The Doctor Who game was expressly designed as being a beginner-friendly RPG, and the box set aspect came with that.
There's also no hardcover option. Even experienced RPGers pick up the box.
The Doctor Who box also serves another purpose: keeping the softcover books protected and all the loose leaf sheets together.
The box is not so much a "beginner box" as "a game in a box". The newbie friendly design is irrelevant; every RPG *could* be someone's first so you have to write the core books with that in mind.
The "Pathfinder Beginner Box" was not named by chance….your own perceptions are somewhat skewed.
I'm not sure what your point is here.
Yes, as, you can release a newbie friendly box. It is an option. It's not impossible.
My point was that I did not think it was necessary any longer or the best use of design time. Everyone seems to think a beginner set is a must have product. That it's something that is as essential as the PHB.
I also don't think it's the best way to get people into the RPG.
Box sets are visible, accessible and identifiable as games by general public and that's all there is to it.
So are small plastic cases, why not put D&D to one of those?
The thing is, we don't want people buying D&D thinking it's a traditional board game. That confuses people.
Boxed sets put up a barrier between new people and the game: the price of the box.
Starter boxes increase the cost to begin playing: the box then the regular books.
Boxed sets have a lower amount of content for their price.
They're not really worth the effort of creating.