Report To The Stakeholders

[roguebfl]

Then you have to remember why WotC owns D&D and that TSR is dead. TSR tried to support too many incompatible lines at one time, competed against itself and diluted support fo each line dispite have to support all the development costs fo each line... and crumpled.

[ghostofjfd]

I'm hoping the 2016 stakeholders' report doesn't have to mention any kind of flood damage. Meanwhile, good job, SJ Games.

[Andrew Hackard]

Originally Posted by ghostofjfd

I'm hoping the 2016 stakeholders' report doesn't have to mention any kind of flood damage.

THAT WOULD SURE BE NICE WOULDN'T IT.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by Andrew Hackard

THAT WOULD SURE BE NICE WOULDN'T IT.

You'd think Steve Jackson could get that Weather Control satellite under control.

[Johan Larson]

Originally Posted by Anders

You'd think Steve Jackson could get that Weather Control satellite under control.

With another satellite?

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Andrew Hackard

THAT WOULD SURE BE NICE WOULDN'T IT.

FORUM SOFTWARE ALLOWS SUPERMODS TO MAKE ALL-CAPS POSTS? I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

[robertsconley]

Originally Posted by Tom H.

It also occurred to me that in addition to the simultaneous marketing of Pathfinder and D&D 4th edition, WotC further flooded the market with the core books of the first three editions of D&D.

The reprints came after it was known that WoTC was working on a 5th edition and the consensus had emerged that D&D 4th edition was a dead system walking.

The reprints were a marketing ploy to paint the new Wizards team as the good guys in terms of supporting fans of older editions. And they were very successful in doing this.

[robertsconley]

Originally Posted by roguebfl

Then you have to remember why WotC owns D&D and that TSR is dead. TSR tried to support too many incompatible lines at one time, competed against itself and diluted support fo each line dispite have to support all the development costs fo each line... and crumpled.

TSR tried to support too many incompatible lines via a traditional publishing channel which left them stuck with unsold stock in sitting in warehouses costing rent and utility along with returned orders from bookstores that they were liable for.

That still true today more or less however there is whole another channel revolving around print on demand and digital sales.

[robertsconley]

The OSR in regards to classic D&D editions has shown that it possible to establish a viable market with a multitude of publishers, product lines supporting a similar set of mechanics. With no coherent marketing plan.

Yes none of the OSR publisher are the size of SJ Games or even are a company with employees. And yes only a handful provide a living to their principle owner. The vast majority are like me, a single man operation relying on a network of collaborators that put out a handful of products a year.

However to the people who just want to play in and/or referee in a classic D&D campaign it is a second golden age with a wealth of quality products that are broadly compatible with each other.

That this motley crew of hobbyist publishers have managed not only revive several dead editions but turn it to a market that is collectively equal in size to that of any other second tier RPG out there.

Now the problem for GURPS is that the OSR is what it is largely is what it is because of the Open Game License. SJ Games has never seriously entertained the notion of making GURPS open content. Which is fair because it was Steve Jackson and SJ Games who put the work into making GURPS what it is year after year. Why should they give it all ways.

But now there is another way forward thanks to the example of Wizard's and the Dungeon Master's Guild. And unlike most companies in their position they own and maintain a robust storefront for digital sales. They could introduce a Powered by GURPS section and allow anybody who is a member of Warehouse 23 to publish a PDF in that section in return for some high percentage of the sales price. The DM's Guild sets it at 50% which seems fair to me considering you get to use all of the Fogotten Realms IP in exchange.

In doing this a couple of things could happen.

The products are crap and generate little sales and gets shut down in a year.

The products are a mixed bag with a few standouts and generates a modest profit.

It unleashes a GURPS renaissance and becomes a busy hive of creativity as various people take GURPS in all kinds of directions.

In any case SJ Games retains control of their IP. Everybody knows where to find (or avoid) the third party GURPS products. And it can be shut down easily if it proves to be a time waster.

The downside is of course is the time and dollar put into this worth more if invested in a new board/dice game either in the short or long term. Even if this pays off I doubt it will cause revenues from GURPS to do more than double or triple. Right now we live in a golden age of board/card/dice games which commands the most market share. So does even triple the current GURPS revenues make it worthwhile for SJ Games?

[adm]

Originally Posted by robertsconley

...Now the problem for GURPS is that the OSR is what it is largely is what it is because of the Open Game License. SJ Games has never seriously entertained the notion of making GURPS open content. Which is fair because it was Steve Jackson and SJ Games who put the work into making GURPS what it is year after year. Why should they give it all ways...

This raises an interesting question; IF SJGames decides that it is no longer practical to continue producing GURPS material, how likely are they to change GURPS to an open license so others can produce new GURPS material?