, might actually enjoy it.

Second, I invite them to come play D&D with my group.

 

[dmccoy1693]

If you're talking about acquiring new gamers for the game,

For the game itself. Posting ads in game stores/message boards only gathers from the converted. But to grow the industry as a whole, new blood needs to be brought in.

I think a key element is to train new dms.

Good idea. Share some more thoughts on this idea.

 

[dmccoy1693]

I have a strategy that has worked surprisingly well for me over the years.

First, I realize that a particular friend, who doesn't play D&D, might actually enjoy it.

Second, I invite them to come play D&D with my group.

Another quality idea.

 

[DonTadow]

For the game itself. Posting ads in game stores/message boards only gathers from the converted. But to grow the industry as a whole, new blood needs to be brought in.



Good idea. Share some more thoughts on this idea.

Not neccessarily. I've grabbed a few players from my group form these adds that were new. They were magic players who were looking for something more.