Sometimes it drive me crazy when I know I am right and people think I'm crazy and then someone "respected in the industry" says the virtually exact same thing...

OK I said this: I thought the purpose was to get NEW players for the new D & D red box?!?!??! back in October 2010 and now look at the comments I received.  Now today I read this from Ryan Dancy's new column at EN World. Here is the direct link to the whole statement but here is the important part:

Second, I have no clue what Wizards thinks it is doing with the "red box". The Intro product for D&D has one, and only one purpose: To introduce 12-14 year old kids to the roleplaying hobby and start them on the path to become purchasers of the core books. That product must be designed to sell in mass market stores where it can get the widest possible distribution outside of the hobby core (where you can safely assume that gamers are teaching gamers without the need of a special product to do it). It must be priced correctly vs. the other games it is shelved with, and it must be packaged and presented in a way that a mother would be comfortable buying as a gift for the son or daughter of a friend.

The "red box" looks like a nostalgia product designed to be sold to 40 year-olds who want to relive a moment of their childhoods. I don't get the art or the font - neither will appeal to either kids or moms in CE2011. It doesn't look like any other products in the 4E line so how will people know that it connects? Doesn't even matter what's inside the box - this is one of those things that has to sell on its presentation on the shelf.


Well I guess it is good to know that once and a while I might actually know what I am doing here at this blog and running my company.  Now I just need for Hasbro to buy me out and give me a big check.  Talk to you later...

Paizo solidifies it sell as the “new D&D” with the Ennie Awards…

We all know in our hearts of hearts that Paizo would do well at the Ennie Awards. We all know Paizo would be awarded a few awards. No one knew the Ennie Awards were to become the Paizo Awards. Being a fan supporter and 3PP for Pathfinder it only made me EVEN HAPPIER about supporting Paizo from the start.  Paizo has proved itself as a powerful force in the RPG industry with these awards.  The only “downside” to all of this is the amount of people who will be looking to jump onto the Paizo band wagon, become a 3PP and supporting the line. This might sound odd to many of you coming from me, but you have to remember the 3.0 & 3.5 glut of products that came out and killed a few gaming stores.  I just hope the same thing does not happen again to Paizo.   While normally I am no fan of awards show, I have to say this one might be the one that changes my mind about doing award shows.  Maybe they are worth it.  Who knows maybe I will submit Obsidian Twilight for next year’s Ennies.  I guess we will have to see.  Talk to you later…

Congrats you got new positions at WOTC...how long until you are downsized?

At EN World on Monday May 17th news update, they announced that James Wyatt, Rodney Thompson and Mike Mearls all have new position at WOTC.  And the first thing that came to my mind was, should I start a "Death Pool" for how long they will keep their jobs? Because to me it seems not a matter of IT the will get fired / let go / downsized or whatever they call it it is a matter of WHEN it will happen.  Just something to think about. Talk to you later...