For the most part, I am skeptical that anything realistic could bring the disenfranchised back. From what I have seen, most of the people that have become disenfranchised with WotC, as opposed to somebody who just feels 4e isn't the game for them, would not likely accept any kind of olive branch. They would see almost any gesture short of giving away lots of stuff for free as a money grab or some other negatively motivated ploy.
I'm probably somewhere in the middle of 'disenfranchised' and 'feeling 4E isn't the game for me'.
Bring me back in the fold is fairly easy. Make or sell something I want.
The fact is that currently WotC is irrelevant to my D&D game. I'm not mad at them or disappointed with them; I just don't care about them. My tastes in D&D run in a different direction than WotC has been going, and I don't expect that to change.
Probably the easiest thing WotC could do to turn me into a customer is start selling PDFs of out-of-print material. I already own most of what I want, but there are a few things I'd pick up. And I know there's demand from others who play the out-of-print editions, too.
Another possibility is releasing new material for older editions. I don't think that's "splitting the market," because I think the market is already split. It would be entering into a portion of the market that already exists and that they're not currently servicing. However, the market for older edition adventures may not be big enough for them to worry about. That's a business decision they'd have to maket. I don't expect this to happen, I'm just throwing it out as a possibility. Another possibility (especially if they deem the older edition market to be too small to devote resources to) would be to license the D&D trademark to a different company that puts out adventures and such for the older editions. That way WotC keeps their development resources focused on their current game, benefits from license fees in a market they're not otherwise tapping and is too small to worry about, directly, and the separate company would get the benefit of releasing official AD&D material under license, which would be a big publicity/marketing boon.
PDF's, release of limited runs, new material. You ask so much.
Really though if they did a limited run release of old stuff, I would bet there would be a surge in purchases.
If they updated the DDI to include older editions, yup I would be sitting there sending them money to use their CB.
I used it building a 4E character I played and really loved it.
For starters?
Well, for one, they could try. And then maybe have the brand manager show up on ENWorld and say hi?
But we've been down that road already a few months back and she doesn't seem to be interested in that approach.
I infer that WotC prefers to control the message and manage the delete key.
It could also be the fact how many times did we rake Scott over the coals around here for stuff. Could it be our own olive branch is a wee bit rotten.
So really to get my money:
1. PDF's not so important as I have most I want. But would help in filling out some holes I have. And it would generate the most good will throughout the community.
2. Older Edition Character Builders. Heck they could contract it out if they wanted to, with the stipulation that it must be done through DDI. I bet many of us Non-4E'ers would jump on the bandwagon to get it. And once you have us, who is to say we don't stick around and maybe try out that new fangled 4E thing the kids are playing these days. It's a one time cost with possible huge rewards.
I disagree with starting with 2E. I would start with the 3.0E/3.5E Books.
Why you ask, simple you have the greatest number of players in that demographic that are computer literate and more likely to have a laptop at the table. This is also the same demographic that would have to be won over with the most return of investment possible.
To those that say we have PCGEN or others of the free ones, I say you have to enter all the datasets on your own. And lord help you if you get caught typing it all out and sharing the dataset. Your average player is lazy, WotC needs to take advantage of that fact.
3. Classic Limited Reprints - Each year select an edition, reprint the core as a single mega book. (include errata) This run would not be of 3.0E/3.5E. Reason being I don't consider that Classic D&D and it would be counter productive to the 4E line, while the Basic/1E/2E lines would fall more into nostalgic buys for the occasional game with or for folks wanting to replace their aging books.
That's my two coppers on the matter.
You have to show WotC there is some profit to be made if you want them to do something.