Do you think there will ever be an option to get a free digital version after purchasing the hard copy? I love having the hard copy and the digital version, but the price of both together is a little steep for me!
Unfortunately, even if they did bundle them together, you would probably have to pay the price of both. D&D Beyond, whoever sold the physical copy, and Wizards of the Coast each have to be compensated for the purchase.
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It's a common belief that D&D Beyond is owned by Wizards of the Coast, when they are not. D&D Beyond is simply a reseller of the product, no different than Roll20, Fantasy Grounds, Amazon, or your FLGS are. Cody from Taking20 put up a great video explaining it.
Now if Wizards brought DnD Beyond then it could happen, but revenue stream wise it would probably be a discounted version of the digital copy with a code included in the physical copy! But that's a hypothetical what if rather than reality unfortunately!
I think they should do the same as Paizo does with Pathfinder, you get a credit against digital purchases for a verified purchases (for Paizo that means through Paizo's website). For D&D, they could do it through purchases made from WPN stores with the store registering the purchase. Basically Paizo makes it so you only pay them once. This still means you pay for digital content, but all you are paying each vendor for is the conversion work.
Paizo can do that because they distribute their own digital content. That is not the case here; WotC licenses their content to DDB, who then publish it through Beyond. Two different companies offering two different products.
I feel like an even better business model would be a content subscription. I would gladly pay $15-20/month to have access to all sourcebooks and content, which is then revoked when the subscription lapses. You'd still have the option to purchase digital (or physical?) copies to own, possibly at a discount if you're subscribed. I'm sure there are ways to add some microtransactions in as well.
I highly doubt their license even allows that. and even if it did, it might not make financial sense - they'd have to pay a license to wizards, whether you stay for the 10-12 months required to break even. (by the way, only assuming books worth 150-200.00, as it grows it would get harder and harder to break even.... and as the video stays it would go against what other content resellers could do...
they'd have to contract to wizard that the license agreement would also be monthly and not an upfront free, and i doubt wizards would ever go for that.
But would a handsome BOGO discount be too difficult to negotiate across the two parties? As in, if I buy a hardback of Storm King's Thunder, I receive a 16 digit alphanumeric code that works as a one-time-use coupon on DND Beyond, only for my account, and only for the Storm King's Thunder adventure. And vice versa (e.g. I buy DDB adventure, I get 50% off the book).
From a consumer's perspective, I can honestly say that this would be a very effective cross-sell incentive. I own several of the online adventures myself, but can't justify buying the hardbacks now... but if they were all half price, I would pretty much leap at the chance. And let's say 1000 other customers feel exactly like I do; I am sure WotC would rather convert those 1000 sales at a 50% markdown than convert 0 sales. Same for DDB, in fact even more so -- unlike a hardback book which isn't free to print, Software as a Service essentially is free once it's developed. It would be very much in their best interest to try to work out something like this. And honestly I'd be surprised if they hadn't already tried.
The ability to lock down the discount to be used only by the same customer is the only potential show-stopper I see. Unless one or both parties is really that stingy about discounting their product (I know DDB is not -- I see discounts all the time). Anyway. Food for thought.
Do you think there will ever be an option to get a free digital version after purchasing the hard copy? I love having the hard copy and the digital version, but the price of both together is a little steep for me!
Jaye
Unfortunately, even if they did bundle them together, you would probably have to pay the price of both. D&D Beyond, whoever sold the physical copy, and Wizards of the Coast each have to be compensated for the purchase.
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It's a common belief that D&D Beyond is owned by Wizards of the Coast, when they are not. D&D Beyond is simply a reseller of the product, no different than Roll20, Fantasy Grounds, Amazon, or your FLGS are. Cody from Taking20 put up a great video explaining it.
Now if Wizards brought DnD Beyond then it could happen, but revenue stream wise it would probably be a discounted version of the digital copy with a code included in the physical copy! But that's a hypothetical what if rather than reality unfortunately!
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Thanks for the info... wasn't sure about who owned what!
Jaye
I think they should do the same as Paizo does with Pathfinder, you get a credit against digital purchases for a verified purchases (for Paizo that means through Paizo's website). For D&D, they could do it through purchases made from WPN stores with the store registering the purchase. Basically Paizo makes it so you only pay them once. This still means you pay for digital content, but all you are paying each vendor for is the conversion work.
That's a great idea and a win-win for both companies.
Jaye
Paizo can do that because they distribute their own digital content. That is not the case here; WotC licenses their content to DDB, who then publish it through Beyond. Two different companies offering two different products.
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It's also worth noting that the D&D Beyond website is vastly different to a PDF in terms of additional functionality and tools.
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I feel like an even better business model would be a content subscription. I would gladly pay $15-20/month to have access to all sourcebooks and content, which is then revoked when the subscription lapses. You'd still have the option to purchase digital (or physical?) copies to own, possibly at a discount if you're subscribed. I'm sure there are ways to add some microtransactions in as well.
I highly doubt their license even allows that. and even if it did, it might not make financial sense - they'd have to pay a license to wizards, whether you stay for the 10-12 months required to break even. (by the way, only assuming books worth 150-200.00, as it grows it would get harder and harder to break even.... and as the video stays it would go against what other content resellers could do...
they'd have to contract to wizard that the license agreement would also be monthly and not an upfront free, and i doubt wizards would ever go for that.
But would a handsome BOGO discount be too difficult to negotiate across the two parties? As in, if I buy a hardback of Storm King's Thunder, I receive a 16 digit alphanumeric code that works as a one-time-use coupon on DND Beyond, only for my account, and only for the Storm King's Thunder adventure. And vice versa (e.g. I buy DDB adventure, I get 50% off the book).
From a consumer's perspective, I can honestly say that this would be a very effective cross-sell incentive. I own several of the online adventures myself, but can't justify buying the hardbacks now... but if they were all half price, I would pretty much leap at the chance. And let's say 1000 other customers feel exactly like I do; I am sure WotC would rather convert those 1000 sales at a 50% markdown than convert 0 sales. Same for DDB, in fact even more so -- unlike a hardback book which isn't free to print, Software as a Service essentially is free once it's developed. It would be very much in their best interest to try to work out something like this. And honestly I'd be surprised if they hadn't already tried.
The ability to lock down the discount to be used only by the same customer is the only potential show-stopper I see. Unless one or both parties is really that stingy about discounting their product (I know DDB is not -- I see discounts all the time). Anyway. Food for thought.
Yes, these ideas have been discussed and have not come to fruition as of this time.
Thank you for the suggestion.
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