Should WOTC participate in the ENnies?

[VictorC]

I can't think of any reason they shouldn't.

 

[Steel_Wind]

I voted "no" and here's why:

1 - The awards bring great attention to third party publishers who need that attention. While I cannot offer authoritative marketing data on the legitimacy and positive effects of receiving an Ennie Award, the anecdotal evidence as to the commercial value of an Ennie award is strong.

Reason #1 Third party press needs this commercial bump and attention; WotC does not.

2 - The awards currently enjoy a high degree of legitimacy. That is not to say they are perfect and that every deserving product gets nominated in a desrving and appropriate category. Nor is it to say that the voting is done by fans on an entirely objective and informed basis. Despite all that, the Ennies enjoy a goodly amount - indeed a high amount of perceived legitimacy.

I believe that that legitimacy would be undermined by the presence of WotC in the nominees. Many would vote for the WotC product as it was the only one they were aware of in the category, and still a great many others would vote against the WotC product on an "anybody but WotC" basis.

Reason #2: Should WotC participate, the current strong legitimacy of the voting process would be eroded and undermined without corresponding benefit.

3 - If it's not broke don't fix it. The Ennies have grown from a minor Web based award in a short span to become the leading award that a product in the RPG genre can obtain. Few would argue that the Origins award have greater legitimacy - indeed - most fans question them and roll their eyes, whether the award was appropriate or not. The Ennies have, to the contrary, been perceived as a great success story. Why ever would we feel the need to muck with it now?


Reason #3: The Ennies enjoy great legitimacy currently and perform an admirable role in the industry. Let it be. If it ain't broke - don't fix it.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

Absolutely they should participate. It would also be nice to see reciprocal recognition of the ENnies in PR stuff should a WotC product win. I would hope, though, that they would play nice and not submit everything they produce for every category. Pick the one or two products you think are the best you've done in a year and submit those.

 

[Kaladhan]

I agree with Steel_Wind.

I like the fact that the Ennies are about obscure products. I have a bought a couple of products because of it, and was always pleasantly surprised.

Once the products have been selected by the Jury, the Ennies are a popularity contest (or call it a choice of the people, it's basically the same thing). The winner is the compagny that gets the most people to vote. WotC has a great share of the hobby (let's make up the number as 75%). Having a link to their ennies on the frontpage would give them a better chance to succeed compared to anyone else.

 

[DaveMage]

I agree with Steel_Wind.

I like the fact that the Ennies are about obscure products. I have a bought a couple of products because of it, and was always pleasantly surprised.

Once the products have been selected by the Jury, the Ennies are a popularity contest (or call it a choice of the people, it's basically the same thing). The winner is the compagny that gets the most people to vote. WotC has a great share of the hobby (let's make up the number as 75%). Having a link to their ennies on the frontpage would give them a better chance to succeed compared to anyone else.

Actually, though, here's the secret: The winner is not significant, because you're right - it's a popularity contest. The nomination is the true prize.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Reason #1 Third party press needs this commercial bump and attention; WotC does not.

I understand your perspective on this, but what is the intent of the ENnies? Is it to give PR to smaller publishers, or is it an award for the best gaming products? If it is an award for the best gaming products, and the major players in the industry are exluded, doesn't that work against this next part?

Reason #3: The Ennies enjoy great legitimacy currently and perform an admirable role in the industry. Let it be. If it ain't broke - don't fix it.

If the ENnies really want to maintain their reputation in the gaming industry, they need to accept anyone in the industry. If they want to be an award solely for small publishers that is fine, but then they no longer represent the industry as a whole, but only that niche.

 

[diaglo]

i voted yes, but only b/c i'm a fan of rpgs.

i don't think WotC entering makes the ENnies any more or any less significant.

 

[HellHound]

Reason #3: The Ennies enjoy great legitimacy currently and perform an admirable role in the industry. Let it be. If it ain't broke - don't fix it.

I think this is an interesting take on the issue.

However, the whole growth of the ENnies involved a lot of change along the way - if the "ain't broke - don't fix it = don't change anything" attitude was taken with the awards four years ago, they wouldn't be the awards they are today.

That said, the current system is that any publisher who enters product for the judges of the ENnies to evaluate is allowed to compete. WotC has in the past done so (I won an ENnie in a category up against WotC), and I'm surprised they haven't done so in the past few years. I guess what I'm saying is that WotC entering the ENnies again next year would be perfectly in line with "it if ain't broke - don't fix it".

 

[Umbran]

Reason #3: The Ennies enjoy great legitimacy currently and perform an admirable role in the industry. Let it be. If it ain't broke - don't fix it.

Well, here's a thought for you - we have no rule against them entering. Right now, the system is voluntary submission. So, we would have to "fix" the unbroken system to prevent them entering, if they so chose.

What part of the system is more important - keeping WotC out, or keeping the integrity of the entry requirements?

I personally think that making arbitrary blocks against particular publishers would decrease the legitimacy of the awards - it would send a message the the 3rd party publishers cannot compete in quality, and need to be protected from the 800 pound gorilla.

 

[Kaladhan]

I personally think that making arbitrary blocks against particular publishers would decrease the legitimacy of the awards - it would send a message the the 3rd party publishers cannot compete in quality, and need to be protected from the 800 pound gorilla.

I didn't think about that. I think you have a very good point there.