Viral Marketing for RPGs...Where is it?

[Mark CMG]

The OGL is a viral marketing scheme.

 

[Vigilance]

D&D is no more (or less) "hack'n'slash" now than in the past 30+ years...
Considering it started as a Minis Wargame.

Where the hell do you think MMORPGs got the idea?

Yep. I also think the rise of the "action RPG" genre created by Diablo is further evidence that folks (and here I mean the majority- your personal tastes are obviously fine as long as you and your players are having fun) want more "Lethal Weapon" and less "Sophie's Choice" in their weekly rpg games.

 

[zen_hydra]

Yep. I also think the rise of the "action RPG" genre created by Diablo is further evidence that folks (and here I mean the majority- your personal tastes are obviously fine as long as you and your players are having fun) want more "Lethal Weapon" and less "Sophie's Choice" in their weekly rpg games.

You certainly may be correct at gauging what the majority of D&D players want out of a game, but if WOTC tries to make D&D compete directly with the MMORPG market, they are doomed to fail.

I certainly hope that I am wrong about the market trend that I have seen developing over the last couple of years. I do see lots of bad signs from the market leaders though. It really seems that most of the innovation in the industry is coming from the Indy press, and not from the big developers.

No matter which way things go, WOTC/Hasbro is doing very little to make the D&D brand more accessable to the general public.

 

[Vigilance]

You certainly may be correct at gauging what the majority of D&D players want out of a game, but if WOTC tries to make D&D compete directly with the MMORPG market, they are doomed to fail.

Eh, I disagree. There are a lot of folks out there who like RPGs, and a certain percentage of those will always be drawn to the tabletop experience. For now there's no getting around that the tabletop can give each individual group the game they want, with spelunking, combat, role-playing and so forth in the right combination for them.

Also, there's the social aspect of playing face to face. I think tabletop games are as threatened by MMORPGs as poker is by online poker or chess by online/computer chess.

Both have their place and one isn't going to kill the other.

And this example addresses your other point, that D&D *must* be something different from an MMORPG. Not necessarily. Again, poker is not ever going to be killed by online poker. There's just no replacing the experience of bluffing some sucker and blowing cigar smoke in his face when he realizes what you did.

I certainly hope that I am wrong about the market trend that I have seen developing over the last couple of years. I do see lots of bad signs from the market leaders though. It really seems that most of the innovation in the industry is coming from the Indy press, and not from the big developers.

Right, but the majority of gamers don't WANT innovation. Dogs in the Vineyard is a fine game. But it's a niche game and always will be.

The majority of gamers want the product Wizards makes, or they wouldn't have a 90% market share. People are willing to leave a product when a better one comes along. Look at how thoroughly World of Warcraft has trounced Everquest, despite EQ being first and being a former market leader.

If more people were satisfied by the "innovation" and play experiences provided by World of Darkness, Dogs in the Vineyard and so forth, they'd be playing those games.

No matter which way things go, WOTC/Hasbro is doing very little to make the D&D brand more accessable to the general public.

I disagree. I think a focus on action serves to do just that. A lot of people love traditional action rpgs. If you look at the sales of console and computer RPGs, from Diablo, to Final Fantasy to World of Warcraft, you see there are millions of people interested in the classic model (that they stole from OD&D btw) of exploration, combat and treasure, followed by an increase in power or level and then repeating the process.

It's a simple formula that appeals to millions worldwide, and it's an experience that D&D offers better than any game on the market.

Other games can afford to innovate as you call it, because that allows them to appeal to a niche audience.

Wizards is the market leader and as such, they play to the groundlings. This is how it should be.

Chuck

 

[Dykstrav]

Why don't we see viral marketing campaigns from the RPG market leaders (I am looking at you WOTC and White Wolf) to help spread new interest in tabletop RPGs in general?

Let me preface by saying that I don't work in marketing, and I've never studied it beyond a unit in the business courses I took in college. So although I've seen stuff about viral marketing, I'm not qualified nor in the loop enough to discuss a marketing strategy. So instead, let me tell you why I choose to buy or not to buy things.

Basically, if I'm satisifed with a product, I'll recommend it to others. Whether it's a movie, electronics, a game, a restaurant, whatever- if the product isn't worth what I paid for it I don't recommend it. I also understand that a given product might not be everyone's cup of tea. I wouldn't recommend D&D to my grandmother, for example.

Now here's a game that costs a pretty decent chunk of change to play, involves hours of commitment, flipping through books, reading rules and doing research... And I'm also supposed to help market this thing to new players too? That's the line for me. Sure, I'd like to see higher-quality products and (sometimes) more general public interest in the game, but I don't feel personally responsible for these things. If people don't want to buy gaming products, that seems like a supply-and-demand issue to me. It seems like it'd be far easier to make a game that people want to play rather than trying to create demand.

It's the same reason that I don't wear clothing with name brands or logos directly on the product. I can buy clothing of better quality and significantly less cost, all with the added benefit of not paying a company to walk around with an advertisement for their product literally on my chest. Frankly, I don't have the time or inclination to market for someone for them.

 

[zen_hydra]

What I wonder, is why there doesn't seem to be any real effort to grow the appeal of tabletop rpgs in general. The niche-ness of tabletop rpgs is because it is sold as a niche game.

The less that our society necessitates face-to-face interaction, the less you will see unnecessary face-to-face interaction.

In opposition to the negative press that tabletop rpgs have generated in the past, the industry should be selling the hobby on the basis that it encourages real-life social interaction.

 

[Dragon Snack]

I see lots of people pimping games at local Cons and game stores (I've done it myself). Sure, it's not reaching out to non-gamers, but it IS a type of viral marketing.

If you want someone to play Dogs In The Vineyard with - go demo it at the LGS or a Con...




Gleemax, "enigmatic website". Must resist comment... *head explodes*

 

[bento]

What I wonder, is why there doesn't seem to be any real effort to grow the appeal of tabletop rpgs in general. The niche-ness of tabletop rpgs is because it is sold as a niche game.

No, I think as Dykstra mentioned, most RPGs are complicated affairs that require people to read, follow a complex and arbitrary set of rules, and sometimes engage with people who are selfish. There's no guarantee that a new player will have a fun time the first, second or third time they play an RPG. The fun factor is probably much higher for a newbie trying a MMORPG than a pen-and-paper RPG.

In opposition to the negative press that tabletop rpgs have generated in the past, the industry should be selling the hobby on the basis that it encourages real-life social interaction.

Many people do not like social interaction. That's why the Internet is so popular. I can be alone and be with others at the same time. It's relatively safe and I remain in my comfort zone. MMORPGs do this one step better. I can be alone and play a game with a group at the same time. If I feel I'm being treated poorly by others, I can simply quit and come back later.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I don't see much point, really. Putting RPG ads in fantasy novels, and (more importantly) finding a way to get new gamers together is, IMO, a far worthier goal.