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<blockquote data-quote="WizarDru" data-source="post: 103979" data-attributes="member: 151">The equation isn't that simple.&nbsp; 1) Yahtzee's profit margins aren't as great as D&amp;D.&nbsp; Production costs are lower, but the sales price is much lower, as well.&nbsp; I can pick up a copy of 'Don't Spill the beans' for $4.99 US...but that doesn't necessarily generate as much profit, even if it sells ten times as well as the PHB2) D&amp;D produces a returning revenue stream.&nbsp; Gamers buy accessories and supplements.&nbsp; Much like young girls and Barbie, gamers continue to buy supplements and additions to their D&amp;D stuff.&nbsp; Return customers are good customers.3) D&amp;D is brand-name that extends beyond the product itself.&nbsp; D&amp;D Clue?&nbsp; The D&amp;D movie?&nbsp; D&amp;D TV series, both animated and live-action (proposed)?&nbsp; D&amp;D Action figures, miniatures, and so forth?&nbsp; Hasbro has licensed the name, as it is easily recognizable.&nbsp; I don't know if they'll edit it out, but E.T. has a scene with the older brother playing D&amp;D with his friends (and playing it badly, if memory serves...it has been twenty years, but I remember it irritated me then <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile&nbsp; &nbsp; :)"&nbsp; data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />).&nbsp; That kind of name recognition is valuable.4) D&amp;D isn't competing with Yahtzee...it's competing with the bottom-line.&nbsp; As long as it continues to generate a good profit, Hasbro will support it.The real issue is what happens, next?&nbsp; Master Tools is probably effectively dead, at this juncture.&nbsp; Hasbro will most likely farm out D&amp;D to contractors on a routine basis, so quality may or may not maintain from this point forward.&nbsp; It sounds like Hasbro's plan is simply to fan the embers, and let D&amp;D stagnate by 2002.&nbsp; I hope that's not the case, but I get the distinct feeling that WOTC is no longer planning that far ahead, or has planned to neglect their product lines after a certain point.&nbsp; After 3 layoffs, I can't imagine much of a future for WOTC's support of D&amp;D, beyond simple maintenance.&nbsp; I hope I'm wrong (lord knows I have been before, and will be again).</blockquote>

[QUOTE="WizarDru, post: 103979, member: 151"] The equation isn't that simple. 1) Yahtzee's profit margins aren't as great as D&D. Production costs are lower, but the sales price is much lower, as well. I can pick up a copy of 'Don't Spill the beans' for $4.99 US...but that doesn't necessarily generate as much profit, even if it sells ten times as well as the PHB 2) D&D produces a returning revenue stream. Gamers buy accessories and supplements. Much like young girls and Barbie, gamers continue to buy supplements and additions to their D&D stuff. Return customers are good customers. 3) D&D is brand-name that extends beyond the product itself. D&D Clue? The D&D movie? D&D TV series, both animated and live-action (proposed)? D&D Action figures, miniatures, and so forth? Hasbro has licensed the name, as it is easily recognizable. I don't know if they'll edit it out, but E.T. has a scene with the older brother playing D&D with his friends (and playing it badly, if memory serves...it has been twenty years, but I remember it irritated me then :)). That kind of name recognition is valuable. 4) D&D isn't competing with Yahtzee...it's competing with the bottom-line. As long as it continues to generate a good profit, Hasbro will support it. The real issue is what happens, next? Master Tools is probably effectively dead, at this juncture. Hasbro will most likely farm out D&D to contractors on a routine basis, so quality may or may not maintain from this point forward. It sounds like Hasbro's plan is simply to fan the embers, and let D&D stagnate by 2002. I hope that's not the case, but I get the distinct feeling that WOTC is no longer planning that far ahead, or has planned to neglect their product lines after a certain point. After 3 layoffs, I can't imagine much of a future for WOTC's support of D&D, beyond simple maintenance. I hope I'm wrong (lord knows I have been before, and will be again). [/QUOTE]

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