What stops WotC from *also* selling 3.5?

[amerigoV]

While widespread and long-term publication of previous editions would eat into 4e sales, a one-time print and dump would give them a quick injection of money. Virtually every old 1e and 2e gamer would run out to buy a new release of their favorite PHB/DMG and then would have very little interest in anything else. So they could get a one time boost probably about every ten years.

Yeah, cuz they want to give WotC $35/book for something they already have or can buy on Ebay for <$10

players hand book | eBay

dungeon masters guide | eBay

I mean, if it had any value, why not release all the books Ryan Dancey found when WoTC was looking to take over TSR?

Ryan Dancey on the Acquisition of TSR

PDFs and POD - there might be money on the table if they could ever get over their piracy paranoia (I admit I had little interests in PDFs until I got an Ipad). Print runs of stuff that is dirt cheap on the secondary market sounds like a money loser.

 

[Bedrockgames]

I think that avoiding brand confusion is one of the primary reasons for only having one edition at a time. If there are two or more incompatible games called "Dungeons & Dragons" on the market at one time it can make it difficult for new or casual players to identify the products they actually need.

Back when 4e Essentials was released, WotC said that it was difficult for new players to figure out which product to buy next - and that's with only one version of the game on sale. Imagine if they had to wade through all the 3.5 books as well as the 4e books!

WotC also mentioned back around the 4e Essentials release that store employees at big chain stores were confused and had a hard time helping customers pick out which D&D books to buy. Having both 3.5 and 4e available would only compound that confusion.

Back in the 80s when D&D and AD&D were on the market at the same time, product confusion was mitigated to some degree by the fact that the games were somewhat compatible. It was fairly easy to use an AD&D book with D&D and vice-versa. This wouldn't be the case with 3.5e and 4e on sale at the same time.

The only way I can see having two very different editions on sale at the same time is if one of them gave up the "Dungeons & Dragons" brand name. Something along the lines of taking 1e + the Greyhawk setting and releasing them together in one core rulebook and calling it "Greyhawk Adventures RPG" with no mention of the D&D brand name at all... or maybe just a small advertising blurb on the back cover that said something like "Rules based on the classic AD&D game system!"

I gave up on 4E about a year in, and decided to give it another try at the end of last year. Definitely found 4E essentials a bit confusing. It just wasn't clear to me at first whether this was a separate game or something you add onto to a regular 4E game.

 

[slwoyach]

Yeah, cuz they want to give WotC $35/book for something they already have or can buy on Ebay for <$10

players hand book | eBay

dungeon masters guide | eBay

I mean, if it had any value, why not release all the books Ryan Dancey found when WoTC was looking to take over TSR?

Ryan Dancey on the Acquisition of TSR

PDFs and POD - there might be money on the table if they could ever get over their piracy paranoia (I admit I had little interests in PDFs until I got an Ipad). Print runs of stuff that is dirt cheap on the secondary market sounds like a money loser.

There are plenty of people who will pay $35 for a nice, clean copy of the 2e PHB. Most of the books you'll find online are beat up and/or written in. I've never gotten anything in pristine shape online. I have, however, received books where the pages immediately fell out of the cover, the spine was ripped off, the pages were highlighted, the pages had doodles on them, etc.

 

[Bedrockgames]

There are plenty of people who will pay $35 for a nice, clean copy of the 2e PHB. Most of the books you'll find online are beat up and/or written in. I've never gotten anything in pristine shape online. I have, however, received books where the pages immediately fell out of the cover, the spine was ripped off, the pages were highlighted, the pages had doodles on them, etc.

I spent about that on my 2e phb (lost my original reays ago). Also happy paid extra for some old 2e ravenloft modules and domains of dread.

 

[Dausuul]

I mean, if it had any value, why not release all the books Ryan Dancey found when WoTC was looking to take over TSR?

While I agree with your point in general, I'm positive WotC no longer has those books (except perhaps a few mementoes). Whatever they couldn't find a way to sell right there would have been pulped, sent to the landfill, or donated to somebody. At the time, the market was flooded with 2E, and it certainly would not have been worth holding onto them in hopes of selling a handful of books ten years down the road. I work at an Internet retailer, and you better believe we don't have shelf space to waste on stuff that ain't selling.

 

[Achan hiArusa]

I suspect that brand dilution is a big factor. Little Johnny goes to and encounter session at the local game store and decided that D&D is cool and he want to try it out.

So he goes and buys the 4e PHBII and the 3.5e MM and DMGII.

Now he tries to make a game of all of this.

Actually the Jr. High game I ran I used the Mentzer Basic set, the Moldvay Expert set, and the AD&D Player's Handbook.

 

[Dumnbunny]

Yeah, cuz they want to give WotC $35/book for something they already have or can buy on Ebay for <$10

players hand book | eBay

dungeon masters guide | eBay

Have you checked out the condition of those books under $10, the ripped covers, marked up pages, and stains? I've been rebuilding my collection of 1e materials, focusing solely on books which are near-mint in condition, and I can tell you I pay more than a newly printed book from WoTC would cost.

 

[Pentius]

There are plenty of people who will pay $35 for a nice, clean copy of the 2e PHB. Most of the books you'll find online are beat up and/or written in. I've never gotten anything in pristine shape online. I have, however, received books where the pages immediately fell out of the cover, the spine was ripped off, the pages were highlighted, the pages had doodles on them, etc.

I actually have gotten a few good condition books online. Pages all there, not written in, etc. And I paid usually less than $10, and never more than full price(for a new book).

But even so, that just splinters the potential market for these books another step. You need not only people who play old editions, and need new books, but those who play old editions, need new books, and are willing to pay more(several times more) to guarantee it isn't doodled in. Granted, I know a few people who prefer their books in pristine condition(I'm one of them, generally) but these are usually also the people who still have their old books.

 

[Bedrockgames]

I actually have gotten a few good condition books online. Pages all there, not written in, etc. And I paid usually less than $10, and never more than full price(for a new book).

.

I have gotten mostly good copies but I was sold a few bad apples as well. The worst was when I bought Ravenloft: Feast of Goblyns. This is supposed to come with a book, a map, a character sheet and GM screen. All mine came with was the front cover/GM screen. No book, no map, etc. I had ordered it off amazon and the seller claimed (when i called) that he thought that was how it was sold. Another seller sold me the Ravenloft Red boxed set, with just the domains book. No box, no map, etc).

 

[Tinker Gnome]

I have gotten mostly good copies but I was sold a few bad apples as well. The worst was when I bought Ravenloft: Feast of Goblyns. This is supposed to come with a book, a map, a character sheet and GM screen. All mine came with was the front cover/GM screen. No book, no map, etc. I had ordered it off amazon and the seller claimed (when i called) that he thought that was how it was sold. Another seller sold me the Ravenloft Red boxed set, with just the domains book. No box, no map, etc).

This is why I prefer books over boxed sets. Stuff can get lost and the seller may not know what was supposed to be in it and you can end up with an incomplete product.

Yeah, I know this is only a real problem on the secondary market, but still...