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

[Piratecat]

Paizo would be the ones taking all of the risks in this scenario, not Wizards.

Remember that the people at WotC really like the people at Paizo -- they know them, they game with them, and they've worked with them for years. WotC also has lots of reasons to want Paizo to do well; they help the industry by being healthy. Nevertheless, it looks like WotC's business model requires creation and distribution of the sort of content that Dragon and Dungeon previously featured. So they don't renew the licenses, making sure that Paizo has time to acquire other revenue streams.

Again, just supposition, but I think a reasonable one from what I know of their friendship and relationship.

 

[Hussar]

So, WOTC succeeds with a good product, Paizo fails because it comes in second best and everyone would be groovy with that? Really? There would be no giant uproar about how the big guy undercut the little guy?

While we have nothing right now, imagine WOTC puts its DI system in place for 6 bucks a month. Half the price of a Dragon/Dungeon subscription. Right there, people are going to start screaming that the bug guy is undercutting. If WOTC advertises the DI in Dragon or Dungeon, they are basically telling buyers not to buy the magazine because the information is available elsewhere. I'm sure that would go over well. Remember the reaction when WOTC ran its anti-MMORPG ads in Dragon with the guy in his basement?

There is simply no situation where WOTC comes out ahead. Sure, it might be nice for consumers to be let down gently. OTOH, it might very well happen that the magazine goes down kicking and screaming as well.

If WOTC really were rat bastards, they simply could announced to everyone, including Paizo that the license was going away a month before the fact. Instead, they informed Paizo at the last renewal that that would be the last one. The fact that Paizo stopped its multi-year subscriptions last October and started offering 6 month ones is proof of that.

The best time to get out is always at the high point. Letting the magazines stutter and fall would not be good for anyone.

 

[broghammerj]

Remember that the people at WotC really like the people at Paizo -- they know them, they game with them, and they've worked with them for years. WotC also has lots of reasons to want Paizo to do well; they help the industry by being healthy. Nevertheless, it looks like WotC's business model requires creation and distribution of the sort of content that Dragon and Dungeon previously featured. So they don't renew the licenses, making sure that Paizo has time to acquire other revenue streams.

Again, just supposition, but I think a reasonable one from what I know of their friendship and relationship.

But the question is it WOTC or Hasbro. If it's Habro, WOTC ties to Paizo become a moot point. I don't know how their corporate structure plays into decisions at WOTC. Under your description WOTC would seem to be performing pretty independently, which may be the case.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

This may be a hijack, but: that's what D&D has become. The best-selling products are those with the most "crunch". D&D in its modern form is less about interactive storytelling, and very much more about character building and tactical combat.

Living Greyhawk is a good barometer.

Living Greyhawk is a terrible barometer. Two types of people play Living Greyhawk: those who enjoy a tabletop version of the MMO experience you describe, and those who don't much but have no other option for their D&D gaming.

Living Greyhawk doesn't resemble most home games I've ever heard of, even from "butt-kickers" who play just to kill things and take their stuff - it's a separate thing altogether, no more representative of D&D as she is played than is D&D Miniatures.

 

[Agamon]

Living Greyhawk is a terrible barometer. Two types of people play Living Greyhawk: those who enjoy a tabletop version of the MMO experience you describe, and those who don't much but have no other option for their D&D gaming.

I'll back that comment up. LG is not typical D&D by any stretch.

 

[haakon1]

I even have dupes of some books, like the PHB

Last count, I have 5 copies of the PHB. Not counting the three or so I've given away as gifts. I'm a veritable Typhoid Mary of getting people to try D&D at no cost to themselves.

 

[caudor]

Last count, I have 5 copies of the PHB. Not counting the three or so I've given away as gifts. I'm a veritable Typhoid Mary of getting people to try D&D at no cost to themselves.

And what better way to say I love you than with the gift of a Player's Handbook

Kidding aside, that really is admirable.

 

[Thurbane]

So, WOTC succeeds with a good product, Paizo fails because it comes in second best and everyone would be groovy with that? Really? There would be no giant uproar about how the big guy undercut the little guy?

Speaking only for myself, no, no uproar. That scenario would not have irked me one fraction as much as what has just been played out. If WotC produced a superior product that undercut the sales of the magazines, there wouldn't be much to howl about, for me anyway...

The best time to get out is always at the high point. Letting the magazines stutter and fall would not be good for anyone.

Assuming, of course, that that's how it played out...

 

[Friadoc]

Last count, I have 5 copies of the PHB. Not counting the three or so I've given away as gifts. I'm a veritable Typhoid Mary of getting people to try D&D at no cost to themselves.

I know what you mean, as not only do I have doubles of the 3.0 and 3.5 rules, but I was a source of the Arcana Unearthed and Arcana Evolved copies for my group (not everyone though, the DM bought his own AE after enjoying AU so much).

Also, my group got Iron Heroes from me, too.

Alas, though, I could not afford to be the source of Ptolus - that said, there are three copies in our group, all from pre-order, and possible one more in the works.

Yes, folks, I pimp Monte Cook like there is no tomorrow! Well, him and Wolfgang Baur...they've got Dark*Matter to thank for my loyalty.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'm another game librarian.

Typically, any game I'm running, I have at least 2 copies of the book that the players will need the most.

For example while I have only 1 1Ed PHB (all of my fellow 1Ed players have their own), I own 4 2Ed PHBs, 2 3Ed PHBs, and 2 3.5Ed PHBs.

Similarly, I have 2 RIFTS core rulebooks, 3 Space:1889 core rulebooks, and at least 2 core rulebooks for each edition of HERO (except FUZION, which I avoided).

I was also the guy who bought the magazines: HERO, GURPS, Space:1889, Car Wars, D&D and RIFTS oriented periodicals all grace my collections...all for the good of the game & the fun of my players.