Re: [DL] Pinnacle sold... (REALLY OT)

[Allan Seyberth <darious@darious.com>]

 >We have WOTC and Hasbro to thank for pulling TSR, and quite possibly the
 >gaming industry as a whole, out of a tailspin that may have been fatal.

Possibly - but you can't assign altruistic motives to WotC - the TSR 
purchase was just part of the standard Hasbro plan of consolidation - along 
the same lines of their ownership of Galoob, Parker Brothers, Milton 
Bradley, Microprose, Larami, Atari, Oddzon, Tiger Toys and I think about 4 
or 5 more. . . before getting to the companies of our peculiar industry of 
WotC, TSR and LUG.

 >Having known several brand managers at Hasbro's marketing department, and
 >having almost worked there myself, I can assure you that they know what they
 >are doing.  Thier funding and expertise, coupled with WOTC well organized
 >and very savvy marketing plan is a reason for hope for TSR and by proxy,
 >gaming in general.

A marketing strategy that seems quite similar to the marketing strategy of 
Microsoft.  Real good for Microsoft, not so good for any other company or 
any consumer that doesn't want to deal with Microsoft products.

 >As I have argued before, in the gaming industry, a rising tide lifts all
 >boats.  All RPG's stands to benefit from an increased profile of the hobby.
 >WOTC's plan was to increase that profile, and Hasbro will (if al goes well)
 >help them realize this goal.

Unless - of course, WotC continues on it's path of undercutting the 
distribution system.  After all, as the 900lb gorilla, everyone will HAVE 
to come to WotC to get the products that are in demand.
The means that the current distribution system does more good WotC 
competitors than to WotC  - so,  of course, bypassing the distribution 
system is a good business decision made by smart managers.

Without said distribution system in place, guess what will happen to the 
smaller independent game companies?  Without the smaller game companies - 
just how much innovation will the industry actually see?  Remember - T$R 
was stagnant for years before they got bought out by WotC - who was once 
small shoestring company as well with one original idea - to flip a card 
sideways to show that it's been used that turn.

Can you actually see at any mechanic in 3rd ed and say that you haven't 
seen it in another game somewhere?

And don't forget the fact that WotC now had to do something with their 
expensive TSR purchase to make it look good to the Hasbro board.

We've seen this all before in the Microsoft history - small company with an 
original idea gains a market advantage and then aggressively uses that 
position to consolidate their position, dominate the market, coerce the 
industry and crush the competition - stifling the growth that comes from 
good competition.

It does seem a shame only that those companies that engage in customer 
abusive marketing ploys are those that thrive.  WotC, TSR, Games Workshop, 
White Wolf, AEG. . . of course - TSR ultimately reaped what it sowed in the 
late 80s, and WotC just pulled out one of the underpinnings to AEG by 
pulling the L5R CCG entirely inhouse. . .

But no - WotC isn't all bad.  After all, they just put a slap to the 
industry practise of two inch wide margins and 16 point size font in 
sourcebooks with the incredibly dense 3rd ed.

But hey. . . Microsoft does the same thing - when they decide to put forth 
an effort into an arena where they are facing competition  they really 
knock out some envelope pushing stuff - at least until they use their vast 
resources and desktop monopoly to exhaust their competition and force them 
out of business.

Another way to look at it is that a rising tide sinks all boats with short 
tethers.

There is one vital point where the MS <--> WotC analogy breaks down, and 
that's the fact that WotC is not a business/job requirement.  It's a 
hobby.  And one that I will walk away from in a heartbeat if Ryan Dancey 
achieves his goal of market domination.

-------------------

Allan Seyberth
darious@darious.com
Deadlands fan site - http://www.darious.com/deadlands/index.html

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Foghorn Leghorn:
To get to that damn Dawg, Boah!