WotC: Goodbye, Loren Greenwood, hello Greg Leeds
Vocenoctum
First Post
I think the main problem, and it's easy to see why given the site's purpose, is that people want "a gamer" in charge, which assumes an RPG gamer. Why would a MtG guy want an RPGer in charge? Why does Dreamscape need a D&D guru at the helm?
I could see if the company was mostly/ all D&D, but that's what brand managers are for, to properly know their area.
I could see if the company was mostly/ all D&D, but that's what brand managers are for, to properly know their area.
Wulf Ratbane
Adventurer
While we're at it, I think the grease monkey down at the local Jiffy Lube should be put in charge of GM.
Sanguinemetaldawn
First Post
Gamer CEO's
The executive leadership of TSR/WotC went something like this:
Gygax/Kaye
Gygax/Blume/Blume
Blume/Blume
Gygax/lending institution
Lorraine Williams
Peter Adkinson
Hasbro
During the Gygax/Kaye era D&D was first published, print runs of 1000, then 2000, then 3000 then tens of thousands: explosive success
During Gygax/Blume/Blume (after the death of Don Kaye and his widow selling her shares), release of 1st Ed. AD&D: explosive success
During Blume/Blume (the Blume family forcing minority owner Gygax out of control, who then went to LA), TSR degenerates
When TSR is on the verge of going bankrupt thanks to the idiotic policies of the Blumes, Gary comes back, convinces the lender to let him control the company, and Gary returns the company to profitability. Unfortunately, he is still minority shareholder, and the Blumes sell their shares to Lorraine Williams, who sees TSR/D&D as a tool for making money for her Buck Rogers brand.
AD&D 2nd Edition is released under Lorraine Williams with David "Zeb" Cook as primary author, a project Gygax was planning before he was expelled from the company. Madam Williams expresses her contempt for gamers, tunnels money out of TSR into her Buck Rogers brand, and runs TSR into the ground. Lorraine William's also sees to it that TSR is never employee owned, contrary to Gygax's intention when he returned.
Peter Adkinson, a gamer and businessman, and WotC buy out TSR, and release 3E D&D.
The Haze Bros buy WotC, which WotC sells because the shareholders see the money Hasbro offers for the company, and Adkinson doesn't have sole control. WotC then releases D&D 3.5. And is now planning on 4.0 .
The trend analysis tells me two things:
The gamer/businessmen (Gygax and Adkinson) both were successful
and
The gamer/businessmen not having majority ownership/control came back to bite them.
So yeah, to quote you again...
It did work quite well.
Too bad the gamers never had ownership/control.
Pretty much the only argument you can make about bad gamer owners would be the Blumes, but they were even bad gamers, with lame characters serially named Rigby, Bigby, Digby, etc. and who can forget good old Medium Rary.
And the nepotism and extravagance they practiced to the ruination of the company are hardly some kind of unique characteristic to gamers.
jaerdaph said:
The executive leadership of TSR/WotC went something like this:
Gygax/Kaye
Gygax/Blume/Blume
Blume/Blume
Gygax/lending institution
Lorraine Williams
Peter Adkinson
Hasbro
During the Gygax/Kaye era D&D was first published, print runs of 1000, then 2000, then 3000 then tens of thousands: explosive success
During Gygax/Blume/Blume (after the death of Don Kaye and his widow selling her shares), release of 1st Ed. AD&D: explosive success
During Blume/Blume (the Blume family forcing minority owner Gygax out of control, who then went to LA), TSR degenerates
When TSR is on the verge of going bankrupt thanks to the idiotic policies of the Blumes, Gary comes back, convinces the lender to let him control the company, and Gary returns the company to profitability. Unfortunately, he is still minority shareholder, and the Blumes sell their shares to Lorraine Williams, who sees TSR/D&D as a tool for making money for her Buck Rogers brand.
AD&D 2nd Edition is released under Lorraine Williams with David "Zeb" Cook as primary author, a project Gygax was planning before he was expelled from the company. Madam Williams expresses her contempt for gamers, tunnels money out of TSR into her Buck Rogers brand, and runs TSR into the ground. Lorraine William's also sees to it that TSR is never employee owned, contrary to Gygax's intention when he returned.
Peter Adkinson, a gamer and businessman, and WotC buy out TSR, and release 3E D&D.
The Haze Bros buy WotC, which WotC sells because the shareholders see the money Hasbro offers for the company, and Adkinson doesn't have sole control. WotC then releases D&D 3.5. And is now planning on 4.0 .
The trend analysis tells me two things:
The gamer/businessmen (Gygax and Adkinson) both were successful
and
The gamer/businessmen not having majority ownership/control came back to bite them.
So yeah, to quote you again...
jaerdaph said:
It did work quite well.
Too bad the gamers never had ownership/control.
Pretty much the only argument you can make about bad gamer owners would be the Blumes, but they were even bad gamers, with lame characters serially named Rigby, Bigby, Digby, etc. and who can forget good old Medium Rary.
And the nepotism and extravagance they practiced to the ruination of the company are hardly some kind of unique characteristic to gamers.
TerraDave
5ever, or until 2024
Sanguinemetaldawn: nice summary.
Still, I am willing to give the new guy a chance...and it is worth noting that everyone else invovled with D&D at WotC seems to be an active gamer. (and some are very enthusiastic about it). Which was not the case for much of the TSR era.
Still, I am willing to give the new guy a chance...and it is worth noting that everyone else invovled with D&D at WotC seems to be an active gamer. (and some are very enthusiastic about it). Which was not the case for much of the TSR era.
Kheti sa-Menik
First Post
Tewligan said:
Personally, I think gnomes and per encounter abilities are to blame.
Ranger REG
Explorer
The second time, not the first time. DDM could still be Chainmail had they dropped the Sundered Empire element.eyebeams said:
