D&D General The Double-Edged Sword: Is The New D&D Edition a Cash Grab in Disguise?

[payn]

The original post was positioned more as a question rather than a statement: Is it a cash grab? is that a good thing or bad? is it a positive or a negative for the industry?

Yes, well, you certainly didn't seem to appreciate the answers some folks had.

 

[DEFCON 1]

The original post was positioned more as a question rather than a statement: Is it a cash grab? is that a good thing or bad? is it a positive or a negative for the industry?

Define what you mean by "cash grab". Do you mean the negative connotation that usually comes with that phrase-- that WotC is making these revisions for no other reason than they want easy money from people willing to part with it? Or do you consider the phrase "cash grab" in some other fashion that isn't inherently negative? Tell us your intention behind using that phrase and we'd be able to more accurately say whether it is good or bad, positive or negative in relation to your use.

 

[Micah Sweet]

But you're going to agree it wasn't a cash grab designed by a soulless mega corporation, right?


Right?

That one definitely seemed like a cash grab. There are reasons to believe the current 5.5 push isn't.

 

[velkymx]

Define what you mean by "cash grab". Do you mean the negative connotation that usually comes with that phrase-- that WotC is making these revisions for no other reason than they want easy money from people willing to part with it? Or do you consider the phrase "cash grab" in some other fashion that isn't inherently negative? Tell us your intention behind using that phrase and we'd be able to more accurately say whether it is good or bad, positive or negative in relation to your use.

There is definitely a component of it that is shady, but will it be exploitation or general innovation? Maybe both.

 

[Daraniya]

Define what you mean by "cash grab". Do you mean the negative connotation that usually comes with that phrase-- that WotC is making these revisions for no other reason than they want easy money from people willing to part with it? Or do you consider the phrase "cash grab" in some other fashion that isn't inherently negative? Tell us your intention behind using that phrase and we'd be able to more accurately say whether it is good or bad, positive or negative in relation to your use.

I bought stock in Hasbro nearly a year ago because I knew the D&D Next would come out... HAS pays a decent dividend too... the fact they bought a movie studio means they'll expand their offerings. I didn't hate the recent D&D movie (good popcorn movie).

For me D&D is like pizza, plenty of flavor, plenty of ways to customize, sometimes is pizza hut at home, sometimes it's sitting in Rome at a little out of the way place near the Capuchin monks and it's the ambiance and knowing you're having pizza in Rome.
I'm sure the Creative Commons made Wall St. feel like that was gonna steal profit, but the mechanics don't sell the game... the lore does... the 'flavor'...

 

[Remathilis]

That one definitely seemed like a cash grab. There are reasons to believe the current 5.5 push isn't.

I disagree. They explicitly said it wasn't a new edition, but a refresh of the current books with a bit of errata. It was more of a visual update for people looking for new copies of the books rather than any sort of necessary upgrade. I don't consider the cosmetic refreshing of a line to be a cash grab, and that is coming from a former action figure collector who knows the same figure on two different colored cards changed the price sometimes drastically. It's only a necessary purchase to hardcore collectors, not to regular players.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I disagree. They explicitly said it wasn't a new edition, but a refresh of the current books with a bit of errata. It was more of a visual update for people looking for new copies of the books rather than any sort of necessary upgrade. I don't consider the cosmetic refreshing of a line to be a cash grab, and that is coming from a former action figure collector who knows the same figure on two different colored cards changed the price sometimes drastically. It's only a necessary purchase to hardcore collectors, not to regular players.

I don't consider solely visual updates worth paying for.

 

[velkymx]

I disagree. They explicitly said it wasn't a new edition, but a refresh of the current books with a bit of errata. It was more of a visual update for people looking for new copies of the books rather than any sort of necessary upgrade. I don't consider the cosmetic refreshing of a line to be a cash grab, and that is coming from a former action figure collector who knows the same figure on two different colored cards changed the price sometimes drastically. It's only a necessary purchase to hardcore collectors, not to regular players.

The problem is that this is not what is happening. There are large parts of the game being "reimagined" or "rebalanced".

 

[CleverNickName]

The problem is that this is not what is happening. There are large parts of the game being "reimagined" or "rebalanced".

But that's a good thing, not "the problem."

 

[Meech17]

But that's a good thing, not "the problem."

Agreed. This is where there is value added.

I disagree with @Remathilis on their comment. While I wouldn't consider this a whole new edition, it does seem to be more than just a refresh like a car getting a mid-generation face lift. It appears they are genuinely trying to update, improve, and consolidate with these new books, which is what makes it's content worth getting excited for. At the same time they're leaving in the core structure of 5E and working to keep it compatible with past content which keeps it from being considered a wholly new edition.