D&D 5E The Pitfalls of Success: Hasbro Success Story, Take 2

[clearstream]

Indeed. Sometimes limits are good, because they ground you and force you to get outside your comfort zone.

Artists always work within limits. The only question is whether the artist chose those limits, or they were chosen for them.

 

[Shiroiken]

1) Hasbro has already been mining the D&D IP for maximum profit. MtG has a Forgotten Realms themed set coming (last I heard, anyway), and we've already gotten 2 MtG settings for D&D. If the D&D movie is successful it might lead the way to a shared universe franchise, possibly including TV, comics, and video games.

2) I really don't expect this to change the types of products that much. This is a reorganization, not a franchise change.

3) Hopefully Hasbro realizes having overly optimistic projections leads to disaster. TSR originally had similar growth, and this growth is just as unsustainable. The game is great, and there are a lot of factors bringing in new players constantly, but trends change. While Hasbro isn't a tiny company the way TSR was in the early 80s, I do worry they'll fall into the same mistakes.

4) I assumed you were off your meds

 

[GreyLord]

That's the impression that I get.

View attachment 133632

The Beer Band...specifically the homebrew brand band that you want to love...

 

[payn]

The 90's had multiple settings, novel liens, and Topps trading cards. I think D&D can certainly get beyond just an RPG.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

The 90's had multiple settings, novel liens, and Topps trading cards. I think D&D can certainly get beyond just an RPG.

True. Then again, for multiple reasons, it didn't end very well.

It's interesting, to me, what makes an IP valuable in terms of monetizing it.

For example, we all know about the easy examples- rich, complex stories that have decades of history and speak to archetypes as old as literature itself ... aka, comics.

But then again, we've seen other IP that people assumed were doomed to fail (Theme Park Rides, aka Pirates ...) also work out. Heck, as maligned as Transformers is today, it was a very profitable and money-making IP for some time which was originally just a toy and some cartoons to sell the toy.

The thing about D&D is that for most people, it is a very personal experience. Fewer people are huge fans of an established lore or set of characters than they are the game itself and their own experiences in it- although that might change. Look at Critical Role (for example).

It will be interesting to see.

 

[payn]

True. Then again, for multiple reasons, it didn't end very well.

It's interesting, to me, what makes an IP valuable in terms of monetizing it.

For example, we all know about the easy examples- rich, complex stories that have decades of history and speak to archetypes as old as literature itself ... aka, comics.

But then again, we've seen other IP that people assumed were doomed to fail (Theme Park Rides, aka Pirates ...) also work out. Heck, as maligned as Transformers is today, it was a very profitable and money-making IP for some time which was originally just a toy and some cartoons to sell the toy.

The thing about D&D is that for most people, it is a very personal experience. Fewer people are huge fans of an established lore or set of characters than they are the game itself and their own experiences in it- although that might change. Look at Critical Role (for example).

It will be interesting to see.

The major thing slowing down the D&D IP were the terrible contracts for film and video game rights. It was all over the place and none of the owners were in any shape to be good Sheppard's of the D&D brand. Now that most of that is in the past, there can be a focused approach. They are starting back at the starting line and we will see if they can build recognizable and marketable characters and elements of D&D to push it beyond a hodgepodge of settings and old novel lines.

 

[Remathilis]

Also, Ska is great, fight me.

Let Mortal Kombat commence!

 

[Charlaquin]

Let Mortal Kombat commence!

That sounds like a supporting argument for Ska being great to me...

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

The major thing slowing down the D&D IP were the terrible contracts for film and video game rights. It was all over the place and none of the owners were in any shape to be good Sheppard's of the D&D brand. Now that most of that is in the past, there can be a focused approach. They are starting back at the starting line and we will see if they can build recognizable and marketable characters and elements of D&D to push it beyond a hodgepodge of settings and old novel lines.

Perhaps! There is a certain alchemy that goes into this.

I think we tend to overestimate the general appeal of D&D's IP. But as I noted, it can be hard a priori why some things succeed (Pirates of the Caribbean, Fast & Furious Franchise) and other things flop (DC's interconnected universe, the Dark Universe, the Dark Tower, etc.).

 

[payn]

Perhaps! There is a certain alchemy that goes into this.

I think we tend to overestimate the general appeal of D&D's IP. But as I noted, it can be hard a priori why some things succeed (Pirates of the Caribbean, Fast & Furious Franchise) and other things flop (DC's interconnected universe, the Dark Universe, the Dark Tower, etc.).

Chicken and egg I guess. I think the problem with general D&D appeal is its never been presented as such. I think its possible to do, I just dont know how it would happen. Its part writing and part pop culture. All I know is its exciting whenever a new approach is being taken, even if there have been hilarious failures in the past.