Will WOTC's Ending PDF Sales Because of Pirating Increase Pirating of their Stuff?

[Asmor]

Well, let's examine this logically.

Pirates will: Continue to pirate.

People who didn't buy or pirate PDFs before: Still won't

People who formerly purchased PDFs: Are unable to purchase PDFs, and must either pirate them or not get them at all.

So best case scenario, piracy levels will remain the same. I don't see how it's logically possible that piracy levels wouldn't rise as a direct result of this decision.

 

[dmccoy1693]

I voted no. 1 simple reason: I no longer have any interest in any product they produce ever again. I was not interested in 4E. Now, I ahve no interest in any old TSR product that my girlfriend doesn't already own. I won't be picking up any more dungeon tiles. No more minis. No more looking longingly at Magic the Gathering cards and remembering the days of my youth. No longer carrying about any Avalon Hill games. No interest in Forgotten Realms fiction. Nothing.

 

[HeirToPendragon]

I voted no. 1 simple reason: I no longer have any interest in any product they produce ever again. I was not interested in 4E. Now, I ahve no interest in any old TSR product that my girlfriend doesn't already own. I won't be picking up any more dungeon tiles. No more minis. No more looking longingly at Magic the Gathering cards and remembering the days of my youth. No longer carrying about any Avalon Hill games. No interest in Forgotten Realms fiction. Nothing.

I will never, ever, for the life of me, understand attitudes like this. Why do you think you are so privileged that a company must agree with all your demands?

 

[Nifft]

I don't see how it's logically possible that piracy levels wouldn't rise as a direct result of this decision.

They may be thinking: without pre-made PDFs, it will be harder for pirates to distribute PDFs, as they must create the PDFs (rather than merely editing out watermarks).

Alternately, they may be thinking: we can sell these PDF things directly through our own website and keep more money per copy.

Neither is necessarily true, but both are logically possible trains of thought.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Roman]

Wow, I am left speechless. WotC is really trying to hammer the final nail in its own coffin through its blatant disregard for its customers. I used to be a huge fan of WotC, but over the past few years bad decision after a bad decision have really soured my mood towards the company. I think I am over the threshold now and can now say that I no longer like WotC.

 

[Dedekind]

The real question is will sales increase? Setting legal issues aside, the real concern is dollars and my guess is the level of piracy is irrelevant as long as sales increase.

 

[NMcCoy]

A far more interesting question, I think, is "Now that pirates no longer have access to official PDFs, will Arcane Power hit the torrents before it hits the Compendium?"

Such an occurrence, in my opinion, would mean that this move has utterly and incontrovertibly failed.

 

[Orius]

Yes, at least over the short term. There's going to be people overreacting to it out there, and they'll pirate out of spite or something.

Over the long run, hard to say. Depends on how draconian this thing is.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

Wow, I am left speechless. WotC is really trying to hammer the final nail in its own coffin through its blatant disregard for its customers. I used to be a huge fan of WotC, but over the past few years bad decision after a bad decision have really soured my mood towards the company. I think I am over the threshold now and can now say that I no longer like WotC.

Well, they keep firing everyone who does a good job there. It's like Survivor: Seattle over there. They're trying to lose weight by cutting off limbs. And the strain on the company is really starting to show. I've been concerned about the state of affairs there since the whole debacle with the GSL. The recent layoffs gave me pause, and this whole mess... Well, the company's starting to look like an alcoholic who can't hold himself together at work anymore. You start to realize that his days are numbered, and it's tragic, but unless he decides to shape up and deal with his problems, it's inevitable.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

A far more interesting question, I think, is "Now that pirates no longer have access to official PDFs, will Arcane Power hit the torrents before it hits the Compendium?"

Such an occurrence, in my opinion, would mean that this move has utterly and incontrovertibly failed.

I wonder if some people out there will take it as a challenge...