WotC Replies: Statements by WotC employees regarding Dragon/Dungeon going online

[Nightfall]

Fraidoc,

Just make sure you have a large press to crush her in later.

 

[Minicol]

As has been pointed out, this didn't have to be an either/or decision by WotC.

In fact, there are many hard publications that have 100% of their content available in electronic form. Guitar Player Magazine (and all of its sister publications), The Economist, The NY Times, The New Orleans Times-Picayune and others all have managed to have a digital form while simultaneously continuing publication in their traditional print & paper forms.


By killing the print mags this way, they've lost a lot of subscribers that they didn't have to.

They could also have turned them into Print on Demand, which would have been clever.

 

[haakon1]

I assume -- no matter what one may actually think of the prospect of a web enhanced D&D experience -- that WotC isn't run by idiots.

Any company that pisses off its customer base without a darn good increase in net income is run by idiots.

Hasbro should make WOTC do some customer sat surveys. Bwahahaha!

 

[Nightfall]

Haakon,

You're assuming that Hasbro didn't some how okay this...

 

[Friadoc]

Just make sure you have a large press to crush her in later.

Oh, heck no, I ain't getting involved in this, I mean if WotC wants to push her into traffic, that's there choice.

I know my gramma, I know her well, and the Corps trained me well enough, but they didn't say a word about takin' on gramma.

Nope, have at it WotC and hope Godzilla gets to Seattle before she does.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

They could also have turned them into Print on Demand, which would have been clever.

That might appease some, but not someone like me who would see that as shifting printing costs from the company directly to me. When a company does a mass printing of 50k issues, they get price breaks.

Ever print up a 100 page document and have it bound? Pretty pricey.

But you're absolutely correct- it would be smarter.

 

[Nightfall]

LOL! Well that or she doesn't find Rodan to give her a lift. Or Mothra.

 

[Maggan]

Interesting.

Not surprisingly some reactions to this was "it's too late" (24 hours late, OMG), "it's just spin" or "it's just marketing" or "it's not enough".

Of course it's marketing. A bit more laid back than the one Paizo is laying down thick on these very boards actually, for example. Of course it's spin. Did anyone expect a heartfelt apology and a "oh, you know we changed our minds because people have so eloquently put forward their feelings on the matter and that contradicts all our data and our analysis."

Now that WotC are speaking up, that's wrong as well. I don't think WotC can please some of the most vocal detractors with any amount of communication.

I still don't like the decision. But now that WotC are beginning to communicate, a day or so after the announcement, I'm going to listen to what they are saying, give them some time and have a pint or two in rememberance of the mags.

/M

 

[Friadoc]

LOL! Well that or she doesn't find Rodan to give her a lift. Or Mothra.

Aww, crud, I didn't think about that...yeah, WotC better just send her a letter saying they weren't thinking when they put the hit out and they're sorry.

 

[haakon1]

You're assuming that Hasbro didn't some how okay this...

I'm sure there will be some blamestorming, but the Hasbro guys are in a pretty good position:

Hasbro exec: "So, WOTC exec, marketing tells me there's been a strong negative reaction to your DI plan on the web site and some independent blogs or whatever you kids call them. What's your plan to fix it?"

WOTC exec: "Oh, it'll blow over, boss. Geeks are like this. They just don't like change."

Hasbro exec: "I wouldn't know. I trust you to understand this stuff. All I know is, the bad blogging sounds bad for business. You'd better make sure those geeks keep buying."

WOTC exec: "Oh, no worries, our projections show this is great. All press is good press, and it works the same way with web coverage."

Hasbro exec: "If you say so. Just make sure you beat the contribution margin for next quarter."