I don't normally report on staff changes at RPG companies unless it's something major. I feel like a couple of Paizo staff updates are worth mentioning though. First, James Sutter, co-creator of Pathfinder, and creative director of Starfinder, is leaving Paizo to write full-time (although he says he will still freelance for Paizo). Don't worry - it's all amicable, as he reports in a blog post at Paizo's website. Secondly, I'm informed by Paizo staff that Paizo has hired TSR's Jim Butler, who helped spearhead Alternity, and ran Bastion Press in the early 2000s, as Vice President of Marketing and Licensing.
Starfinder Starfinder's Sutter Leaves Paizo; Butler Joins (In A Different Role)
I don't normally report on staff changes at RPG companies unless it's something major. I feel like a couple of Paizo staff updates are worth mentioning though. First, James Sutter, co-creator of Pathfinder, and creative director of Starfinder, is leaving Paizo to write full-time (although he says he will still freelance for Paizo). Don't worry - it's all amicable, as he reports in a blog post at Paizo's website. Secondly, I'm informed by Paizo staff that Paizo has hired TSR's Jim Butler, who helped spearhead Alternity, and ran Bastion Press in the early 2000s, as Vice President of Marketing and Licensing.
rknop
Adventurer
I do not believe the "always". This was true until the 4e/Pathfinder years, but it hasn't always been true since then.
For a couple of years in there, Pathfinder was the top-selling RPG. There will have been transition periods, at the end when 4e was on its way down and Pathfinder was on its way up, when the two were not an order of magnitude apart from each other.
Also, I am not convinced we know enough right now to absolutely know that D&D is selling an order of magnitude better than Pathfinder. Does anybody have data or a source that would shed light on this?
I remember that rumour; 10 years ago a Paizo staffer said that they were not going to have Pdf subscriptions.
I figure that they only have another one or two DnD editions left in them.
Derulbaskul
Adventurer
Understood.
A certain person has, again, insinuated that Paizo is having financial difficulties on one of the most widely-read RPG forums on the internet. There is no evidence for this insinuation other than his inability to properly parse a statement made ten years ago in a completely different context.
How long before that becomes, "ENWorld is saying..."?
Yes, I was wrong for breaking a board rule (and I have been here since the very first board so I know better) but who was harmed? By contrast, that other poster has, again, made his libellous insinuation and that has been allow to stand. Again. I may have called him names but he has tried to ruin Paizo's reputation. Again.
Philippe Marcil
First Post
Usually the first things that happen when a company have financial problems is to implement a plan to improve the financial situation of the business.
I don`t see any evidence of such a plan; no major new project have been cancelled, there is no massive layoff, no old product have been discontinued, there is no change to the paizo stores and etc.
While I do believe Paizo can streamlines themselves to improve their profitability they is no sign that they need to do it.
In fact, I think that with Starfinder release they have a shot at going back at the top of the RPG sales figure. Two factors here: i) D&D 5E have been around for a while and those interested played it and could be looking something else; ii) Starfinder sales at Gencon and the empty shelves at many FLGS shows that the demand is there. Indeed, I saw no empty shelves for the latest 5E adventure, Tomb of Annihilation, anywhere (in fact my FLGS have ton of surplus 5E stuff that is not moving but the Pathfinder supplements still roll off the shelves on a regular basis).
Anyway, well see with next couple of IVCS numbers.
I don`t see any evidence of such a plan; no major new project have been cancelled, there is no massive layoff, no old product have been discontinued, there is no change to the paizo stores and etc.
While I do believe Paizo can streamlines themselves to improve their profitability they is no sign that they need to do it.
In fact, I think that with Starfinder release they have a shot at going back at the top of the RPG sales figure. Two factors here: i) D&D 5E have been around for a while and those interested played it and could be looking something else; ii) Starfinder sales at Gencon and the empty shelves at many FLGS shows that the demand is there. Indeed, I saw no empty shelves for the latest 5E adventure, Tomb of Annihilation, anywhere (in fact my FLGS have ton of surplus 5E stuff that is not moving but the Pathfinder supplements still roll off the shelves on a regular basis).
Anyway, well see with next couple of IVCS numbers.
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Yeah,
But even though I do not run 5e nor do I intend to, I will probably get them for nostalgia sake. That's why they will have extra sales from non players.
I have yet to meet anyone playing 5e around here, even though I know they exist. None of this has value beyond anecdotical evidence.
But even though I do not run 5e nor do I intend to, I will probably get them for nostalgia sake. That's why they will have extra sales from non players.
I have yet to meet anyone playing 5e around here, even though I know they exist. None of this has value beyond anecdotical evidence.
Interestingly, I have yet to meet any Americans around here. Anecdotally, I've heard they exist.
fantasmamore
Explorer
Well, these non-players tend to back the majority of kickstarter projects which are 5e compatible. Some of them buy the content from FG (all 5e products are "best-sellers") or roll20 (look at the "most-popular" modules). Sometimes they pre-order massively from amazon and some of them buy the books from the FLGS from all over the world (I buy the books from my local store in Athens, Greece). All of these "stores" (kickstarter, virtual tabletops,amazon, FLGS) have one thing in common; 5e is in the first place. It's a very successful system and that's good for the entire industry.
You can believe what you want. I base my information from working 20 years running 2 game stores. Pathfinder became the top RPG when 4E was shelved and WotC was developing 5E. While 4E was actively published it was the top RPG. And even 4E sold lights out better than Pathfinder. Again though, Paizo does a remarkable job of selling direct to it's customers, something WotC doesn't do.
5E is selling an order of magnitude more than Pathfinder, I say this a retailer, with close friends at Distributors and WotC and Paizo.
Understand, I'd rather both games sell well, those are good days for me.
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