New evidence that the "2024" (really "2024/2025") D&D is failing.

And this surprises no one.

Depending on how stupid wotc is. They may have even been banking on losing 5e players to fake 5e. Good only for some free outrage marketing as they are discarded.

Claim its compatible with the old version, after a year of insulting your current audience... Should be no surprise most gamers are sticking with what they have. D&D will get enough newcomers that won't know the difference to buy books and they'll claim a victory of sorts after a few years.

If they are smart they'll come up with a new Basic Set that goes from 1-10 levels and has art from older editions to give the retro feel. Make it cheap and they'll sell a lot and have something to crow about while they figure out their VTT.

Quote from: Ruprecht on Today at 10:05:27 AMIf they are smart they'll come up with a new Basic Set that goes from 1-10 levels and has art from older editions to give the retro feel. Make it cheap and they'll sell a lot and have something to crow about while they figure out their VTT.

  Not necessarily 1-10 levels, but hitting much of the rest: D&D: Heroes of the Borderlands, coming this September.

Quote from: Armchair Gamer on Today at 10:58:22 AMNot necessarily 1-10 levels, but hitting much of the rest: D&D: Heroes of the Borderlands, coming this September.

Given my less than satisfactory sitdown look through of a friend's 2024 PHB a week and a half ago, I don't see myself buying any of the core books (let alone any subsequent supplements).  I might check out the starter set though if the components interest me from a research on production/quality/utility standpoint. 

Once again "Official" D&D is beginning to level off from a fad (Your point about Stranger things) to a hobby. Like other recreational activities, it must compete with online games and social media as well as the flood of better RPG alternatives. Attempts to appeal to a niche and fickle audience who take insult at the slightest provocation seems to be a losing strategy for them .The sooner we can distance ourselves from WOTC the better, I don't bother to compare 5E or 2024 D&D to OSR, they are completely different games and should be treated as such.

Big Bang Theory also popularized various niche hobbies which arguably hurt them.

Yeah, any decrease is definitely multifactorial.  The pandemic lockdown ttrpg bump is long gone, Big Bang Theory is firmly in reruns and not actively popularizing geek chic, Stranger Things isn't even about D&D peripherally any more with the kids split up and is ending this year anyways... and those are just the things off of the top of my head that are NOT under Wotc's control that will negatively affect them.   The OGL debacle, harmful and discriminatory messaging by employees and even executives under the guise of regressive ideological talking points alienating their core fanbase, the flopping of the D&D film, sic'ing the Pinkertons on a customer because of a distributor's mistake, the inability to properly plan ahead for a 50th anniversary edition release, and multiple successive AI missteps and coverups... those were under their control.  If this edition ends up (relatively speaking) flopping like 4e despite the massive headstart 5e gave it, it'll be justly deserved.

Quote from: Ruprecht on Today at 10:05:27 AMIf they are smart they'll come up with a new Basic Set that goes from 1-10 levels and has art from older editions to give the retro feel. Make it cheap and they'll sell a lot and have something to crow about while they figure out their VTT.

All they would have to do is get Mike Mearls to polish the streamlined version of 5e that he is working on, re-use the absolute pile of Larry Elmore and Jeff Easley art that they have = Instant winner.

But they hate money.

Quote from: RNGm on Today at 02:13:01 PMYeah, any decrease is definitely multifactorial.  The pandemic lockdown ttrpg bump is long gone, Big Bang Theory is firmly in reruns and not actively popularizing geek chic, Stranger Things isn't even about D&D peripherally any more with the kids split up and is ending this year anyways... and those are just the things off of the top of my head that are NOT under Wotc's control that will negatively affect them.   The OGL debacle, harmful and discriminatory messaging by employees and even executives under the guise of regressive ideological talking points alienating their core fanbase, the flopping of the D&D film, sic'ing the Pinkertons on a customer because of a distributor's mistake, the inability to properly plan ahead for a 50th anniversary edition release, and multiple successive AI missteps and coverups... those were under their control.  If this edition ends up (relatively speaking) flopping like 4e despite the massive headstart 5e gave it, it'll be justly deserved.

Very good summary.

Quote from: Jaeger on Today at 02:47:26 PM

Quote from: Ruprecht on Today at 10:05:27 AMIf they are smart they'll come up with a new Basic Set that goes from 1-10 levels and has art from older editions to give the retro feel. Make it cheap and they'll sell a lot and have something to crow about while they figure out their VTT.

All they would have to do is get Mike Mearls to polish the streamlined version of 5e that he is working on, re-use the absolute pile of Larry Elmore and Jeff Easley art that they have = Instant winner.

But they hate money.

No, they hate you.  The money is only an ancillary concern.  As long as they are financially comfortable, they don't care about making money for the company.  And the top echelons of major entertainment corporations  are also indifferent to financial concerns (and least as far as consumers are involved).  Did you know that, when Pelt was attempting to get a seat on the board of Disney, he discovered that the entire Disney board held less than 2 million dollars in Disney stock among them?  They don't care if the company tanks; they are set for life on their compensation packages (funded by Vanguard and Blackrock).

This is why I can't wait for the inevitable Hasbro collapse.  The DEI capital funds are drying up, Trump has pulled the plug on the back channel siphoning of money to the NGOs and media corps that push this crap, and the financial reckoning is coming.  And WotC just hired the "female" LARPer who was lead designer on DragonAge Veilguard to head their next software project.

What an interesting time to be alive!