DnD® comes to Middle-earth®.

[Beran]

Because D&D outsells the next 3 competitors combined... And C7 as a whole probably doesn't rise to match any one of those 3 on a regular basis. (Those three being, most likely, at this moment 3 of the following: FFG's Star Wars, FFG's 40K RPG, Paizo's Pathfinder, Green Ronin's AGE, and Evil Hat's Fate Core.) There are better games than those 6 (counting 5e), but not better selling games at present. Getting even a few percent of D&D players is a rather noticeable bump. If done right. it will be a lasting one. If not...

Well, fortunately, the big flops in the industry tend to get forgotten pretty quickly. The successes are all that people tend to remember.

Not really what I'm asking.

[fjw70]

Thanks for the responses.

[aramis]

Because D&D outsells the next 3 competitors combined... And C7 as a whole probably doesn't rise to match any one of those 3 on a regular basis. (Those three being, most likely, at this moment 3 of the following: FFG's Star Wars, FFG's 40K RPG, Paizo's Pathfinder, Green Ronin's AGE, and Evil Hat's Fate Core.) There are better games than those 6 (counting 5e), but not better selling games at present. Getting even a few percent of D&D players is a rather noticeable bump. If done right. it will be a lasting one. If not...

Well, fortunately, the big flops in the industry tend to get forgotten pretty quickly. The successes are all that people tend to remember.

Not really what I'm asking.

Then you phrased it VERY poorly.

The reason the D&D crowd matters is it is the SINGLE LARGEST MARKET SHARE AROUND. If you can tap into that, you can make money.

Now, the method chosen, a ME setting line compatible with D&D 5E - which is said by Mearls to be the fastest sustained sales of any D&D edition, by the way – appeals to a subset of D&D players who will not touch something that isn't D&D. They will NEVER try TOR. They will consider and/or buy a ME setting book for 5E. And the not-terribly small fraction who think that way, if even 1 in 10 buys, is still directly competitive with TOR in terms of potential sales.

It all boils down to £€$¥. If they give in to the D&D Dark Side, they can and will have a reasonable expectation of paying wages and expenses, and making profits, even if it's not a great D&D seller. Catering to the D&D-Uber-Alles crowd is a financial choice, not an artistic one.

[Glorelendil]

It all boils down to £€$¥.

You forgot T. Preferably T***.

[Rich H]

It all boils down to £€$¥. If they give in to the D&D Dark Side, they can and will have a reasonable expectation of paying wages and expenses, and making profits, even if it's not a great D&D seller. Catering to the D&D-Uber-Alles crowd is a financial choice, not an artistic one.

And if that allows Dom and the guys to take bigger risks elsewhere, creating further products for existing lines or taking even greater risks with other new stuff, then that is. no. bad. thing.

It all boils down to £€$¥.

You forgot T. Preferably T***.

Oh, very good, Sir. Here, have an AP for applying your Quick-witted trait.

[Glorelendil]

Oh, very good, Sir. Here, have an AP for applying your Quick-witted trait.

Only because "Greedy" isn't an official trait.

[fjw70]

Well only about two weeks to GenCon. We will probably find out what they have been up then.

[aramis]

It all boils down to £€$¥. If they give in to the D&D Dark Side, they can and will have a reasonable expectation of paying wages and expenses, and making profits, even if it's not a great D&D seller. Catering to the D&D-Uber-Alles crowd is a financial choice, not an artistic one.

And if that allows Dom and the guys to take bigger risks elsewhere, creating further products for existing lines or taking even greater risks with other new stuff, then that is. no. bad. thing.

Unless it compromises their willingness to, or ability to, write artistically meritorious materials.

Which sometimes happens when a company manages to break into the D&D market. Some never recover from it...

[Enevhar Aldarion]

It all boils down to £€$¥. If they give in to the D&D Dark Side, they can and will have a reasonable expectation of paying wages and expenses, and making profits, even if it's not a great D&D seller. Catering to the D&D-Uber-Alles crowd is a financial choice, not an artistic one.

And if that allows Dom and the guys to take bigger risks elsewhere, creating further products for existing lines or taking even greater risks with other new stuff, then that is. no. bad. thing.

Unless it compromises their willingness to, or ability to, write artistically meritorious materials.

Which sometimes happens when a company manages to break into the D&D market. Some never recover from it...

People should stop being pessimistic and believe them when they say that TOR and the new ME D&D will be kept separate, with separate budgets and production. If people cannot trust them when they say that TOR will not be impacted by this, why are these people even still here or wanting to buy their products?

[Yepesnopes]

People should stop being pessimistic and believe them when they say that TOR and the new ME D&D will be kept separate, with separate budgets and production. If people cannot trust them when they say that TOR will not be impacted by this, why are these people even still here or wanting to buy their products?

It is not about believing or trusting them, I believe and I trust their words and initial intentions, but for all of us it is not the first time we see a company expanding into new markets. Besides, the same setting in two different game systems, coexisting together in time... ME for 5e D&D won't bring players from D&D to TOR, potentially preventing D&D players from trying TOR. So I have my doubts about the impact this new adventure by C7 will have on my beloved game.

I think what some people express here are doubts and small fears, justified in my opinion by the situation, something natural when changes are to occur. Nothing more.