Why has WotC stopped posting on ENWorld?

[Vicar In A Tutu]

I remember back in the day when people working at WoTC posted here, answering people's questions, teasing with snippets from a forthcomming book, etc. Scott Rouse (former D&D brandmanager, fondly known as "The Rouse") was especially active. Has it to do with Twitter? Or the constant edition-wars that threatened to tear the forums apart? Mike Mearls is quite active on Twitter, I've noticed. In the days of 3E I seem to recall there being more activity on ENWorld in general.

The reason I've been thinking about this is because we're on the verge of a new edition of D&D, which is always an exciting time. I've been visiting ENWorld since the days of Eric Noah's Unofficial 3rd edition news (mostly as a lurker). These past few years have been quite depressing as D&D seems to have lost some of it's vitality and presence. Fortunately, 5E looks to be amazing in many ways and I hope D&D (and ENWorld!) get rekindled.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

I don't know. Real busy due to the smaller staff?

 

[Thaumaturge]

Has it to do with Twitter? Or the constant edition-wars that threatened to tear the forums apart?

My guess is a combination of these two. With twitter and (to a lesser extent) Google+, the designers have a much broader reach than in this corner of the internet. And we haven't be as welcoming as we once were.

It does seem like Trevor and others lurk here. Questions for the Q&A that are posted here are answered in the videos, for instance.

Thaumaturge.

 

[Halivar]

Sadly, I don't think we're as important as we used to be. Half of us range from skeptically intrigued to wildly enthusiastic about D&D, but the other half ranges from not even willing to look anymore to wanting it to die in a fire, from cancer. Heck, even in the lead up to 5E we've seen a handful of posters try to poison the 5E well (unsuccessfully), but the whole thing adds up to making EnWorld a very unfriendly place for WotC.

Combine this with the fact that in today's social media they have unprecedented access directly to the customer. Reaching the RPG audience through the EnWorld cathedral is not as effective the social media bazaar.

 

[TerraDave]

My guess is a combination of these two. With twitter and (to a lesser extent) Google+, the designers have a much broader reach than in this corner of the internet. And we haven't be as welcoming as we once were.

It does seem like Trevor and others lurk here. Questions for the Q&A that are posted here are answered in the videos, for instance.

Thaumaturge.

In 4E you could still poke around blogs and stuff to get "scoops", and some of them posted here more often. And well, there where more of them...

But yes, please watch the Q&A Video. It can be a little hard to hear, but they call out ENWorld as the source of questions. Not their own boards.

And they still post here once in a while, as do their associates, like that guy from baldman games. You just have to look out for it.

 

[DaveMage]

This roll-out is just different.

Unlike with 4E, there was a massive open playtest for 5E, so there was already a chance for EN Worlders to participate in the process.

Since some WotC staffers still read EN World, I think they get what they need with regard to fan input without having to interact. (It's not like people are shy with their opinions.)

 

[Morrus]

The social networks have largely supplanted small forums all across the web. The RPG segment has actually been pretty lucky and remained comparatively intact. Hopefully that will last!

 

[Zardnaar]

To be fair they do not post on their own forums either.

 

[Umbran]

As others have noted, modern social media allows them to reach out to fans in general.

Also, to be frank, I think they'd be treated pretty poorly if they did come to talk.

 

[SkidAce]

As others have noted, modern social media allows them to reach out to fans in general.

Also, to be frank, I think they'd be treated pretty poorly if they did come to talk.

I wish you were wrong....but I suspect there'd be at least the one flag waving agenda person looking to score some imaginary victory in debate with one of them.


/sigh