Why doesn't WotC license older editions?

[Kzach]

I have nothing against older editions or other game systems. I have nothing against published worlds or modules. In fact, I'm pretty ambivalent about the entire industry.

I just thought that needed to be said before I continue.

I'm curious as to why WotC doesn't just make up some sort of OGL or GSL or whatever acronym fits, to allow third parties, or perhaps just one third-party, to publish for profit, things for older editions.

WotC could get a small slice of the pie for doing literally nothing but allowing it to happen. It'd make a lot of people happy that they have continued 'official' support. And it'd probably go a long way towards mitigating the hate, not to mention dialling down edition wars.

Or would it?

Is there something I'm missing that would make this a bad idea? I mean, someone like Dragonsfoot, for instance, could lobby to be the only third-party producer of 1e material, Diaglo could get the OD&D rights, and someone, surely, would want to take up the mantle of 2e. Wouldn't that go a long way towards making people happy(er)?

 

[Xyxox]

Look to the simplest answer.

Competition.

You don't want older editions competing with your current flagship.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Because if the licensing fees were low enough for any other company to be interested, they wouldn't be worthwhile for WotC to risk competing with themselves.

It's the same reason, as much as many of us miss the "Red Box," that it's not in WotC's interest to publish a full, level 1st to 30th "Basic" game. Anything that's D&D but not 4E competes with 4E. Doesn't matter how different it seems the markets would be, there are going to be some people who overlap, and then WotC finds itself in the position of trying to market two products that don't work together to one person--or allowing someone else to market one of those two products to that hypothetical person.

 

[Caliban]

They have on at least one occastion - AD&D was licensed by Kenzer Co. for Hackmaster.

 

[Kzach]

But let's face some realities. People are generally 'stuck' in their edition of preference and aren't about to buy 4e anyway. It's not like WotC would be losing any money or competing with themselves. Each edition is different enough that it really constitutes a wholly different system.

And any new players are generally going to be fairly open-minded about editions. Some will stick with what they know, whilst others will explore. It would help open up the hobby to even more people, which can only be a good thing for WotC.

There really isn't any competition to be had between the editions. They're hitting different niches of the same market. And those who don't care about edition would just buy anything that catches their fancy, which again isn't going to hurt WotC sales.

I really don't see any downside for WotC. If anything, it would expand the hobby and make a lot of people happy. You can't buy that kind of PR.

 

[Mouseferatu]

But let's face some realities. People are generally 'stuck' in their edition of preference and aren't about to buy 4e anyway. It's not like WotC would be losing any money or competing with themselves.

You might think that, but you'd be wrong.

While what you say is true of some people, there are quite a few who move on to new editions because that's what the market does, even if they'd prefer an older edition. And even if that's only a small percentage of the market, it's a small percentage of a small market.

It costs X dollars, minimum, to produce a halfway decent book. That's the case whether you're marketing to the entire market, or only a portion of the market. That split would more than counteract any small additional income--and it would be small, in WotC terms--to be found marketing to the followers of previous editions.

Each edition is different enough that it really constitutes a wholly different system.

Not to everyone. For a lot of people, D&D is D&D.

And any new players are generally going to be fairly open-minded about editions.

That's exactly the problem. It's bad for WotC if new players have multiple D&Ds to choose from. It means that WotC is then forced to support multiple D&Ds in order to support the new gamers, and the cost of supporting multiple games is prohibitive if they're both aimed at the same general audience: The fantasy-focused RPGer.

Some will stick with what they know, whilst others will explore. It would help open up the hobby to even more people, which can only be a good thing for WotC.

Not if those new gamers don't buy into WotC's main line it's not.

There really isn't any competition to be had between the editions. They're hitting different niches of the same market.

Except they're not--something TSR learned the hard way back in the day.

WotC can produce X number of products, maximum. Therefore, it is better for them to aim any given product at the largest part of the market possible.

 

[Aus_Snow]

'Conceding defeat' might not be the best PR move ever.

It could be just the most gloriously perfect ammunition, for some folks to go 'a-ha!', 'told you so!', and the like. Maybe even second best only to 4e outright failing.

On a more serious(?) note, there is already abundant support in the form of communities, magazines, new and existing products, house rules and variants collections and so forth, for *every* prior edition of D&D, as far as I'm aware.

In other words, licensing would be kinda redundant at this stage.

 

[Wik]

Yeah. Considering the presence of OSRIC, Labyrinth Lord, Basic Fantasy... would really licensing an "official" version be worth it? I can already publish a 1e adventure, after all!

I'd like to see an OSRIC for 2nd edition, but I'm not greedy. I like what's currently available.

 

[billd91]

It all comes down to competition. Why would WotC invite comparison unless they were forced to... like with the OGL?

 

[Bullgrit]

Why would this idea even be necessary? The previous editions' books don't disappear when a new edition is published. I played AD&D1 for another half decade after it was out of print and AD&D2 was the current edition. I'm now playing D&D3 while D&D4 is the current edition.

If I wanted to pick up AD&D1 again, I'd just pull the books off my shelf and start playing. I don't need anything new published.

Bullgrit
Total Bullgrit