WotC WotC needs an Elon Musk

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

You want the dictionary definition? Let Me Google That

WOTC wants to sell games, related products and license their IP in order to make a profit. Kind of the point of running a business.

OK, thank you. I wanted your definition, not google's.

Monetization usually doesn't refer to simply making a profit, but the process of starting to generate revenue from something that currently isn't making any money. Whenever "monetization" is applied in the gaming industry, it usually ends up making the experience worse for the people who spend the least.

 

[Oofta]

OK, thank you. I wanted your definition, not google's.

Monetization usually doesn't refer to simply making a profit, but the process of starting to generate revenue from something that currently isn't making any money. Whenever "monetization" is applied in the gaming industry, it usually ends up making the experience worse for the people who spend the least.

Well, my definition matches the dictionary's definition.

I see no reason to believe that much of anything is going to change. It's been a long term goal of HASBRO to find another Transformers movie and entertainment franchise because it can be incredibly profitable. The only reason we haven't seen a movie yet was because of the legal battles with Sweetpea.

 

[Blue Orange]

If you mean the literal Elon Musk, no. His politics are anathema to most of the game's current base and his background in manufacturing is useless for a cultural product.

If you mean 'a disruptor who can shake things up'....honestly, this is what D&D DOESN'T need. They have a popular brand and command the sort of market lead that would attract antitrust regulators if anyone thought tabletop gaming was an essential industry. The last time they tried to 'disrupt' things to be more popular they got 4e, and that didn't do so well. I'd say keep making incremental changes as necessary and don't fix what isn't broken. Not everyone's going to like the rules for warlocks or not having an alignment system--they can always house-rule, as they have for almost 50 years. Leave well enough alone.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

As much as I wouldn't mind more setting splatbooks, my problem here is

1. The most-likely candidate for these would be Forgotten Realms, which is the one setting I don't really desire more content from and
   
   
2. I feel like the setting stuff we've gotten so far hasn't been great. It's definitely improved over time, but I'm not sure more setting stuff will be a strength.

Possibly, though I do think with Twitter Musk has shown himself to want to return to something "before", something that doesn't really exist save in the minds of bitter people who don't like how "woke" things got. If we are actually talking Musk himself, I'd wager we return to stuff that was problematic but "classic".

But really, the whole Musk debate (while a hilarious and wonderfully-unified pile-on on a board that feels like it argues about everything) is kind of a strawman: the OP wants a "visionary" at the helm of 5E. And it's unfair to try and only associate it with the stupidity of a narcissist like Musk. However, even then I think it's just not a good idea. What we really don't need is a single "visionary" directing 5E, but a group of people making gentler changes for stability and quality.

Right now, 5E is in a pretty solid place sales-wise. Sales are insane, and while I would make the argument that it's so high on the book list because the only place you can properly read the rulebook is physically, they are still clearly making a bunch of cash. 1D&D looks like it has some good ideas for changes (even if they are not likely bringing me back to the game) and overall the whole franchise seems like it is in a really good place for the future. You don't need a singular visionary who is going out there to break things because nothing is really broken right now: things seem to be working fairly well on all fronts.

Rather, the biggest threat right now is continuing to dip into nostalgia. I'd rather see a Steering Committee that looks to how past stuff can be adapted and used in a way that won't have WOTC putting its foot in its mouth, as well as trying to keep a nice gap between the top and the most hardcore fans. One of the simplest things they could do with D&D is get a few sensitivity readers/editors to make sure they aren't doing anything bluntly stupid, while also pushing for newer voices and expanded settings beyond just "European High Fantasy". Al Qadim and Kara-Tur are interesting places to visit, but I really don't trust WOTC to do them with any sort of tasteful handling (I've heard good things about the fan Al-Qadim book on the DMG). They should look at adding new voices to update these places like Paizo did with their Mwangi Expanse book and now their Impossible Lands book, both of which are very good and the former being one of the most highly regarded setting books in my recent memory.

So yeah, I don't think we need someone big to make drastic changes because 5E is not in trouble. I would want to focus on polishing it and making sure it's in a good place for the future, which would be more about doing a better job of modernizing old material and raising new voices into positions of power to help the company from calcifying in the near future.

Insert Visionary Here if you prefer you could go with Rick Berman (controversial figure yes, but he saved TNG and the Star Trek Golden Age happened because of his leadership), Brad Wright, Svend, or the head of Kobold studios (actually buying Kobold press and putting him in charge might be the most realistic and smartest ACTUAL thing they can do to right the ship).

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Maybe if the desire was for Musk to buy the company and design the best version of D&D himself.

But if the desire was to politically clean house back to a more neutral stance and allow creators to go ham without worrying about six levels of Sensitivity Experts , I think it's fair to say this is the best man for the job, no?

Unless I completely missed OP's reason for wanting Musk specifically...

If there really are any sensitivity experts working for WotC I suspect they will be among the first to be laid off if the tech & entertainment are any hint. DEI & HR departments have been the primary lay offs for Netflix to Twitter to WB, etc..., which has lead to a lot of criticism of these corporations.

If cuts have to be made your not going to cut designers or arts or accountants, etc..., that leaves sensitivity readers easy targets, something they'd like to have, but push comes to shove aren't essencial to getting product out and staying in business.

It might not be right away, but if fincial problems keep happening sensitivity readers will be vulnerable to lay offs.

 

[Oofta]

Insert Visionary Here if you prefer you could go with Rick Berman (controversial figure yes, but he saved TNG and the Star Trek Golden Age happened because of his leadership), Brad Wright, Svend, or the head of Kobold studios (actually buying Kobold press and putting him in charge might be the most realistic and smartest ACTUAL thing they can do to right the ship).

You're assuming D&D fundamentally needs a "shakeup". I don't see any real justification. You can cherry pick from the dozens, if not hundreds, of 3PP to say "this is better" but that really just comes down to "WOTC should target their game to me personally". It doesn't work like that.

I've gotten a couple of things from kobold press and they're okay but not stellar, at least not for me. You can't please everyone, but WOTC has done a pretty good job of pleasing a lot of people.

 

[Remathilis]

I'm aware of this but...

The creators and certainly a subset of fans who didn't buy into the forced Spelljamer/Planescape multiverse did not accept that part of the lore. And it is my opinion that it was lazy on the part of the WotC designers to bring that lore forward as is into 5e.

Just like you have people here complaining about the Cataclysm, you can certainly have people here dissatisfied with Tiamat = Takhisis.

I'm not one to ascribe motive, but it really seems Wies and Hickman both have a strong aversion to the concept of a greater Multiverse in D&D. They have taken many opportunities to try to separate Krynn from the planes/Great Wheel and Spelljammer, and have had very negative opinions on the Ravenloft campaign setting (aka everything but Barovia). Lord Soth in Ravenloft in particular I feel felt very much like they thought TSR was spitting in their eyes. So whenever TSR/WotC has tried to tie their creations to the larger Multiverse, they tend to resist it.

 

[Staffan]

I'm not one to ascribe motive, but it really seems Wies and Hickman both have a strong aversion to the concept of a greater Multiverse in D&D. They have taken many opportunities to try to separate Krynn from the planes/Great Wheel and Spelljammer, and have had very negative opinions on the Ravenloft campaign setting (aka everything but Barovia). Lord Soth in Ravenloft in particular I feel felt very much like they thought TSR was spitting in their eyes. So whenever TSR/WotC has tried to tie their creations to the larger Multiverse, they tend to resist it.

I gotta say I agree with them on this point. Each campaign setting should have whatever cosmology is appropriate for that setting, not being forced into the Great Wheel nonsense. I'm OK with some cross-setting travel, but it should be highly limited.

The exception is of course if the setting is built around the concept of planar travel. If you're doing a Planescape campaign, of course you should be able to pop off to Al-Toril or Krynn. But I don't necessarily think the Krynn you'd go to from a Planescape campaign has to be the same Krynn where you put a Dragonlance campaign, if you get what I mean. Similarly, the Waterdeep that's covered in the Dragon Heist adventure is not necessarily the same Waterdeep that welcomes spelljamming vessels as long as they don't fly within sight of the city.

 

[Jahydin]

I see no reason to believe that much of anything is going to change.

Even digitally? As of now, I cant even print maps from the adventures I bought without paying a fee.

The past few years have shown nerds have more disposable income then they know what to do with and WotC is certainly going to find a way of getting as much of that as possible with Beyond.

They might not get rid of paper books right away, but if Beyond takes off, the likelihood that they do also goes up, funneling more users into their "garden".

I really don't think this is tinfoil hat material. This is what every company is doing now. Heck, even some cars have subscription services to keep the seats warm...

 

[Henadic Theologian]

You're assuming D&D fundamentally needs a "shakeup". I don't see any real justification. You can cherry pick from the dozens, if not hundreds, of 3PP to say "this is better" but that really just comes down to "WOTC should target their game to me personally". It doesn't work like that.

I've gotten a couple of things from kobold press and they're okay but not stellar, at least not for me. You can't please everyone, but WOTC has done a pretty good job of pleasing a lot of people.

No, on a practical level a lot of 3rd party setting books are in fact better, because at least those setting books didn't forgot or not bother to put the actual setting in.

It's not a question of which setting us better written, which would be entirely subjective, its that on a practical level WotC didn't support the settings at all,like Spelljammer.

So it's not writing vs writing, but writing vs nothing, not even doing the job.

 

[Jahydin]

If there really are any sensitivity experts working for WotC I suspect they will be among the first to be laid off if the tech & entertainment are any hint. DEI & HR departments have been the primary lay offs for Netflix to Twitter to WB, etc..., which has lead to a lot of criticism of these corporations.

They certainly do!:

Dungeons & Dragons Confirms "Sensitivity Readers" and Announces They Will Change The Nature Of Race Mechanics Moving Forward

Wizards of the Coast and their Dungeons & Dragons team confirmed they have used "sensitivity readers" in their latest campaign books and announced they will be changing the nature of race mechanics moving forward.

boundingintocomics.com

 

[Malmuria]

No, on a practical level a lot of 3rd party setting books are in fact better, because at least those setting books didn't forgot or not bother to put the actual setting in.

So your standard for "visionary" leadership would be making more detailed setting books? I mean, that's a fine thing to want, but its not exactly visionary from either a business or game design standpoint.

 

[Azzy]

I'm aware of this but...

The creators and certainly a subset of fans who didn't buy into the forced Spelljamer/Planescape multiverse did not accept that part of the lore. And it is my opinion that it was lazy on the part of the WotC designers to bring that lore forward as is into 5e.

Just like you have people here complaining about the Cataclysm, you can certainly have people here dissatisfied with Tiamat = Takhisis.

To say that WotC is lazy to bring established lore (something that most of the old guard complain about when WotC doesn't) just because you (and I) don't like a particular piece of established lore is a laughable stance (and hypocritical of any of the old school players that have complained about how WotC has changed lore of established settings).

 

[innerdude]

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.

Nearly every business case study ever shows this to be objectively, provably wrong on every level.

If you are running a business, your most profitable customers---and the ones most likely to expand their purchasing with you---are existing customers.

I'm not saying you shouldn't try to appeal to both. But appealing to the hardcore fans is the correct choice if one or the other must be prioritized.

 

[Faolyn]

Nearly every business case study ever shows this to be objectively, provably wrong on every level.

If you are running a business, your most profitable customers---and the ones most likely to expand their purchasing with you---are existing customers.

I'm not saying you shouldn't try to appeal to both. But appealing to the hardcore fans is the correct choice if one or the other must be prioritized.

The hardcore fans, though, are just a very loud minority--and by appealing only to them, you stop the far greater number of casuals from spending their money.

It's dumb to ignore the existing customers--the existing fan base needs to have their interests listened to and written for--but it's also dumb to say that the new players should be ignored in favor of the older ones.

 

[Malmuria]

Nearly every business case study ever shows this to be objectively, provably wrong on every level.

If you are running a business, your most profitable customers---and the ones most likely to expand their purchasing with you---are existing customers.

I'm not saying you shouldn't try to appeal to both. But appealing to the hardcore fans is the correct choice if one or the other must be prioritized.

TTRPGs are a pretty niche product, and there is a limit as to how many "hardcore" fans will purchase multiple setting and splat books a year. $1M kickstarters for 3pp do signal a certain amount of interest, but not enough for a company with $1B+ in revenue. What wotc did with 5e, intentionally or not, is expand the base of fans, which was more successful for its particular kind of business.

There are also a lot of assumptions being made as to what "hardcore" fans actually want. The majority of dnd players came in with 5e; that fact alone doesn't make them "casual" customers. So while fans who started with 2e might yearn for copious setting lines, it's not established that the diehard dnd fans who came in with 5e care about the same thing.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The creators

They were contractors and were never the sole creators. The guy you hire to dig your pool doesn't have the right to tell you not to have a pool party there or not to add a water slide years later.

and certainly a subset of fans who didn't buy into the forced Spelljamer/Planescape multiverse did not accept that part of the lore.

The fact that a subset of fans disagreed with what TSR was officially saying about the setting doesn't matter.

I don't believe Greedo shot first, but Disney isn't going to redo Star Wars (again) to suit me.

Expecting WotC to toss out official canon because a noisy contingent of Dragonlance fans doesn't like it is deeply, deeply irrational.

Just like you have people here complaining about the Cataclysm, you can certainly have people here dissatisfied with Tiamat = Takhisis.

Alleged lore purists going "whoa, what is this Tiamat heresy that, lo, WotC hath foisted upon us" requires ignoring that it's been that way since the beginning.

Deciding that WotC doesn't respect Dragonlance canon because they're following TSR's Dragonlance canon is quite the intellectual leap.

 

[Zardnaar]

What the old saying 80% of your product is bought by 10-20% of your customers.

There's a reason businesses value their regulars.

 

[gban007]

Nearly every business case study ever shows this to be objectively, provably wrong on every level.

If you are running a business, your most profitable customers---and the ones most likely to expand their purchasing with you---are existing customers.

I'm not saying you shouldn't try to appeal to both. But appealing to the hardcore fans is the correct choice if one or the other must be prioritized.

Depends on how you define hardcore fans. I think prioritising existing customers is the correct choice if have to prioritise, but I don't think that means have to prioritise hardcore fans, which may only be 10% of your profit, even if on a per customer basis they are more profitable than others.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I gotta say I agree with them on this point. Each campaign setting should have whatever cosmology is appropriate for that setting, not being forced into the Great Wheel nonsense.

They wrote for 1E. The PHB ends with the chart of the Great Wheel. This is not something that's "forced" onto AD&D settings -- it's the default standard.

TSR didn't sneak up behind them and toss the multiverse over their heads like a hood: It was there all along.