Who does Steve Jackson Think He's Kidding???

[WizarDru]

Re: Re: Who does Steve Jackson Think He's Kidding???

I don't think SJ or anyone else really ever expected GURPS to beat d20 in sales.

Especially considering GURPS is now coming fast on 20 years old. It's never sold as well as D&D (nor was it ever expected to). Knowing that SJG has more than a clue about how to stay in business, I'll assume they know what they're doing with this book. I find it hard to believe they're going to make money with it...but they must have done some sort of analysis to figure it out. They know what makes them money.

Quick note: Yeah, I remember when they sold GURPS Russia online. I also remember when all of the FLGS retailers got VERY, VERY ANGRY with SJG for essentially competing with them (and unfairly, in their opinions). That's why they didn't do it with other books afterwards.

That said, I have no intention of even looking in this product's general direction.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

SJG

SJG has made alot of great games: Gurps, In Nomine, Illuminati and so on. I know he'll pull through. He's proably a little pissed that d20 is kicking the out of gurps though.

 

[LoneWolf23]

Speaking as a fan of GURPS and Steve Jackson Games, I'm pretty sure that GURPS is more then capable of co-existing with the D20 system. And GURPS isn't going anywhere.

As for Munchkin... the game itself is mainly a parody of RPGs themselves, not meant to be taken seriously. Munchken D20 even more so.

 

[haiiro]

It does seem like trading out the hard cover for a higher pagecount would make more sense. Unless it's a book that's going to see a lot of use -- like the PHB, etc. -- I'd generally rather have a softcover with more pages than a hardcover.

Munchkin itself (the card game) is pretty expensive, too: a box, a rules sheet and 168 cards, all in color, for US$24.95. Even given that card games are generally in that price range -- I think Lunch Money is US$20, for example -- and that it's illustrated by Kovalic (yay!), that price is slightly too high IMO.

I like GURPS, I like SJG in general, and I enjoyed Munchkin until I became too repetitive; I figured I might enjoy Munchkin d20. Based on it's price and size, however, I probably won't wind up buying it.

Edit: Mucnhkin? Muchnkin? Munhckin? How many ways can I spell it in one post?

 

[Michael Morris]

Speaking as a fan of GURPS and Steve Jackson Games, I'm pretty sure that GURPS is more then capable of co-existing with the D20 system. And GURPS isn't going anywhere.

As for Munchkin... the game itself is mainly a parody of RPGs themselves, not meant to be taken seriously. Munchken D20 even more so.

I'm not dissing it because it isn't supposed to be serious. I can take a good joke as well as the next guy. I'm saying that it's price is WAY out of line with similiar products and that it will hurt sales.

And as for SJ knowing what they're doing - I seem to have heard similiar articles in TSR's defense back in 1997...

 

[Dr. NRG]

First, a couple of general observations from a business perspective. If you own the stores that do your distribution (as seems to be the case with lots of WoTC-owned outlets), you can charge less. If you can create truly massive print runs, you can do it at a discount, and charge less due to decreased costs. Both of these are true because your fixed costs (distribution and printing respectively) are less.

A couple of questions for those who might know more about this specific business. Does SJG do significantly smaller print runs than even the less vital 3E books (Manual of the Planes, for example)? Does SJG own a chain of gaming stores that can his distribution for him? If not, could this be part of what's affecting the price? I'm not in this business myself, so these are actual questions.

I personally have enjoyed many SJG products. If it's a case of economies of scale, I won't penalize the company by not buying their products. I'd be interested in hearing analysis from the more informed (that is more informed than me, not than y'all).



NRG

 

[Henry]

Look at it this way --

such a book will not make much money in the retailer sales channel. most book stores in a 100-mile radius of me hardly carries ANYTHING d20 outside of Malhavoc or S&SS. This book will likely be sold fairly well through the mail-order channels. At 15.00 MSRP, this means that Steve Jackson is making - what - $7.50 on it, at most? Most mail order channels will have such a product at close to $10.00, making it a smarter buy.

If SJG knows the majority of sales will be mail-oder on this product, then his MSRP pricing wouldn't make much difference, other than to throw it in line for being priced at around $10.00.


DO I intend to buy it? Lord, no. But depending on the size of print run, this book willl either make some money, or at least break even - but I don't think he'll be eating anything at the bottom line.

 

[ced1106]

Does SJG do significantly smaller print runs than even the less vital 3E books (Manual of the Planes, for example)? Does SJG own a chain of gaming stores that can his distribution for him? If not, could this be part of what's affecting the price?

I'd image that SJG has remarkably small print runs. Browse through the GURPS supplements and you'll see titles like GURPS Aztec, GURPS Middle Ages, etc. I really can't imagine such books having a print run as large as any WotC supplement. SJG does not own any chain stores and sells through the hobby market.



Cedric.
aka. Washu! ^O^

 

[Nathal]

Heh, you guys think that the RPG industry has high prices? Compare the prices of printed sheet music! Prices tend to be higher for niche markets. The cost is increased even more on limited print runs. A book like the $15 Munchkin book is a novelty item and you're likely paying for this limited print run item for the sake of its novelty. I don't know why else anybody would. Non-collectors will probably have little interest.

 

[Kichwas]

Any true munchkin who is suckered into buying a book about it, deserves to get ripped off.

Hackmaster.

Oddly enough, it's turned out to be quite popular and moved beyond the -joke- it seemed to start as.