What Happened to RPG Outreach/Ambassador Programs Run by Companies?

[MGibster]

So back in the 1990s and the early 2000s, there were a few RPG companies who had their own outreach/ambassador programs. This was basically a system where volunteers would run a company's games at store events or conventions and in exchange they'd get free stuff or other considerations. There were other game companies that ran similiar programs. When the Wheel of Time collectible card game came out, I remember one of those ambassadors coming down to the store I worked at to demo the game. It's been a while, but I believe Alderac Entertainment Group (makers of Spycraft, Legend of the Five Rings, and Stargate SG-1) had one, I think Chaosium had one, but I'm hard pressed to think of any other.

Does anyone remember any of these programs or are my memories the result of fevered dreams? What happened to them? My working theory is that they might have ended for the following reasons:

1. The companies wanted to avoid any possibility of establishing an employee/employer relationship. At least here in the United States, you can't volunteer for a for profit company.

2. These programs just weren't cost effective.

 

[Nikosandros]

I think that SJ Games still has the MIB program.

Steve Jackson Games: Men In Black

 

[Jdoublep]

Not just imagined. I was part of L5R and Atlas Game demo teams.

some companies still have such a thing:

Road Crew Landing Page 2024|Goodman Games

goodman-games.com

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https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/more/flight-crew/

 

[Deset Gled]

I have absolutely no internal industry knowledge to back this up, but I would generally assume the lowered importance of ambassador programs is due to changes in sales channels.

These programs were focused on maximizing interest in RPG products at Brick-and-Mortar stores. Not just increasing immediate sales, but also increasing in-store events, shelf presence, stock, etc. But as the world evolved over the last ~20 years, internet sales are now much more important than all those things. Hence, less funding to the programs, and the marketing capital is redirected to internet pressence.

 

[darjr]

Wizards had Encounters during 4e and early 5e. Early in I got printed adventures and maps and tiles and minis, most of them unique.

It started to dry up during 4es decline.

Still were a few great things near the end, like Murder in Baldur’s Gate.

 

[darjr]

Wizards has had a few events since then. Mostly with adventures in off or on DMsGuild. A few were excerpts of printed products. Some had interesting unique changes, tiny changes.

I think one of the last ones were pdf extracts from existing products updated to 2024 monster stats and modified to run in a short time frame. I haven’t seen them yet.

 

[The Soloist]

happened to them? My working theory is that they might have ended for the following reasons:

"In 2015 and 2016, lawsuits were filed against Wizards of the Coast claiming that MTG judges should be considered employees. The lawsuits were based on the Fair Labor Standards Act and similar legislation in California. The judges alleged that they should be considered employees because their work was directed by and benefited Wizards of the Coast. Wizards of the Coast settled the cases before trial and has since taken steps to distance itself from the judge program."

Many companies ended their programs for fear of having to pay them.

 

[MGibster]

Many companies ended their programs for fear of having to pay them.

Thank you. That's probably where I got the idea in my head that a fear of employer/employee relationship might be developed.

 

[Distracted DM]

Dungeon Crawl Classics has their judge/road dm program.

 

[Belen]

I was a WOTC ambassador during 3e era. It was a blast and they paid me in points where I could get free books, minis, etc. You also got free stuff to demo at stores.