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Author Topic: End of 'Dungeon' and 'Dragon'  (Read 5171 times)

RPGObjects_chuck

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End of 'Dungeon' and 'Dragon'
« Reply #105 on: April 27, 2007, 07:15:45 PM »
Listen closely.

They have a better chance to attract more readers online than through magazine sales.

Something done with the intent of increasing sales is a "new initiative".

J Arcane

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End of 'Dungeon' and 'Dragon'
« Reply #106 on: April 27, 2007, 07:17:59 PM »
Quote from: RPGObjects_chuck
Listen closely.

They have a better chance to attract more readers online than through magazine sales.

Something done with the intent of increasing sales is a "new initiative".
God, you're a thick bastard.  I give up.
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beeber

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« Reply #107 on: April 27, 2007, 08:16:59 PM »
i don't see it.  

kid walks past "dragon" on newsstand.  "what's this?"  sez he.  picks up, leafs through.  possible gamer convert.

no magazine on newsstand, no casual sale.  he or she is not going to just wander past the wizards site and get sucked in.  it doesn't work that way.  

paper 1, electrons 0.

ColonelHardisson

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« Reply #108 on: April 27, 2007, 08:53:45 PM »
Quote from: J Arcane
What goddamn "new intiative"?

Would you answer the fucking question already?

Show me the "new initiative".  Show me anything whatsoever that points to any new move, beyond shuffling some magazine articles to a website that's already in place, and has been for a considerable amount of time.


Thing is, though, nothing has been revealed about the "digital initiative" project beyond a few vague hints here and there, such as in the EN World interview with some of the WotC staff. So there really is nothing to point to yet. They indicate that the "digital initiative" will go beyond what the website currently does, and that free content will still be available. They also indicate that there will be an attempt to reach out to gamers, new and otherwise, but how they plan on doing this is left unsaid. I agree that a newsstand magazine will draw in non-gamers, but the WotC staffers interviewed actually explicitly state:

Quote from: EN World's Front Page
EN World question: It has been said, both by fans and by those in the industry (including some ex-WotC staffers) that the magazines were an invaluable marketing tool during the run-up to 3E. Given that 4E is going to come sometime, how does this affect WotC plans to successfully market the new edition - or, for that matter, any other large product launches on the horizon.

Bill [Slavicsek, Director of R&D for D&D]: The Internet is a great delivery system for news of this kind. It’s more timely. It reaches more eyeballs than the magazines, even at the height of their readership. We believe that any messages we want to get out will not be harmed or hindered by the change in venue for the magazine content.
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4e definitely has an Old School feel. If you disagree, cool. I won't throw any hyperbole out to prove the point.

RPGObjects_chuck

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« Reply #109 on: April 27, 2007, 09:54:34 PM »
Quote from: ColonelHardisson
Thing is, though, nothing has been revealed about the "digital initiative" project beyond a few vague hints here and there, such as in the EN World interview with some of the WotC staff. So there really is nothing to point to yet. They indicate that the "digital initiative" will go beyond what the website currently does, and that free content will still be available. They also indicate that there will be an attempt to reach out to gamers, new and otherwise, but how they plan on doing this is left unsaid. I agree that a newsstand magazine will draw in non-gamers, but the WotC staffers interviewed actually explicitly state:


I keep hearing this "reach new gamers" idea.

But really... doesn't it make more sense to try and reach the 95% of gamers that they weren't reaching?

It's a magazine, not the Watchtower, designed solely to gain new converts.

Preaching to the converted is worthwhile.

obryn

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« Reply #110 on: April 27, 2007, 11:07:27 PM »
Quote from: beeber
i don't see it.  

kid walks past "dragon" on newsstand.  "what's this?"  sez he.  picks up, leafs through.  possible gamer convert.

Call me crazy, but I think this was a lot more true in years past than it is now.

I'm pretty much seeing Chuck's point here...  You're more likely to reach people online nowadays than via an over-crowded newsstand.

The page has been around for years, sure...  But if they throw more money into it, including doing things like pushing banner ads to non-gaming sites, they have a potential to reach an extremely wide audience.

I think the end of Dungeon and Dragon sucks.  I picked up odd issues here and there, and I'll miss having that opportunity.  I'm going to wait and see, though, what Wizards puts up before calling them idiots.

-O
 

ColonelHardisson

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« Reply #111 on: April 27, 2007, 11:26:40 PM »
Quote from: RPGObjects_chuck
I keep hearing this "reach new gamers" idea.

But really... doesn't it make more sense to try and reach the 95% of gamers that they weren't reaching?

It's a magazine, not the Watchtower, designed solely to gain new converts.

Preaching to the converted is worthwhile.


I'm not disagreeing with you. Personally, I think WotC would do well to pursue both a print and internet strategy. Take a look at British astronomy mag "Sky At Night." It's a print mag that ships with a disk of supplemental content, including a full episode of the British TV show the magazine is associated with. Plus it all ties into their website. I think a product like this would be very cool for D&D.
"Illegitimis non carborundum." - General Joseph "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell

4e definitely has an Old School feel. If you disagree, cool. I won't throw any hyperbole out to prove the point.

RPGObjects_chuck

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« Reply #112 on: April 27, 2007, 11:58:27 PM »
Quote from: ColonelHardisson
I'm not disagreeing with you. Personally, I think WotC would do well to pursue both a print and internet strategy. Take a look at British astronomy mag "Sky At Night." It's a print mag that ships with a disk of supplemental content, including a full episode of the British TV show the magazine is associated with. Plus it all ties into their website. I think a product like this would be very cool for D&D.


Well, Wizards has said they're going to do yearly compilations, probably in hardcover.

Even if it's softcover, that's gravy as far as I'm concerned. Best of both worlds.

And of course, they have a much better chance of reaching people overseas this way as well.

THAT is where the new blood is. 120 million internet users in China alone. Add in 60 million for India.

MMOs are huge over there, which tells us they are gamers and can shop online. That's where you're most likely to have a kid stumble by and learn about D&D: the website.

Anyway, I just see way more upside to this strategy than downside.

I'd prefer the magazine stuck around forever, of course I'd also be happier if Marvel hadn't cancelled the Avengers or killed Captain America or if Paizo hadn't cancelled Polyhedron.

Damn... I was subscribed to all three books at the time. I'm a jinx. At least I wasn't still subbed to Dragon and Dungeon, can't blame this one on me ;)

Blackthorne

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« Reply #113 on: January 03, 2010, 09:20:20 PM »
This is the saddest I've ever gotten. Even 4E didn't make me this sad.
At first, it was kind of inconceivable to me...I thought there would always be gaming magazines in dead tree format. And I am sad.
The only good part is that I worked for Waldenbooks when they went down, so I got the last issues of Dragon and Dungeon for free.