WotC puts a stop to online sales of PDFs

[Obryn]

I know that venting on boards tends to be full of hyperbole but I can honestly say that NONE of the guys I game with (about a dozen people) or that my brother games with (another dozen or so people) buy WotC products anymore. Sure, that's nothing in the grand scheme of things... but I'd imagine that we're not alone in our collective move away from WotC.

Their handling of 3.5's release soon after 3rd edition's release, their killing Paizo's good run with both Dungeon and Dragon magazines, their release of 4th edition soon after the release of 3.5 (and the dishonesty that surrounded the timing of that release), their bungling of the GSL and seeming lack of respect for 3rd party publishers and, now, their withdrawal of pdf products from the marketplace (much to the detriment of companues like RPGNow and Paizo) has made them a company that I CANNOT support.

This is not the same company that once saved D&D when TSR fell into ruin, and this is not a company that shows regard for its customers or partners in the RPG market.

OK, but did you quit buying WotC stuff because you were angry about the company's actions, or because you simply weren't playing their new edition?

It's one thing to stand on principle and refrain from buying products you actually want. It's another thing to say you're standing on principle, and subsequently not-buy something you wouldn't have bought anyway.

Additionally, that's a pretty sizable list of grievances - and I'm guessing this newest development wasn't in any way a camel's-back-breaking straw for you. Correct me if I'm wrong.

-O

 

[Mephistopheles]

What I find most annoying about this is that the honest people are being punished, and it's not going to slow down the dishonest people one bit.

This is the most frustrating thing about the way corporations and industries react to piracy: they punish their paying customers while inflicting minimal or no impact on the people who are stealing their product. Look at DRM schemes on computer games that make the product more inconvenient to use for the paying customer and the "Downloading is theft" intro movies and warning screens that you watch every time you put in the DVD you bought - do we even need to guess if the pirates leave those intact on pirated copies?

There's a fundamental contradiction in that the product is a media that needs to be read yet they're trying to limit who can read it. I have no problem with them wanting to protect their incentive to innovate and the right to profit from that innovation - even if the laws involved seem to have been perverted so that the period for profit before releasing something to the public domain is gradually being extended to eternity - but I think it may be a problem for which there is just not any practical solution.

 

[joethelawyer]

Steve Jackson Games' Twitter response to the pdf mess...

Twitter / Steve Jackson Games: BTW, to prevent people fro ...

 

[HeinorNY]

As things grow quiet, probably 3-6 weeks, announce plans to allow "some form" of access. The access is going to be protected and it will take a while to adapt the product. New product will be adapted first. Older product will be adapted as time permits. Offer no timeframe.

Advertise the Compendium as having the new book crunch. Explain that the protected files aren't ready yet, but people can always get a short-term subscription. Possibly offer a discounted price for the first 3 months.


About 6 months from the initial decision, issue a notice that the books will become displayable through DDI as a optional purchase linked to the subscription account. Current subscribers may access the books. Promise to put all non-pdf'ed books up within 3 months.

One month later, have one month's worth of books complete and make it known that the process is harder than expected.

Four months later, have all non-pdf'ed books available. Two months after that, have all 4e books available. Announce that older editions aren't worth the effort to convert -- manpower is needed for the next amazing thing that subscribers of the current game will just love instead.

Are you serious?
Gleemax.
DDI.
The kitchen table in your PC thing.

 

[Darrin Drader]

It's one thing to stand on principle and refrain from buying products you actually want. It's another thing to say you're standing on principle, and subsequently not-buy something you wouldn't have bought anyway.

I haven't watched TNT for a decade now because of the horrible way they mishandled the Babylon 5 spinoff series Crusade (for those not in the know, they wanted to change the whole format and then they canceled the series when JMS refused to compromise). Consumers can hold grudges for a long time. And yes, there are things TNT has shown over the years that I might have been interested in had they not screwed the pooch on B5.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

So I guess WotC just up and decided they'd severely piss off their fan base today?

*slow clap*

Well done WotC... well done.

EDIT: Guess I'll download the Pathfinder beta and see what all that's about.

 

[Bishop Odo]

Their handling of 3.5's release soon after 3rd edition's release, their killing Paizo's good run with both Dungeon and Dragon magazines, their release of 4th edition soon after the release of 3.5 (and the dishonesty that surrounded the timing of that release), their bungling of the GSL and seeming lack of respect for 3rd party publishers and, now, their withdrawal of pdf products from the marketplace (much to the detriment of companues like RPGNow and Paizo) has made them a company that I CANNOT support.

This is not the same company that once saved D&D when TSR fell into ruin, and this is not a company that shows regard for its customers or partners in the RPG market.

I think that‘s a pretty accurate statement. For the most part, it’s the corporate blame game, there have been some very bad choices made, as you illustrated and even the WOTC creative fiascos, like the exodus of thier really good creative minds, and the remake of Forgotten Realms setting, all has a financial bottom line to it.

The photocopier and scanner has been around long before the current “PDF” crisis and to blame all PDF users is really stupid. I love books and that’s what I use and buy, PDF don’t replace your core books, they are suppose to help the small publisher, with the really well written book get his product out there, and that is what I use it for. I’d rather buy a “GOOD” book anytime, and that is another problem with WOTC quality, but that is more of an subjective issue, I will leave for another time.

 

[Firos]

Sorry. Missed the mod directive.

 

[Obryn]

I haven't watched TNT for a decade now because of the horrible way they mishandled the Babylon 5 spinoff series Crusade (for those not in the know, they wanted to change the whole format and then they canceled the series when JMS refused to compromise). Consumers can hold grudges for a long time. And yes, there are things TNT has shown over the years that I might have been interested in had they not screwed the pooch on B5.

Oh, I'm not saying that people don't stand on principle. Heck, I refuse to shop at Wal-Mart on principle.

I am saying that somewhere north of 90% of nerd-rage boycott threats on the Interweb are probably BS. (I have zero hard facts to back this up - so you can put this in the BS section as well, while we're categorizing. Like I said, it's just a hunch.)

-O

 

[lmpjr007]

WOTC fumbles the ball with the PDF fiasco... and how does White Wolf pick it up and turn it into a marketing opportunity....

Get Exalted 2nd Edition for free! Read about it here!!!! It is good to see their are still some smart business people out there.