D&D 5E Sell Out: Hasbro and the Soul of D&D

[Zardnaar]

So funny, this thread had me thinking of a conversation with a friend years ago. Discussing home ownership (he was just moving out to live with his GF) I had to break down how unattainable it was going to be for him as he had never looked at the numbers.

No way I could buy into a home today, even 12 years ago, vastly different environment.

America is regarded as cheap housing for us unless you're in California or NYC.

Younger ones thinking of leaving to Australia/UK/USA.

 

[Mistwell]

Gen X is more about telling everyone to F off and up yours to "the man".

Until you but a house/have kids etc.

Oh I have a house and a kid and I still tell everyone to F off and up yours to the man!

In my opinion, the identity of "the man" has changed. The people who are dictating orthodoxy these days don't think of themselves as dictating orthodoxy.

 

[Zardnaar]

Oh I have a house and a kid and I still tell everyone to F off and up yours to the man!

Well there you go. You can do it legally though.

 

[MoonSong]

I’m not sure where in my post people are getting the idea that I’m trying to lay blame on anyone in particular. It’s a crappy situation all around and nowhere did I say it was anyone’s fault. (Ok, in a later post I said it was Boomers’ fault, though that was a bit of an oversimplification.)

Don't worry too much, my post is an oversimplification too. This stuff is too complicated for everybody.

 

[Shiroiken]

TBH, my eyes kind of glazed over after the first few paragraphs, sorry.

But ... I don't buy the premise. The band you liked is still the same band even after they "Sold out and became popular". D&D is still just a goofy game I play to socialize and have a few laughs.

Growing popularity just means a wider audience, I don't see why it hurts. The games I run won't really change, with a larger audience there will be plenty of room for niches.

Exactly! Selling out is a term used by people who can't, being jealous of those who can. If you really feel that your art is greater than any monetary worth, you'd never actually sell it in the first place. This was all the rage among the young and immature (including myself), but eventually we grow up and realize that RENT is a moneymaking franchise about fighting against moneymaking franchises.

I actually expected something useful and interesting here @Snarf Zagyg. There was a lot of concern about D&D transitioning from TSR to WotC, and then Hasbro buying out WotC. I can understand some concern about this, not that I expect anything to change that much. A barely cohesive rant about "selling out" was really, really disappointing.

 

[Zardnaar]

Selling out us more about changing ones artistic vision to make more money.

Being commercially successful isn't.

There is a difference.

 

[Oofta]

The only thing we as consumers ever "owned" is our characters and how they interacted with a campaign along with whatever house rules we have.

Whether any of the half cooked ideas I throw at my players as a DM is ever considered "art" or not is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

A barely cohesive rant about "selling out" was really, really disappointing.

Is that what Snarf did? I should have a talk with me, because that doesn't seem like something Snarf would do. Does Snarf contradict me? Very well then Snarf contradicts me, for Snarf is large, and Snarf contains multitudes.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

The only thing we as consumers ever "owned" is our characters and how they interacted with a campaign along with whatever house rules we have.

Whether any of the half cooked ideas I throw at my players as a DM is ever considered "art" or not is in the eye of the beholder.

The characters, the house rules and their intersection with play is, really the only thing that matters at the end of the day and does not depend on some corporate vision.

I have always somewhat amazed about angst about canon and changes to lore when the only canon and lore that matters is what the DM and players have interacted with.

The corporate product is corporate product, buy it if you deem it useful and leave it on the shelf if not all the stuff you have bought is still yours.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Wtf is happening?

read every post and feel like I am on space ghost coast to coast