JeffB said:
Actually that is NOT what it says.
Having worked for some time in marketing in a big corporation this would be my interpretation of the "spin".
"Higher-ups in the company are having second thoughts about whether we want to support Open-Gaming".
Not that I'm being panicky, nor trying to put words in WOTC employees mouths, cos it doesn't bother me one way or the other. But I think with the major delays and then that statement, I think Hasbro is having some serious concerns.
That's how I read the statement as well. I won't be canceling any pre-orders, but I didn't pre-order in he first place. My plan was, and still is to wait till the books come out, do some research and decide if it's a system that will work for me. If 4e is a great system, I'll buy, even if it's not open.
I don't really understand why people feel they can only support one game. I currently support, and play when I get a chance (which unfortunatly isn't often,
damn real life :shakes fist: ); D&D 3.5, M&M, WoD, AU, Paranoia, and Call of Cthulu. I like what I've seen with Pathfinder so I'll probably pick that up as well. Whether or not I pick up 4e won't stop me from playing M&M, Pathfinder, or any other game if I want to.
Now I do think it would be ill advised if the powers that be scrap the open gaming initiative, but even if they do it won't kill the hobby. The cat is already out of the bag. The OGL is unrevokable and the d20 system, while it has it's quirks, is solid. 3rd party publishers will always have a venue to create new and exciting game systems.
And as an aside, anyone who thinks someone won't figure out a way to make a OGL compliant "generic" version of 4e is nuts.