Comments on: Wizards Refocuses https://www.forbeck.com/2008/07/30/wizards-refocuses/ Award-winning & New York Times-bestselling author and game designer Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:46:08 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Christian Lindke https://www.forbeck.com/2008/07/30/wizards-refocuses/#comment-45613 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:46:08 +0000 http://www.forbeck.com/2008/07/30/wizards-refocuses/#comment-45613 While I am disappointed in the elimination of the Discoveries line of books, I do think that the Wizards fiction catalog was becoming a little bloated. The quality was often very good, but even fans were having a hard time keeping up if they wanted to read all of the books coming out.

When the Dragonlance books came out, TSR didn’t have many books out and the same is true when Icewind Dale was published. TSR/WotC has varied between publishing non-related fiction (Illegal Aliens) in past and it wasn’t as strong as this batch. Devil’s Cape was a lot of fun.

]]> By: Christian Lindke https://www.forbeck.com/2008/07/30/wizards-refocuses/#comment-50150 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:46:00 +0000 http://www.forbeck.com/2008/07/30/wizards-refocuses/#comment-50150 While I am disappointed in the elimination of the Discoveries line of books, I do think that the Wizards fiction catalog was becoming a little bloated. The quality was often very good, but even fans were having a hard time keeping up if they wanted to read all of the books coming out.

When the Dragonlance books came out, TSR didn’t have many books out and the same is true when Icewind Dale was published. TSR/WotC has varied between publishing non-related fiction (Illegal Aliens) in past and it wasn’t as strong as this batch. Devil’s Cape was a lot of fun.

]]> By: Alana Abbott https://www.forbeck.com/2008/07/30/wizards-refocuses/#comment-45612 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:08:27 +0000 http://www.forbeck.com/2008/07/30/wizards-refocuses/#comment-45612 The idea is certainly rebranding… but I’m not positive that it’s a good move. I guess time and their account balances will tell–but I really like the folks in that editorial department whom I’ve met, and I want them to be kept busy! I hope the death spiral doesn’t hit…

]]> By: Alana Abbott https://www.forbeck.com/2008/07/30/wizards-refocuses/#comment-50149 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:08:00 +0000 http://www.forbeck.com/2008/07/30/wizards-refocuses/#comment-50149 The idea is certainly rebranding… but I’m not positive that it’s a good move. I guess time and their account balances will tell–but I really like the folks in that editorial department whom I’ve met, and I want them to be kept busy! I hope the death spiral doesn’t hit…

]]> By: Matt Forbeck https://www.forbeck.com/2008/07/30/wizards-refocuses/#comment-45611 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:09:56 +0000 http://www.forbeck.com/2008/07/30/wizards-refocuses/#comment-45611 True, but I suspect the novels aren’t nearly as profitable as the games, at least from Hasbro’s point of view. They can stomach making less money on something if it supports one of their core brands, but if it doesn’t than it’s hard for an executive to justify this “brand extension.”

Also, you get into things like, “How many novels do we really need each year to support a brand?” They want some Eberron and Dragonlance novels, but is it worth it to do ones that can’t possibly come close to the sales numbers of Margaret and Tracy or Bob Salvatore?

Of course, that sort of thing can be a death spiral for a division when the accountants start wondering why they’re making so much less than the previous year. These are interesting times, for sure.

]]> By: Matt Forbeck https://www.forbeck.com/2008/07/30/wizards-refocuses/#comment-50148 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:09:00 +0000 http://www.forbeck.com/2008/07/30/wizards-refocuses/#comment-50148 True, but I suspect the novels aren’t nearly as profitable as the games, at least from Hasbro’s point of view. They can stomach making less money on something if it supports one of their core brands, but if it doesn’t than it’s hard for an executive to justify this “brand extension.”

Also, you get into things like, “How many novels do we really need each year to support a brand?” They want some Eberron and Dragonlance novels, but is it worth it to do ones that can’t possibly come close to the sales numbers of Margaret and Tracy or Bob Salvatore?

Of course, that sort of thing can be a death spiral for a division when the accountants start wondering why they’re making so much less than the previous year. These are interesting times, for sure.

]]> By: Cam https://www.forbeck.com/2008/07/30/wizards-refocuses/#comment-45610 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:44:36 +0000 http://www.forbeck.com/2008/07/30/wizards-refocuses/#comment-45610 The questions this raises are numerous, but one of mine is: what do they mean when they say directly support the D&D brand? Is Eberron not directly supporting the brand? Is Dragonlance not?

I am pretty sure a number of their internal brands, including the Realms and Dragonlance, stand at least enough on their own as independent novel lines that they don’t actually need to support any gaming whatsoever. It’s very mysterious.

]]> By: Cam https://www.forbeck.com/2008/07/30/wizards-refocuses/#comment-50147 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:44:00 +0000 http://www.forbeck.com/2008/07/30/wizards-refocuses/#comment-50147 The questions this raises are numerous, but one of mine is: what do they mean when they say directly support the D&D brand? Is Eberron not directly supporting the brand? Is Dragonlance not?

I am pretty sure a number of their internal brands, including the Realms and Dragonlance, stand at least enough on their own as independent novel lines that they don’t actually need to support any gaming whatsoever. It’s very mysterious.

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