Video: There is no "D&D Community", Just a Marketing Scheme by Hasbro & SJW Entryism

[crkrueger]

Hasbro doesn't care about a "RPG" community, they care about the "D&D Community" which essentially means someone who identifies with the D&D Brand in some way and gives Hasbro money in some way.

• You play the D&D RPG.
• You play D&D boardgames, cardgames, miniature games, etc.
• You read D&D novels.
• You read D&D comics.
• You watch monetized D&D streams on Youtube or Twitch.
• You interface with D&D's Social Media presence (ie. you giving them free advertising or free content)

All of that makes you part of the D&D Community, because that gives Hasbro money.

This would intersect with anyone who wants to change a hobby by bringing in people who don't actively engage in the hobby.  This feeds off the Hasbro-designed Community.

Then you have the Community of gaming tangentials - people who are friends and family of gamers who help out at cons and other get-togethers and who probably interact with gaming by painting minis, reading novels, whatever, even though they don't actually game.  Hasbro of course wants these people as they are potential customers.  This type of organic, grassroots community gives cover to the other two agenda-driven community types.

[Haffrung]

I'm not convinced that WoTC or Paizo do have a considered strategy though, I think they probably just blow with the zeitgeist.

Agreed. It's not as though WotC had come great marketing gurus assigned to the D&D team when 5E was released. The D&D division is really just a handful of nerds with some experience writing adventures. Catching the streaming spectator-as-hobby zeitgeist was just remarkable good fortune. The virtue-signalling part aligns with the postures of the millennial online sf&f culture, which is dominated by people of a particular socio-economic background (and hence a particular social outlook).

[Mike the Mage]

Hasbro doesn't care about a "RPG" community, they care about the "D&D Community" which essentially means someone who identifies with the D&D Brand in some way and gives Hasbro money in some way.

• You play the D&D RPG.
• You play D&D boardgames, cardgames, miniature games, etc.
• You read D&D novels.
• You read D&D comics.
• You watch monetized D&D streams on Youtube or Twitch.
• You interface with D&D's Social Media presence (ie. you giving them free advertising or free content)

All of that makes you part of the D&D Community, because that gives Hasbro money.

This would intersect with anyone who wants to change a hobby by bringing in people who don't actively engage in the hobby.  This feeds off the Hasbro-designed Community.

Then you have the Community of gaming tangentials - people who are friends and family of gamers who help out at cons and other get-togethers and who probably interact with gaming by painting minis, reading novels, whatever, even though they don't actually game.  Hasbro of course wants these people as they are potential customers.  This type of organic, grassroots community gives cover to the other two agenda-driven community types.

Succinctly put.

[Mike the Mage]

Agreed. It's not as though WotC had come great marketing gurus assigned to the D&D team when 5E was released.

Well a position is open

The D&D division is really just a handful of nerds with some experience writing adventures.

You could walk it!

http://company.wizards.com/job/manager-global-brand-marketing-dd

AM I QUALIFIED?
3-5 years of marketing and/or product development experience required.
2-3 years of support in the brand marketing field preferred.
Experience in the video/digital game, hobby game, toy, entertainment, or related field preferred.
Knowledge, Abilities and Characteristics of the Ideal Wizard:
Proven ability to plan and execute on marketing and/or product plans.
Ability to work effectively with and lead diverse groups of people.
Good organization, prioritization and time management skills.
Good written and oral communication skills.
Good analytical skills.
Proficient with MS Office products.
Strong presentation skills.
Knowledge of word-of-mouth marketing and social media in addition to classical marketing preferred.
Knowledge of product development processes preferred.
Experience working with international partners a plus.
Knowledge of geek and pop culture desirable.
Knowledge of video games and/or trading card or other hobby games a plus.
Education and Training:
BA/BS or equivalent experience required, preferably with a concentration in Marketing or related coursework.  

Physical Requirements:
Office environment, able to work on computer or phone for long periods of time.
We are an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer.

Oh...

[S'mon]

I guess Equal Opportunity is a euphemism since Affirmative Action means discrimination.

[Krimson]

Hasbro doesn't care about a "RPG" community, they care about the "D&D Community" which essentially means someone who identifies with the D&D Brand in some way and gives Hasbro money in some way.

• You play the D&D RPG.
• You play D&D boardgames, cardgames, miniature games, etc.
• You read D&D novels.
• You read D&D comics.
• You watch monetized D&D streams on Youtube or Twitch.
• You interface with D&D's Social Media presence (ie. you giving them free advertising or free content)

All of that makes you part of the D&D Community, because that gives Hasbro money.

This would intersect with anyone who wants to change a hobby by bringing in people who don't actively engage in the hobby.  This feeds off the Hasbro-designed Community.

Then you have the Community of gaming tangentials - people who are friends and family of gamers who help out at cons and other get-togethers and who probably interact with gaming by painting minis, reading novels, whatever, even though they don't actually game.  Hasbro of course wants these people as they are potential customers.  This type of organic, grassroots community gives cover to the other two agenda-driven community types.

Great way to put it. Totally capitalism at work. Yes, not an RPG community, but a community based on identifying with a corporate brand. It's like the Star Wars "community", who cares what your involvement in so long as you are part of that economy. Consume. Buy more stuff. Or video gamers who are loyal to a particular franchise.

[Baulderstone]

Well, that's a houserule/optional rule you're using, then. Unless you're still running Classic Traveller:).
You could certainly program your robots for CT, as well;)!

You are assuming that the operating system on gaming robots lets you opt out of the latest upgrade. For your security and convenience, our robots will only play the latest and greatest editions of all RPGs.

[Krimson]

This is completely outside the thread topic. Please stay on topic or you'll be booted from the thread.

I did apologize for going off topic and I will try and be more careful with my posts. That was my fault, thinking I was replying to a thread in Punditry. I have since stopped opening multiple tabs when I visit this site, since apparently I am dumb.

[FeloniousMonk]

Great way to put it. Totally capitalism at work. Yes, not an RPG community, but a community based on identifying with a corporate brand. It's like the Star Wars "community", who cares what your involvement in so long as you are part of that economy. Consume. Buy more stuff. Or video gamers who are loyal to a particular franchise.

If you think for one moment that any individual creator isn't thinking strategically to grow their own brand to make money, you're sorely mistaken.

Our asshat-in-chief Pundit. Brent from Precis Entertainment. Zak S. James Raggi. And yes, even WotC. All of the above, including those I didn't mention, are building a following through branding to MAKE MONEY. And it's not disingenuous to admit so.

[The Scythian]

I agree. If you doubt this, just go over to the Critical Roll forums and say anything that isn't complimentary to the brand of D&D they are selling. It's being managed as an industry and aimed at a demographic. The fact that Forgotten Realms is D&D instead of just one its settings, and the way that they are essentially trying to make people believe in the idea that Hollywood voice actors want to play with you illustrates the way this is all being staged for consumption. I liked it better when D&D was something that was more about the actual players than an idealized version airing on YouTube.

To be fair, Critical Role doesn't take place in the Forgotten Realms.  It takes place in its own setting, complete with nonstandard classes like gunslingers.  I'm not really into streamed gameplay, so I don't know the specifics, but I know there's a whole setting book as well as electronic supplementary materials.  

In any case, Critical Role isn't a product of WotC, and has no influence on what setting D&D uses as a default.

Also, while it's true that WotC picked the Forgotten Realms as the default setting for D&D (kind of a no brainer, since it's been the setting for over thirty years of popular novels and computer games), it's not like WotC completely ignores other settings.  Adventure books like Tales from the Yawning Portal and Princes of the Apocalypse explain how to tie the adventures into other settings.  (And other books might do that, too, those are just the ones I'm familiar with.)

I sent my post too quickly, so edited to add:  

WotC is never going to revert to TSR's business model of juggling a bunch of different settings at once, because in the end, it was a loser.  They've been extremely cautious with what kind of material they release, and how quickly they release it.  The late era TSR approach of running several different setting lines at once isn't coming back.

[Mike the Mage]

And it's not disingenuous to admit so.

I think one can make money without being cynical about it. One can also have the long term interests of the hobby and even your consumers at heart while still making a good living. Everyone (or nearly everyone) is out to make money but not everyone is manipulative, exploitative and going fro a quick buck.

[Krimson]

If you think for one moment that any individual creator isn't thinking strategically to grow their own brand to make money, you're sorely mistaken.

Our asshat-in-chief Pundit. Brent from Precis Entertainment. Zak S. James Raggi. And yes, even WotC. All of the above, including those I didn't mention, are building a following through branding to MAKE MONEY. And it's not disingenuous to admit so.

Of course it's marketing. Money is the only language in the world that matters. That's why people who gripe about it won't have any effect, because their wallets speak less than the wallets of people buying the stuff.

[Archlyte]

To be fair, Critical Role doesn't take place in the Forgotten Realms.  It takes place in its own setting, complete with nonstandard classes like gunslingers.  I'm not really into streamed gameplay, so I don't know the specifics, but I know there's a whole setting book as well as electronic supplementary materials.  

In any case, Critical Role isn't a product of WotC, and has no influence on what setting D&D uses as a default.

Also, while it's true that WotC picked the Forgotten Realms as the default setting for D&D (kind of a no brainer, since it's been the setting for over thirty years of popular novels and computer games), it's not like WotC completely ignores other settings.  Adventure books like Tales from the Yawning Portal and Princes of the Apocalypse explain how to tie the adventures into other settings.  (And other books might do that, too, those are just the ones I'm familiar with.)

I sent my post too quickly, so edited to add:  

WotC is never going to revert to TSR's business model of juggling a bunch of different settings at once, because in the end, it was a loser.  They've been extremely cautious with what kind of material they release, and how quickly they release it.  The late era TSR approach of running several different setting lines at once isn't coming back.

I assume that there is some sort of agreement between the show and WotC so if nothing else it's an official use of the product. I think when the show started they were using like a FR setting in all but name but switched up later, but in any case you are correct and I ran two separate thoughts together so it looked like I was saying that FR and the show were one thing. Forgotten Realms is a really shitty setting compared to some of the other products, but it's better than other fails. I guess to them it doesn't matter and so you are right, as long as people buy the FR stuff why should they give a shit.

Perhaps they noticed that if you can choose your own setting then you can choose your game system, so they shut that door. I imagine in the dark years where they were barely able to stay in business it was a do or die situation.

But the current situation is one where D&D represents a monolithic trope basket that has the face of celebrities. It's a very smart move on their part but I find it to be a bit of a misrepresentation.

[RPGPundit]

If you think for one moment that any individual creator isn't thinking strategically to grow their own brand to make money, you're sorely mistaken.

Our asshat-in-chief Pundit. Brent from Precis Entertainment. Zak S. James Raggi. And yes, even WotC. All of the above, including those I didn't mention, are building a following through branding to MAKE MONEY. And it's not disingenuous to admit so.

That's absolutely true.

The problem is when a company pretends that what they're doing is not about making money.

[Mike the Mage]

I woud add that problems arise when companies choose short sighted strategies that damage the industry and exploit the consumer.

You can make money without being an asshole about it.

And Pundit, by this I mean that you are one of the creators of material that gives GOOD value for money.

It isn't hard for me to think of the opposite case in which I have felt cheated/ripped off and wanted to find a new hobby because of that.

But I will refrain from pointing the finger.