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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ruemere" data-source="post: 4160093" data-attributes="member: 5515"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopoly" target="_blank">Quoting directly from Wikipedia</a>:In Economics, monopoly (also "Pure monopoly") exists when a specific individual or enterprise has sufficient control over a particular product or service to determine significantly the terms on which other individuals shall have access to it. While RPGs in general are not being monopolized, the future 4E market could be in danger of just this. From perspective of general RPG fan, the issue may seem trivial - there are hundred games and companies out there. On the other hand, small d20-oriented publishers, in order to secure their future will need to somehow find a way to fit into new environment. Meanwhile, the issue of potentially restrictive Game System License (GSL) may significantly hinder this, since, as it has been hinted, GSL is likely to combine d20 license elements with some OGL components.In other words, I'm afraid that WotC (Hasbro) may exercise their new license to censor third party products by application of severe limitations. And, as the current state of information seem to point, famous d20 third party products like Darwin World, Mutants and Masterminds, Tome of Horrors, PcGen, Arcana Unearthed/Evolved may be unable to continue in 4E.About the strength you mentioned... OGL allowed for forming of large community (ENWORLD, I'm looking at you), 4E's GSL may fracture it by alienating stronger OGL-based game lines.Finally, smaller publishers will probably disappear due to lack open market. Dude, time for a few plain words, just for you:Ants are important part of ecology system, just like the elephants. Ownership aside, large and open market benefits everyone and existence of common rule system strongly supports existence of such market.Regards,Ruemere</blockquote>

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