Should companies bother with RPGs?

[Maggan]

That's one thing I've wondered about, why aren't RPG's in mainstream distribution channels other than bookstores anymore? Twenty years ago you could buy your gaming materials at a department store, now, not really.

Here in Sweden, there are three answers to that question:

1. RPGs sold way less after the mid-80's boom, so shelf space was allocated to stuff that sold.

2. Kult. The horror RPG created a storm of protests from the christian fundamentalists, and sensationalist media took the bait and milked it for what it was worth. People working with Kult was even named in the swedish Police' internal magazine, in an article about the perils of gaming (it's a strange experience being singled out as a threat to the youths of the country, believe me).

3. A couple of severely disturbed people managed to get the trust of an advisory board that controlled what one of the largest department chains stocked (the couple basically wrote a book saying that all rpg:ers were part of a paramilitary organisation that secretly trained for a violent revoltution). They were later debunked, and later even ridiculed, but for a while enjoyed authority among child psychologists, and the upper echelons of the police, and some politician or other.

These three factors ran rpg's out of the department stores here in Sweden.

It's a funny world, aint it?

/M

 

[Turjan]

2. Kult. The horror RPG created a storm of protests from the christian fundamentalists, and sensationalist media took the bait and milked it for what it was worth. People working with Kult was even named in the swedish Police' internal magazine, in an article about the perils of gaming (it's a strange experience being singled out as a threat to the youths of the country, believe me).

If I remember correctly, there were also efforts to single out "Pippi Långstrump" as a threat to the youths of the country. This means, your story doesn't really surprise me .

 

[Umbran]

What's keeping RPG's (presumably the biggest first, like D&D & WW, maybe a few well-known licenses too) from being on the shelf at Target, KMart, Mal-Wart, Meijers and other big store chains.

Walmart sells D&D products online

Target sells D&D products online

K-Mart doesn't seem to do books online at all.

I have never seen a Meijers store, so I know nothing of them.

But still, puts a bit of a hole in the point - big chains retailers are selling gaming products.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

I'm surprised no 3rd party companies have jumped on the pre-painted plastic miniatures yet, it seems like it would be profitable, especially if someone offered a packaging method that was a bit less random.

I agree. A nice painted metal mini is the coolest thing, but an unpainted mini is not as cool as a pre-painted plastic one. Myself? I punched out magic cards and glued them to washers.

Maybe the initial investment to get this started is just too big for most small companies to afford?

Yep. I looked at doing this for PBG for exactly 30 seconds before giving up.

I'm also surprised established miniatures companies like Reaper havn't expanded into plastic pre-paints as well. Picking up one metal ogre for $8.99 or 8-10 different mini's in a box from WotC for 11.99?

I asked around about this at Origins. All the mini company people looked at me like I was El Stupido. I never got a solid answer. Basically, they do metal minis and they don't feel like doing plastic pre-painted one. Maybe there's a lower profit margin? I have no idea.

I also think cr@ppy distribution is really holding RPGs back.

This isn't entirely the distirubtion company's fault. It has to do with bookstores and how they decide to carry products. This is why I'm firmly in the camp that believes that the health of WotC and D&D is good for gaming in general.

Until RPGs figure out a way to get on the shelves at WalMart (or Kmart, or Target, etc), sales will be a constant battle.

Yep. That'll help. But those stores do buisness based on things that already sell well. By the time d20 companies appear in WalMart, they won't be in the economic pinch to need the extra distribution.

 

[Greatwyrm]

I've been wondering about the PPPM (pre-painted plastic minis) myself. I was going through my Heroscape stuff the other day and thought, wow these orcs are cool, I wish I could just buy a box of 40 or so for a D&D game.

 

[philreed]

I'm surprised no 3rd party companies have jumped on the pre-painted plastic miniatures yet,

It is also very expensive.

 

[Paradigm]

In terms of card games, I doubt few would argue that Munchkin and man, I can't believe I don't remember the name of SJG other card game and I even have a few sets. Anyway, those are proven sellers with numerous break outs and expansions. Others like Z-Man games seem more devoted to games than actual RPG products with their various b-list movie card games like Bad Ass Mothers on the Mean Streets of Funk or Giant Robots on Kung Fu Samurai Island. (Probably butchered both those names...)

Didn't say there was no merit to the question, but a question on an RPG board asking if game companies should even bother doing RPGs is going to get quite the long, and emotive response.

BTW, Z-Man is not your best example. Zev started as a card game manufacturer (Shadowfist) and has made a variety of games and accessories and very little for RPGs.

 

[TwistedBishop]

Fiction, definitely. I couldn't care less for CCGs and board games of my RPGs, but novels set in a game world help tremendously to generate my interest in it, make it feel alive, and provide a cheap and entertaining entry point for people considering the game. Sourcebooks feed the novel plots, and the novel events spur on future sourcebooks. It's a perfect symmetry that every publisher capable of doing so should exploit.

Back when FASA still ran Shadowrun, their line of novels were absolutely essential purchases for all the other SR players I knew, even if you disliked the author. Their Battletech novels didn't do too shabbily either. I don't expect that most game companies could get as sweet a deal as FASA set up, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be profitable. It would certainly be far cheaper to make than the production values they're used to expending on glossy-paged hardcovers with lots of interior artwork.

 

[Ghostwind]

Has any company ever tried to mimic the model that comic book publishers use with multi-title crossovers? In order to fully understand what is going on, you need to buy Book A, Novel B, and Magazine C. Food for thought.

 

[tetsujin28]

Joe,

Do you enjoy doing the message board version of lighting a bag of dog s**t on fire and ringing the doorbell?

This is at least the second post from you where you have nothing to contribute but snarky comments against Joe. Joe's a long-time, respected poster. Who are you?