Why aren't there any non-WotC D&D magazines?

[CombatWombat51]

Does anyone have some insight as to why there's no D&D magazines besides Dragon and Dungeon? I'd think that with all the d20 publishers, someone would have done it by now.

 

[Ottergame]

I think Dragon and Dungeon are pretty hard up for subscribers, and its an offical source with good articals and good editing.

 

[d4]

i thought there were magazines with third-party d20 content.

 

[MonsterMash]

What about the ENWorld players Journal? (or whatever it'll be called)

I think its a combination of factors including there being two well established magazines with Dungeon and Dragon, magazine publishing to a regular basis being much tougher for a small company than releasing source books or adventures which don't have a cover date, and cost.

 

[Ranger REG]

Does anyone have some insight as to why there's no D&D magazines besides Dragon and Dungeon?[/b]

Because Dungeons & Dragons is a WotC trademark, and only Paizo Publishing (a non-WotC company) is licensed to use the trademark on both Dragon and Dungeon magazines.

I'd think that with all the d20 publishers, someone would have done it by now.

If you are referring to a magazine that supports d20 and OGL products, there are a few. Gaming Frontier is one which is nearly advertisement-free, which is why each issue cost about $20. Campaign magazine started as an independent d20 gaming magazine, but later Fast Forward Games began using it as an in-house periodical support for their products. Mongoose's Signs & Portent magazine also became an in-house support gaming magazine.

Basically, it's hard to startup a magazine circulation. Even if you got it off the ground, you'll have to expand your subscriber base so it can help you maintain the circulation month after month. I think for the most part, many indie magazine started off with a broad support for d20, trying to support all genres. But not many people are interested in all genres, just a few or the one. Still I think it's possible.

 

[diaglo]

here is a link to a real D&D zine: http://www.tongue.fsnet.co.uk/

 

[Seeker95]

Ranger REG summed it up nicely. Licensing.

 

[Buttercup]

D&D/D20 is really a pretty small hobby, so I doubt the market could support more magazines.

There was one for a while, called Campaign or some such. The original publisher couldn't manage to get the issues out on a regular basis, and then FFE took it over. At that point, I stopped buying it, because I won't give them any of my money. I don't know for sure, but I think it is no longer being published.

 

[Crothian]

Mongoose has signs and Portals, and doesn't Pyramid have some d20 stuff in it?

 

[Umbran]

In general, the gaming market is fairly small. Only a couple million people. Considering that only a small percentage of them are likely to pick up a magazine, things are pretty tough, both in startup and maintaining decent profit.