D&D (2024) Speculating on D&DB 2024 Pricing

[OB1]

There is such a thing a "devaluing a product." Discounting sets precedents sets what people expect and how they perceive the value of something. I guess it depends on where WotC's priorities are

Right, but in this case, the discount is about upgrading to iPhone 15 from 14, rather than setting the price lower. New customers pay the same $29.99 they are now.

 

[overgeeked]

Well, that depends on how many fewer units and how much higher a price. If they convert 100,000 users to 2024 at $19.99 but they would have converted only 60,000 users at $29.99, they're better off at the lower price point. Whatever the price is will be determined by what existing users are willing to pay for the upgrade. With the physical books, it doesn't matter if you have 2014 or not, but with digital, the levers they have grow. And keep in mind that for the first few months of release, getting conversions may be worth more to them than a few extra $ in their pocket.

That said, the price points I suggested may be too low. Maybe $30, $25 and $20 would be more reasonable.

And they have no way of knowing what will happen ahead of time. So all things being equal, they'll follow standard corporate practice which is maximize short-term profits over all other considerations. They'll grab for as much as they can and if it looks like they're not hitting profit goals they'll reduce prices to bring more people over.

 

[Distracted DM]

Right, but in this case, the discount is about upgrading to iPhone 15 from 14, rather than setting the price lower. New customers pay the same $29.99 they are now.

I don't think I understand the analogy. Are you talking about the program where you give your old iPhone that you've been paying for back to Apple/carrier, and get the newer one at whatever the new monthly cost is? Basically leasing the phones?

So leasing a ruleset?

 

[OB1]

I don't think I understand the analogy. Are you talking about the program where you give your old iPhone that you've been paying for back to Apple/carrier, and get the newer one at whatever the new monthly cost is? Basically leasing the phones?

So leasing a ruleset?

I wasn't thinking that but the analogy does work. After all, on DDB, you do 'lease' the content, you just lease it for as long as the service exists.

At any rate, I was responding to your concern that the lower price points would 'devalue' the product. But offering a lower price point to upgrade from a previous model to the current is standard practice with digital goods. IE getting a 'game of the year' edition upgrade for $19.99 instead of paying the full amount a second time.

And that's ultimately why I started the thread. There isn't precedent for how having DDB in the mix will effect how this revision plays out. I guess the closest thing would be MotM replacing Volos and Tome of Foes. That didn't come with a discount if you owned the previous ones (and is perhaps an argument against the PHB being discounted), but did get the bundle discount. But in that case, it was 1 book replacing 2, and wasn't nearly as critical to have users adopt it.

I think it's unlikely that there would be discounted upgrade options for the DMG and MM, but again, the PHB is a unique product as the gateway for new players in the game. If I were the D&D team, I'd want to get as many Master Tier subscriber DMs switched to the 2024 PHB as quickly as possible so that their players experience the new rules as well.

Finally, while I didn't make this a + thread, I'm primarily interested in the opinions of current DDB users who are considering switching to 2024 later this year, and how the price point of switching may effect your desire to do so.