D&D 5E Why a New D&D Video Game Should Be 16bit/2D

[ArchfiendBobbie]

We could go in a fun direction and let the community decide how much game should be funded.

Get developer like Harebrained Schemes to Kickstarter it. Then, if the community wants a game with a budget in the millions, they'll make it happen. Hasbro doesn't have to spend a dime on development and saves millions.

 

[The Human Target]

Or you can look at the amazing not 2d not 16 bit totally mind blowing great popular basically D&D games that exist and try to make a good game like those.

Witcher, Elder Scrolls, Dragon Age, Dark Souls, etc.

 

[the_cowley]

Yes, but those games cost 10's of millions of dollars. Which is a problem if they just hand the game over to someone else by selling a license agreement.

 

[ArchfiendBobbie]

Yes, but those games cost 10's of millions of dollars. Which is a problem if they just hand the game over to someone else by selling a license agreement.

Kickstarter. Make the features on that level be stretch goals.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

Kickstarter. Make the features on that level be stretch goals.

That's not going to work. A game with a Budget in the double digit millions will have a completely different basic design than one with a Budget of a few millions. So if you had stretch goals stretching that high you'd either need to start with a 10+ (Yeah right) million goal, or start smaller and redesign as the campaign progresses, potentially angering early backers who wanted a smaller, more niche game.

 

[The Human Target]

Yes, but those games cost 10's of millions of dollars. Which is a problem if they just hand the game over to someone else by selling a license agreement.

Sure but...

Hasbro is a giant company that wants to make D&D a "pop culture thing" again.

Making a 2d 16 bit downloadable game is probably not going to do that.

Making a successful big game would, and would bring in a lot of money.

And I'm sure many major game companies would be very interested in making a game with the D&D IP.

 

[wedgeski]

I certainly would buy such a thing if it was a good game., but there needs to be a mainstream, AAA or near-AAA quality D&D game, for the brand to be taken seriously in that market IMO. I doubt Hasbro wants the buying public to associate D&D with a quaint pixel-graphic throwback.

 

[Zardnaar]

Kickstarter. Make the features on that level be stretch goals.

A kickstarter that gets millions of dollars gets you something like Pillars of Eternity.

Witcher 3 the developer took a long time to get those resources to do it (20 odd years).

That is my main argument they need a hit game 1st to build on because people are not risking tens of millions of dollars on new franchises.

And I think people over rate the value and appeal of the D&D brand in video games. They have not had a great one since 2000.

If they can sell 1 million units at $20 a pop and spend 1 million making it steam takes their cut but you would still have 14 million dollars left over with change. The sequel costs a bit more to make and maybe you kickstarter 4 or 5 million.

Witcher 3 done by a Polish company. 81 million dollars.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/this-is-how-much-the-witcher-3-cost-to-make/1100-6430409/

To fund a game at that level (which is not even that expensive these days) you need a franchise behind it or a game studio. That is around 2 or 3 years revenue (not profit) of some of D&D's best years.


You're not gonna be able to crowd source 80 million dollars.

There is a reason there are less games being developed for PS4/XboxOne these days than say PS2/3 and the Xbox360. Production values have gone nuts and the games are not really selling that much more on average or even less due to smaller user bases.

You also need a certain amount of passion. so if you can get 20+ programmers who appreciate D&D with tens of millions of dollars available go for it.

You're not going to get a Mass Effect/WitcherIII/Dragon Age quality game with D&D on it any time soon.


Older article. Stardew Valley tops 1 million in sales.

http://www.polygon.com/2016/4/13/11423844/stardew-valley-sales-one-million-copies

That is a few more than Legends of the Sword Coast and its only on Steam, the game is available on PlayStation Plus and Xbox store.

1 developer, 1 million+ in sales.

Witcher 3 81 million dollars, 1500 people involved.

 

[wicked cool]

Its really 2 bad that in the modern era we cant get a good D&D game. I play a ton of dragon age/witcher 3/ skyrim and they all remind me of D&D. the last sword coast game was dreadful compared to all of those. Would they be better of renting the IP to EA/Microsoft etc and have them come up with a game that uses D&D mechanics/worlds.

 

[SunGold]

If I saw a Kickstarter for a D&D video game I'd write it off immediately. Kickstarter is for small companies/indie devs who have a vision but not the funds. Hasbro has the funds for a AAA title. If they had so little faith in what they were making that they wouldn't even fund it, well, that's a good cue that neither should I.