D&D General WotC Has Owned D&D Longer Than TSR Did

As Matt Forbeck pointed out on Twitter, WotC has owned D&D for 24 years since it purchased TSR in 1997. TSR created D&D in 1974, 23 years before WotC bought it.

 

[billd91]

Sigh.

It's always weird to me how folks like to push the idea that something popular and enjoyed by many folks, just simply can't be quality, all those sheep are missing out on what us few elite know to be real quality . . . .

It's not that they can't be quality - rather, quality and popularity are different metrics. If you're lucky, they correlate - but they don't have to.

 

[Marc_C]

It's also entirely possible kids played Scrabble with their parents' copy of Scrabble as published by Selchow and Righter... and probably have little to no awareness of Selchow and Righter.

We are in 2021. Kids can search wiki to get all the details.

 

[Stormonu]

Yeesh, I’m older than the holdings of both of these companies.

I think the game is in far better shape than when held by TSR, for me. In the late 90’s, I’d “moved on” from D&D until 3E brought me back, and then again with 5E which I am really loving.

 

[Dire Bare]

It's not that they can't be quality - rather, quality and popularity are different metrics. If you're lucky, they correlate - but they don't have to.

Quality is subjective, popularity is not. Although popularity can be fleeting.

There are plenty of popular media/art styles (or specific pieces) that I don't get, that I don't like, and don't meet my personal sense of "quality". But it would be arrogant of me to say that the thing all those many people have come to love is devoid of quality . . .

 

[el-remmen]

because I love 1E Rangers so damn much.

I have never been satisfied with rangers in post-1E version - but after 2E was even worse because I don't like them becoming a spellcasting class so early.

 

[Aaron L]

I have never been satisfied with rangers in post-1E version - but after 2E was even worse because I don't like them becoming a spellcasting class so early.

I accept it by just considering a lot of their low levels spells to basically be like class abilities, (Animal Friendship, Hunter's Mark, etc.) that come in the form of incantations. And in 5E I can make them more 1E feeling by going Ranger/Hunter up to 8th level, then taking 3 levels of Wizard, then back to Ranger. And taking the Medium Armor Master Feat while wearing half-plate armor.

 

[MGibster]

You reach certain milestones in your life and realize you're getting older.

The first time I heard Guns N' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle" which appeared on 1987's Appetite for Destruction on a classic rock station was back around 2005. And I realized that in 1987 the oldies station in Dallas, 98.7 K-LUV, often played songs that weren't as old as "Welcome to the Jungle" was in 2005.

The original Star Trek series was cancelled in 1969. I remember celebrating the 25th anniversary of Star Trek in 1992. The 25th anniversary of Star Trek: The Next Generation was in 2019.

I started playing AD&D 2nd edition in 1989 but pretty much stopped by around 1996. I've been playing 5th edition for just about as long as I played 2nd edition and it's likely I'll surpass it after this year.

 

[eyeheartawk]

The games franchises can't be frozen but they have to change with the new times. It is not only with the gameplay of Sonic or Mario Bros, with their success and failures, but also some IPs from speculative fiction need a reboot. For example the superheroes from the golden age (near 40's) today need an updated look, and not only for the suit and uniforms. We shouldn't reject all the changes, but only select the right ones.

Do you think Hasbro will force WotC to combine all these different aspects into a new, ultimate version of D20 Modern? I wonder what you think about that sort of possibility, I haven't seen it discussed.

 

[Marc_C]

Do you think Hasbro will force WotC to combine all these different aspects into a new, ultimate version of D20 Modern? I wonder what you think about that sort of possibility, I haven't seen it discussed.

Luis Carlos certainly thinks so considering how many times he talks about his desire to see a 5e version of Modern.

There are no know plans for a sci-fi, a post-apocalyptic or a modern version of 5e. It has been said Hasbro/WoTC doesn't want to slipt the consumer base into spin off 5e games.

 

[eyeheartawk]

Luis Carlos certainly thinks so considering how many times he talks about his desire to see a 5e version of Modern.

There are no know plans for a sci-fi, a post-apocalyptic or a modern version of 5e.

Shhhhhhhh