[David Johansen]

Few rpgs manage to compete in the board game dominated field these days. Partially it's complexity and prep time. Partially it's toy value. And partially it's the difficulty of building a decent group that actually shows up.

Ironically, the supplement creep that kept the industry going in the nineties is now a hindrance to the success of games. Especially if key, core elements are deliberately left out of the core to force the purchase of companions. People look at a game like GURPS and say "too many books."

Likewise, the edition mill no longer works in the favor of publishers. With the internet, edition wars have become massively divisive things that can actually drive people looking to try a game system away.

Big omnibus editions are great for the diminishing existing fanbase but largely drive away potential new customers.

A new business model is needed for print rpgs to survive. Whether the hobby can survive the death and decline of the wider industry remains to be seen.