I think that unless WotC really amps it up in the coming months, 4e is going to lose a big part of the market share. I don't think their flubs will kill the industry, but it could weaken it a great deal.
The major selling point of 4e for new gamers was the online initiatives and the etools and they have yet to deliver. WotC didn't just drop the ball on this one, they dropped it and lost it under the couch. I have to say I really came around to the 4e way of thinking and I like the system, but one of the things I was really excited about was the ability to play online with friends. So far that hasn't happened and I honestly have lost interest in it, to a degree. When I spoke with WotC reps at Gen Con last year I was told that the online tools would be up and running within a month of the initial release, by Gen Con 09 at the latest and still we have next to nothing.
As much as I like the new system and plan to support it I have to admit to feeling a bit burned by the company. WotC has already rubbed a lot of gamers the wrong way and this only added fuel to the fire. Now a lot of gamers are poised to be added to the ranks of WotC haters as the company continues to disappoint.
I only wonder if this will eventually result in D&D being sold once again, perhaps to a company that better understands the game, like Paizo.
Sat, 08/02/2008 - 12:51pm
I think that unless WotC really amps it up in the coming months, 4e is going to lose a big part of the market share. I don't think their flubs will kill the industry, but it could weaken it a great deal.
The major selling point of 4e for new gamers was the online initiatives and the etools and they have yet to deliver. WotC didn't just drop the ball on this one, they dropped it and lost it under the couch. I have to say I really came around to the 4e way of thinking and I like the system, but one of the things I was really excited about was the ability to play online with friends. So far that hasn't happened and I honestly have lost interest in it, to a degree. When I spoke with WotC reps at Gen Con last year I was told that the online tools would be up and running within a month of the initial release, by Gen Con 09 at the latest and still we have next to nothing.
As much as I like the new system and plan to support it I have to admit to feeling a bit burned by the company. WotC has already rubbed a lot of gamers the wrong way and this only added fuel to the fire. Now a lot of gamers are poised to be added to the ranks of WotC haters as the company continues to disappoint.
I only wonder if this will eventually result in D&D being sold once again, perhaps to a company that better understands the game, like Paizo.
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