Predictions for 2016?

LouGoncey · January 16, 2016, 11:05:58 PM

Everybody here talks like they KNOW, deep down in their hearts, what Hasbro is going to do -- but your main assumption is completely and utterly wrong.

WoTC is not D&D to Hasbro.
WoTC is Magic: the Gathering.

And Magic is a freakin' license to print money. And it has been going on for 23 years!

Why would they get rid of D&D? They finally got it right where they want it. Small staff printing a couple pretty Hardbacks a year, an OGL that throws money back at them for very little overhead, it is perfect.

Everybody is happy.

And the Magic Gravy Train just keeps on chuggin' along...

LouGoncey · January 16, 2016, 11:08:12 PM

And on a completely non-financial note, hey Clash, where is my StarCluster 4?

I need my fix -- I'm jonse'in man!

yosemitemike · January 17, 2016, 03:51:16 AM

Quote from: TristramEvans;873107I've never seen the film, I'm guessing based on context that's a "highly unlikely disaster"?

The term had been around for a long time but has meant different things at different times. Originally, it meant something impossible since it was assumed that there was no such a thing as a black swan. That meaning changed a bit when black swans were discovered. The term Black Swan event was coined by Nassim Taleb in his book Fooled by Randomness. His definition is what I think of when someone refers to a capitalized Black Swan event.

Chivalric · January 17, 2016, 04:19:21 AM

Quote from: Doc Sammy;872283Not so much metaplot free like nWoD, but metaplot-neutral. The metaplot was toned down and made optional.

The x20 books are probably my favorite versions of oWoD stuff. V20 is an amazingly beautiful book to have on the shelf and the toning down of the metaplot makes it even more useful to a wider array of game types. While I'm not a huge OP fan, I ran a ton of 2nd edition back in the day and a friend got me a copy of V20 for my birthday a few years back and it's a keeper.

I'm not sure than the new White Wolf under Paradox is going to get to RPG publishing in 2016. I predict we'll see the beginning of some other products (maybe an art book or something) but no RPG products other than those from OP and By Night Studios.

RPGPundit · January 19, 2016, 05:31:50 AM

Quote from: LouGoncey;873851Everybody here talks like they KNOW, deep down in their hearts, what Hasbro is going to do -- but your main assumption is completely and utterly wrong.

WoTC is not D&D to Hasbro.
WoTC is Magic: the Gathering.

And Magic is a freakin' license to print money. And it has been going on for 23 years!

Why would they get rid of D&D? They finally got it right where they want it. Small staff printing a couple pretty Hardbacks a year, an OGL that throws money back at them for very little overhead, it is perfect.

Everybody is happy.

And the Magic Gravy Train just keeps on chuggin' along...

I'd agree with this entirely, in fact.

Christopher Brady · January 19, 2016, 05:46:05 AM

Quote from: RPGPundit;874250I'd agree with this entirely, in fact.

According to people I know (one of which works at a local game store) it IS a fact. Until Magic tanks, WotC can do whatever it wants with it's other projects (As long of course as it doesn't cut into Magic money.)

TrippyHippy · January 19, 2016, 05:53:24 AM

I've always argued that D&D is more valuable to Wizards (and Hasbro) as an IP rather than actual product these days - so long as the product itself is well received.

RPGPundit · January 21, 2016, 04:44:15 AM

The question is whether they'll be smart about using it; in the same way Marvel uses its comics (which as comics are hardly viable, but which generate them incredible value as IP).