WotC WotC needs an Elon Musk

[Henadic Theologian]

WotC needs an Elon Musk, I know I'll get dumped on for saying it, but when 50% roughly that the D&D studio works on gets tossed in the trash and the rest tends to be shades of poorly done when the D&D studio doesn't have adult supervision (freelancers Keith, Matt, or George for examples of adult supervision).

We should be getting products equal to the 5e Southland Kickstarter, instead we are getting setting products without the settings. This is absurd.

New visionary leadership is needed.

And as big as the problems with D&D are, the issues with MtG dwarf it with a major consumer revolt going on, and multiple WotC studios that have been around for years and yet have yet to produce any products at all.

Maybe this is finally the time for the activist investors to make their next more or at least close to that time because it appears they have been vindicated.

Part of WotC's problem is they are too focused on casuals, but it's the hardcore fans that create the buzz that draws in the casuals in the first place (this is shown by the Fandom survey/research that basically fandoms in 4 grades from the most hardcore fans to the most casual casuals). Their current approach is to alienate hardcore fans to court casuals, and that is a problem because it's the hardcore fans the build the foundation the gets you the casuals.

It's what made the MCU (and ignoring that truth is killing the MCU) for example.

 

[Aldarc]

No.

 

[Remathilis]

I mean, if you want to watch D&D crash and burn in record time, sure.

I don't see this thread surviving due to the no politics rules very long.

 

[jolt]

No.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

WotC needs an Elon Musk, I know I'll get dumped on for saying it, but when 50% roughly that the D&D studio works on gets tossed in the trash and the rest tends to be shades of poorly done when the D&D studio doesn't have adult supervision (freelancers Keith, Matt, or George for examples of adult supervision).

We should be getting products equal to the 5e Southland Kickstarter, instead we are getting setting products without the settings. This is absurd.

New visionary leadership is needed.

And as big as the problems with D&D are, the issues with MtG dwarf it with a major consumer revolt going on, and multiple WotC studios that have been around for years and yet have yet to produce any products at all.

Maybe this is finally the time for the activist investors to make their next more or at least close to that time because it appears they have been vindicated.

Part of WotC's problem is they are too focused on casuals, but it's the hardcore fans that create the buzz that draws in the casuals in the first place (this is shown by the Fandom survey/research that basically fandoms in 4 grades from the most hardcore fans to the most casual casuals). Their current approach is to alienate hardcore fans to court casuals, and that is a problem because it's the hardcore fans the build the foundation the gets you the casuals.

It's what made the MCU (and ignoring that truth is killing the MCU) for example.

Are you joking or trolling? Everything you have said here sounds awful.

Musk is also a terrible businessman, I have no idea why you would want to bring him as an example of what to seek.

Normally you are pretty reasonable, so seeing this post is kind of shocking.

 

[MichaelSomething]

What a fine piece of satire! Five stars.

 

[darjr]

No

 

[GMforPowergamers]

WotC needs an Elon Musk, I know I'll get dumped on for saying it,

okay I am not a Musk fan, but I actually get what you mean (even if I disagree with your example) I DO think WotC needs a...wait let you say it

New visionary leadership is needed.

at the very least new blood. Not a total overhaul (always need some people to stay on to help onboard the new) but start hireing some 25 year old indy developers with an eye for diversity of background and thoughts...

Part of WotC's problem is they are too focused on casuals, but it's the hardcore fans that create the buzz that draws in the casuals in the first place (this is shown by the Fandom survey/research that basically fandoms in 4 grades from the most hardcore fans to the most casual casuals). Their current approach is to alienate hardcore fans to court casuals, and that is a problem because it's the hardcore fans the build the foundation the gets you the casuals.

oh... oh no, I could not disagree more. We need to bring in the casuals AND apease the hardcore fans, but when you have a choice it has to be the new customer.

It's what made the MCU (and ignoring that truth is killing the MCU) for example.

Yes and no... but I can totally see we need a new Keven F (both for the MCU and WotC)

 

[Malmuria]

D&D studio doesn't have adult supervision

Neither do Elon Musk's companies

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I mean, if you want to watch D&D crash and burn in record time, sure.

I don't see this thread surviving due to the no politics rules very long.

ignore his example and look at what he means (he sees Musk in a better light then I do and I assume a better one then you do) but he is right we need new blood and new ideas... a new refresh

 

[Malmuria]

Also if wotc needs new "visionary" "leadership" from the tech world...guess what, they just got it! Microtransactions, here we come!

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Also if wotc needs new "visionary" "leadership" from the tech world...guess what, they just got it! Microtransactions, here we come!

yeah, this new guy comes from tech (I think someone said Microsoft) so he may be what we need

 

[J.Quondam]

step 1: Purchase Hasbro, an $8 billion company, for $50 billion.
step 2: Fire everyone.
step 3: Light a bunch of MtG cards on fire.
step 4: Launch the flaming mess into space on a shiny silver rocket.
step 5: ???
step 6: PROFIT!

 

[Scribe]

WotC needs an Elon Musk, I know I'll get dumped on for saying it...

I mean at least you know the audience.

This thread wont make it, but "in before lock" and all that, well lets see if I even get this post in under the wire...

TSR/WotC has been via a number of properties, part of my life longer even than even GW, and by memory may be on par with Star Wars. Dragonlance is timely actually in that Chronicles was a gift from my mother, and reading it essentially opened my eyes to what a Fantasy product could provide, and was the gateway to reading for pleasure in general.

I'll always have a soft spot for the 2 trilogies.

That said, what is 5e D&D even selling? What is the message they are trying to convey, what questions do they ask the audience? Are they even asking any question at all?

To me, thats the real issue here with D&D in 5e, but I'm not the target market it seems, or their marketing is failing to convince me I am, so who knows.

Magic on the other hand? Magic has been stumbling in the darkness for a long time, and finally they have given up the ghost, in regards to pretending to care about the integrity of the game from anything but a sales perspective. Sure they still have some great art (I saw they brought back Rob Alexander, as personal favourite for example) but there was a point, where sales trumped competitive balance, and from that point its been in decline. I could go on and on, but I'd probably have to look up some articles to get the dates, and some of my old posts if they have not been purged on various forums.

Magic is tied heavily to Hasbro's bottom line. If Magic does not right the ship (and it APPEARS they are actually just shoveling coal on the the raging fire right now) Hasbro's will feel it, and that may impact D&D.

Seeing as D&D is not aiming for what I want, I'm not sure I care beyond a lingering sense of sadness over things that were a big part of my life going away, but its a past tense thing anyway for the most part, or in the case of D&D, how much product does one really need to keep going?

 

[BookTenTiger]

I agree, D&D is always in the need of new epic villains.

 

[Oofta]

Right. First, fire half the staff. Then decide that instead of Dungeons and Dragons, they should be selling Pokemon and Pits. Wait, that's not right. Next day go back to selling just Dungeons, no Dragons necessary. Oops, didn't really mean that either. Back to Dungeons and Dragons, but bring back all of the controversial material from over the years! Back to half naked women being rescued by scantily clad barbarians while stepping on a dead goblin! Bring back the harlot table! Enjoy the good times as investors dump the stock while looking around wondering why most of the rest of the staff took you up on the severance pay.

I mean, if you want to boost other companies and convince people that D&D isn't the only RPG worth playing, this is a great option. D&D has seen incredible growth for nearly a decade. It's likely that it will plateau, if it hasn't already, but the PHB is still selling well on Amazon. It's not going to make everyone happy because that's an impossible task. But it's not time to throw the company in the garbage heap of history either.

 

[RealAlHazred]

No

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Today's "casuals" are where we get tomorrow's "hardcore fans." I was some nine-year-old twerp picking up my first basic set before I was someone that has been gaming for decades.

I'd say having multiple D&D-themed tattoos, some of which are old enough to drink would classify me as a hardcore fan, and I don't feel one bit alienated by Wizards' current approach.

 

[ersatzphil]

That said, what is 5e D&D even selling? What is the message they are trying to convey, what questions do they ask the audience? Are they even asking any question at all?

Colville had a recent, well-articulated video on exactly this point:

What are Dungeons For?

 

[Malmuria]

step 1: Purchase Hasbro, an $8 billion company, for $50 billion.
step 2: Fire everyone.
step 3: Light a bunch of MtG cards on fire.
step 4: Launch the flaming mess into space on a shiny silver rocket.
step 5: ???
step 6: PROFIT!

It occurred to me that Musk is basically an unintentional vulture capitalist