We can agree WotC needs to understand the Japanese market, but also we have to accept they also can have got their own prejudices. The Japanese otaku (I hope to be allowed to use this word) would rather Japanese franchises.
I have read something about a Japanese group hired by WotC to create a new setting (with a Western fantasy look).
The reason to sell a "cheaper" D&D corebook could be a new collab but with some Japanese franchise. This could be useful for the Japanese company to promote its IP in the international market. One of my plans for the next April's fool was to tell a Dandadan+D&D crossover where the character Rin Sawaki wants to be a Dungeon Master to learn to tell vampires stories, and of course there is some surprise style Jumanji.
Other suggestion is to create something like DMGuild but for webcomics and light novels style "Shōsetsuka ni Narō". Here the risk is authors adding potentially awkward elements like the main character with a harem or the goblin slayer killing underage minions, or prisoners after be interrogated. (Seriously, some times I suspect some writters may be psycopaths in the real life).
Hasbro doesn't need to seel more D&D books in Japan but D&D products.
Other idea is a D&D setting with a mash-up (and maybe nerferd) version of characters from Capcom, Shonen Jump magazine or other company.
* Some time in the past I imagined the mangaka Junji Ito to be hired by WotC to create a new dread domain for Ravenloft. Other time I wonder about a mash-up version of Anpanman (a superhero show for children) within a domain of delight in Witchlight setting.
You're not going to get pocket sized books for the core rules. They won't fit without making the text too small.
You could get slightly cheaper paperbacks than hardbacks...but I daresay the profit margin would be smaller. They'll be a couple of bucks cheaper to make, but the customer would be willing to pay much less. Maybe they'd make it back on volume...but maybe not.
We already have something that is substantially cheaper than hardback (and probably the paperback) and smaller too - DDB.
In terms of "portable & cheap", I don't think D&D could even compete for that niche. Its setup is based on a large volume of content. For example, it has a steep progression, necessitating a massive library of monster Statblocks so characters at every level have a meaningful but not insurmountable challenge (compare to TOR or STA where progression is much flatter and so adversaries are a challenge throughout the character's lifetime, meaning that every new Statblock can be unique and will always be valid). Another example is it's approach to rules, where many situations have their own rules that need to be written out to explain them (compare to STA that has essentially one mechanic that resolves almost every situation).
D&D's approach has its own advantages, and switching to "compact" as a design philosophy would mean leaving its niche, in which it's dominant, to compete in other niches that already have strong players in them. I'd like D&D to be cheaper, but I think it would lose what makes it a valid choice among TTRPGs to make it that much cheaper.
When Warhammer would have a starter set (usually a box with 2 armies, 1200 points each, with the lion's share of the points being a center piece model like a hero or monster) they would include a much smaller rule book than what other players would normally buy. In this case its very stripped down: No pictures or outside lore, just the rules. It might work, BUTTTTTT the visuals often help especially for those who have a disability of some sort or are younger.
I also wonder how small the books were. Going off my experience with TT Strategy Games Kings of War have fairly small rule books, but they are fairly young for a game. Where as old man Warhammer (40k or fantasy) has been around for a long time so has more rules to deal with.
How close or off bases are my theories?
The PHB could be compressed. There is a fair amount of art in there and white space (in the sense that there isn't text). One of the major flaws in the plan though is that the physical product doesn't cost all that much out of the price you pay. You're paying for things like writers (many of them), playtesting, translation, storage (because you need availability or it kills the sales) etc etc. that's why I can pay £8 for a paperback and £15 for a hardback...but TRRPG rulebooks are now almost invariably £30-£50 for big systems like D&D, usually towards the latter end. They're expensive
If 5e were to aim for the $10 mark, the cost of a mass paperback here in the UK...it would most likely be making a loss on each one. You're also on point with respect to rules. D&D has tons of them. It generally has the attitude of publishing how to resolve most situations (compare to STA which has 90% of situations resolved with one mechanic that's explained in a page or two that just has different names). That's going to cause issues. To change that so they can get them to fit...would change the very nature of the game.
WotC could do this, but it wouldn't be with D&D. It would be with a system designed to be pocketbook sized.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
Stepping in a li'l here folk because we seem to be circling a bit and becoming a bit combative.
While I know the original topic of the thread was 'What can WotC learn from Sword World's success?' It might be helpful to think more about what the goal of the conversation is and what you as players can take from this, or just sharing observations, speculations and anecdotes on where D&D struggles where other TTRPGs don't. Speculating on what a big company like WotC should do or not do doesn't seem like it's going to be as helpful for folk, especially if it's going to come down to debating making money and going 'It will', 'It won't' or then applying moral judgement onto those monetary values.
There is a lot of interesting history and anecdotes that can be brought up here that should be fun to share, and not turn into an argument somehow. D&D's history in Japan like AD&D and Basics foray into Japan, Lodross War, 3.5, 4e and 5e's respective success, Torchpoint, Hobby Japan, so on, replays and streams, D&D's Legacy in Japanese media, what Sword World did differently and all the other interesting facts brought up.
You're missing the point; if over the span of this other system's 30+ year life it's sold 10 million copies all together, that comes out to to about 333K a year. For some context, Tasha's sold 133K in its first week. Granted, that is over a much wider market, but still; WotC following their formula that they market globally sold about one third of this system's yearly sales across all their products in one of WotC's product's first week of release. Given that, why should they expect that instead of continuing the process they've got a firm handle on for products they can sell globally, it will be more profitable to divert time and resources to custom build a product for a particular market that the trends show is far, far smaller than what they can sell their established products to? Particularly when they would be fighting an uphill battle to convince people who've already invested in one system to turn around and invest again in another.
Could they turn a profit in Japan following this model? Sure, probably, they could have the clout to push it through. Would they make more profit relative to their time and money investment than they could on another book they can sell to their entire playerbase? Probably not. Ergo, the opportunity cost is greater than the returns, making it a bad move for a business. They physical production costs aren't the major factor, it's the dev time to create a whole new book that most of their customers won't buy.
How much Tasha's sold worldwide in its first week is irrelevant.
The 2014 PHB sold as few as 10,000 copies in Japan over the course of ten years.
Do you not believe Wizards could make the game more popular here? Why so defeatist?
What might it take to do that?
Maybe pay attention to what games that are relatively successful here are doing? Because that is what people here are saying they should do. Maybe not assume control of localized versions but trust a domestic publisher To Get It Right?
That's what Chaosium do. And their game is the highest selling TRPG in Japan.
So why would it not work for D&D?
You keep talking about costs and returns.
They sold on average 1,000 copies a year of the Japanese translation of the 2014 PHB. The Japanese translation of the red box sold 100,000 in its first year.
Using the logic used by those who believe it's just not a good investment to do what has worked for Chaosium as well as for domestic TRPGs Wizards wouldn't even bother having foreign language editions. As those do not sell anywhere near as well as their English equivalents. They make very little on them in the grand scheme of things. [Redacted]
Stepping in a li'l here folk because we seem to be circling a bit and becoming a bit combative.
While I know the original topic of the thread was 'What can WotC learn from Sword World's success?' It might be helpful to think more about what the goal of the conversation is and what you as players can take from this, or just sharing observations, speculations and anecdotes on where D&D struggles where other TTRPGs don't. Speculating on what a big company like WotC should do or not do doesn't seem like it's going to be as helpful for folk, especially if it's going to come down to debating making money and going 'It will', 'It won't' or then applying moral judgement onto those monetary values.
There is a lot of interesting history and anecdotes that can be brought up here that should be fun to share, and not turn into an argument somehow. D&D's history in Japan like AD&D and Basics foray into Japan, Lodross War, 3.5, 4e and 5e's respective success, Torchpoint, Hobby Japan, so on, replays and streams, D&D's Legacy in Japanese media, what Sword World did differently and all the other interesting facts brought up.
The development and history of the hobby here is interesting isn't it?
Reading interviews with Ryo Mizuno—author of both the Sword World RPG and Record of Lodoss War who DM-ed the campaign that would become those 'replays' and in turn those novels and the anime series and more—one can see the hobby isn't all that different here in Japan.
It resonates when he talks of how he first came to the hobby. And he speaks of it with all the enthusiasm one expects from anyone who loves D&D and other TRPGs.
Again, if the return is not high enough to justify the investment, companies won't take the risk.
One will not know the return without one's taking the risk.
Think about those numbers. 500,000 copies. The Sword World RPG rulebook. Just the rulebook. A book only available in the Japanese language. Its use limited to Japanese readers.
How many copies of the 2024 PHB do you reckon will sell worldwide?
Worldwide.
Quite a lot. More than 500,000. Right?
How many in any given single market?
BookScan suggests only about 1.5 million copies of the 2014 PHB have been sold. Now that's only three times those numbers I just gave you. The actual figure would be higher than that. But so many to be comparable to half a million copies for any given singlemarket?
In the US. Sure. In other English speaking countries? Not likely. How about their foreign language editions? Definitely not. The last of these are lucky to be selling tens of thousands of copies. Whatever the language.
When you look at it this way D&D isn't doing that hot. And not just in Japan.
I believe it could do very well in Japan.
So do a number of Japanese players and Japanese industry players who have authored articles about this very thing.
I am only saying what they are saying: to perform well here it would have to do what has helped other games perform well in Japan. Be cheaper and lighter. What's with all the resistance? Is this really about what Wizards of the Coast can or can't afford to 'risk' or about you?
You can know the return without taking the risk. In the business world this is referred to as “forecasting” and is a very common practice. They even have ways via survey, test audiences, soft launches, and other various testing procedures to get tangible data as well for forecasting.
You don’t force into a market that’s not ready for you.
You can know the return without taking the risk. In the business world this is referred to as “forecasting” and is a very common practice. They even have ways via survey, test audiences, soft launches, and other various testing procedures to get tangible data as well for forecasting.
You don’t force into a market that’s not ready for you.
I know what is meant by 'forecasting' in the context of business.
Have Wizards conducted surveys here in Japan to determine whether or not what some in Japan are proposing would work?
I wouldn't know.
I'm not sure anyone in this thread could state with confidence that they have.
We could go round and round posting nothing more than conjecture ...
Or we could take the advice of the moderator and talk about what should be more interesting. What we do know.
We know D&D is underperforming in Japan compared to how it once performed here. We know the hobby in general is alive and well here. We know domestic TRPGs are many and varied and that they do reasonably well. And when you consider these are only being played by those who read Japanese their numbers however lower they may be to D&D's overall global sales are impressive. We know Call of Cthulhu is the bestselling TRPG in Japan. We know Chaosium permit Kadokawa to produce the localized version of their game. We know among the changes made it is not two colossal and colossally expensive hardcovers but one somewhat less expensive tankabon hardcover ... or cheaper and lighter paperback if preferred. We know one of the reasons given for Sword World's dominance here and the eventual bankruptcy of the local publisher of the Japanese edition of 2nd. Edition AD&D is that the former was published as a cheap and light bunkobon while the latter remained identical to its English counterpart but for the language.
I don't get why the idea that Wizards might find more success in Japan if they produced localized versions that met the wants and needs of players here is so threatening for some.
I imagine there would even be players who don't read a word of Japanese who would love to buy those books. As curiosity pieces. Particularly if the cover art was done by someone like Yoshitaka Amano of Final Fantasy fame.
Do you notice how no one has answered the second part of my original post?
About 'replays' and whether or not there might be an audience for such things in North America?
It's funny how no one seems to find the discussion to be had there interesting enough to have commented on it.
People have instead focused on the bit about making and selling paperbacks for the Japanese market. Because it's easier to get into arguments that are going to go nowhere.
In among you attacking various people for not caring or not doing hours of homework in order to argue with you you’ve failed to answer a couple of questions that have been asked of you.
Chief among these is why WotC should care about Japan? Why should they change their entire business model and enter into a market that’s already got stiff competition in order to sell at most 10 million units? In fact not even that because that’s how many the market leader sold in decades and WotC aren’t the market leader and don’t have decades. That’s an awful lot of money spent in order to make about as much money as they would make just releasing one extra book a year in the markets that they do already dominate
Secondly why would the Japanese market even switch to D&D if WotC did go to all the effort and expense of trying to break into the market? They sound pretty happy with the products they’ve got so why switch to a different one that they’ve historically ignored?
As EightPackKilla points out there is such a thing as market research and forecasting and I’d be very surprised if that hadn’t already been done and WotC have already decided that the expense of entering the Japanese market in the way you suggest, which I stress again requires them to change their entire business model at great expense on a hope of competing with more established products, and decided it’s not worth it.
Wizards do care about Japan. Otherwise they wouldn't publish a Japanese translation of the game.
Japanese players haven't 'historically ignored' D&D. It did very well in Japan in the '80s in particular.
Chaosium have achieved what you believe impossible. They license Call of Cthulhu to a domestic publisher who have produced a local version of the game that is cheaper and lighter. It is the highest selling TRPG in Japan. Outselling even Japanese games.
What are your thoughts on 'replays' and whether or nor there might be a market for these in the North America?
If Wizards of the Coast followed Chaosium's example and D&D books in Japanese were different—their covers and perhaps even interiors bore artwork by Japanese artists for example—would you buy them?
I would. I bet many players who are also fans of manga/anime or of just Japan would buy them.
Many are the threads on Reddit from English-speaking players saying they are visiting Japan and want to know where to buy Japanese TRPGs even though they don't read a word of Japanese.
If Wizards of the Coast followed Chaosium's example and D&D books in Japanese were different—their covers and perhaps even interiors bore artwork by Japanese artists for example—would you buy them?
I would. I bet many players who are also fans of manga/anime or of just Japan would buy them.
Many are the threads on Reddit from English-speaking players saying they are visiting Japan and want to know where to buy Japanese TRPGs even though they don't read a word of Japanese.
Sometimes it pays to be patient- for example, I am old enough to remember, that prior to Critical Role’s massive success, D&D was still widely ignored comparatively to now.
Wven further, prior to the lockdown from COVID-19, D&D and D&D post Covid numbers again drastically different.
theres no reason for wizards to waste money and force the market, when they can continue to grow and expand on an already working business model, while letting the market come to them, as they keep it relevant, talked about, whispered about, and etc.
You can know the return without taking the risk. In the business world this is referred to as “forecasting” and is a very common practice. They even have ways via survey, test audiences, soft launches, and other various testing procedures to get tangible data as well for forecasting.
You don’t force into a market that’s not ready for you.
I know what is meant by 'forecasting' in the context of business.
Have Wizards conducted surveys here in Japan to determine whether or not what some in Japan are proposing would work?
I wouldn't know.
I'm not sure anyone in this thread could state with confidence that they have.
We could go round and round posting nothing more than conjecture ...
Or we could take the advice of the moderator and talk about what should be more interesting. What we do know.
We know D&D is underperforming in Japan compared to how it once performed here. We know the hobby in general is alive and well here. We know domestic TRPGs are many and varied and that they do reasonably well. And when you consider these are only being played by those who read Japanese their numbers however lower they may be to D&D's overall global sales are impressive. We know Call of Cthulhu is the bestselling TRPG in Japan. We know Chaosium permit Kadokawa to produce the localized version of their game. We know among the changes made it is not two colossal and colossally expensive hardcovers but one somewhat less expensive tankabon hardcover ... or cheaper and lighter paperback if preferred. We know one of the reasons given for Sword World's dominance here and the eventual bankruptcy of the local publisher of the Japanese edition of 2nd. Edition AD&D is that the former was published as a cheap and light bunkobon while the latter remained identical to its English counterpart but for the language.
I don't get why the idea that Wizards might find more success in Japan if they produced localized versions that met the wants and needs of players here is so threatening for some.
I imagine there would even be players who don't read a word of Japanese who would love to buy those books. As curiosity pieces. Particularly if the cover art was done by someone like Yoshitaka Amano of Final Fantasy fame.
Do you notice how no one has answered the second part of my original post?
About 'replays' and whether or not there might be an audience for such things in North America?
It's funny how no one seems to find the discussion to be had there interesting enough to have commented on it.
People have instead focused on the bit about making and selling paperbacks for the Japanese market. Because it's easier to get into arguments that are going to go nowhere.
How hard could it be to answer a question when that question is as simple as whether or not you believe there would be interest in published 'replays' in English?
Any one of you could have simply answered with whether or not you would buy such things.
How about the other question I have just asked?
If Wizards of the Coast followed Chaosium's example and D&D books in Japanese were different—their covers and perhaps even interiors bore artwork by Japanese artists for example—would you buy them?
Imagine an edition of D&D with artwork by someone like Amano of Final Fantasy fame. Many who love anime and manga as well as D&D would buy these. Even if they didn't read Japanese.
Yes? No?
And people are not answering what they have 'answers' to. People are posting conjecture.
In the post you quoted I pointed out how it would be better to focus on what we know:
We know D&D is underperforming in Japan compared to how it once performed here. We know the hobby in general is alive and well here. We know domestic TRPGs are many and varied and that they do reasonably well. And when you consider these are only being played by those who read Japanese their numbers however lower they may be to D&D's overall global sales are impressive. We know Call of Cthulhu is the bestselling TRPG in Japan. We know Chaosium permit Kadokawa to produce the localized version of their game. We know among the changes made it is not two colossal and colossally expensive hardcovers but one somewhat less expensive tankabon hardcover ... or cheaper and lighter paperback if preferred. We know one of the reasons given for Sword World's dominance here and the eventual bankruptcy of the local publisher of the Japanese edition of 2nd. Edition AD&D is that the former was published as a cheap and light bunkobon while the latter remained identical to its English counterpart but for the language.
Why is it when someone has pointed out how players in Japan suggest the game might see more success were it to do what local publishers are doing you just want to run to conjecture and say it won't work or it's just not worth it? Because you find it more 'rewarding' to argue than to discuss what could be an interesting subject?
ForestofNoReturn, you are asking the wrong people. If you want to know how to make D&D more popular in Japan, you have to ask people in Japan. The vast majority of people in these forums would have no idea.
We can agree WotC needs to understand the Japanese market, but also we have to accept they also can have got their own prejudices. The Japanese otaku (I hope to be allowed to use this word) would rather Japanese franchises.
I have read something about a Japanese group hired by WotC to create a new setting (with a Western fantasy look).
The reason to sell a "cheaper" D&D corebook could be a new collab but with some Japanese franchise. This could be useful for the Japanese company to promote its IP in the international market. One of my plans for the next April's fool was to tell a Dandadan+D&D crossover where the character Rin Sawaki wants to be a Dungeon Master to learn to tell vampires stories, and of course there is some surprise style Jumanji.
Other suggestion is to create something like DMGuild but for webcomics and light novels style "Shōsetsuka ni Narō". Here the risk is authors adding potentially awkward elements like the main character with a harem or the goblin slayer killing underage minions, or prisoners after be interrogated. (Seriously, some times I suspect some writters may be psycopaths in the real life).
Hasbro doesn't need to seel more D&D books in Japan but D&D products.
Other idea is a D&D setting with a mash-up (and maybe nerferd) version of characters from Capcom, Shonen Jump magazine or other company.
* Some time in the past I imagined the mangaka Junji Ito to be hired by WotC to create a new dread domain for Ravenloft. Other time I wonder about a mash-up version of Anpanman (a superhero show for children) within a domain of delight in Witchlight setting.
The PHB could be compressed. There is a fair amount of art in there and white space (in the sense that there isn't text). One of the major flaws in the plan though is that the physical product doesn't cost all that much out of the price you pay. You're paying for things like writers (many of them), playtesting, translation, storage (because you need availability or it kills the sales) etc etc. that's why I can pay £8 for a paperback and £15 for a hardback...but TRRPG rulebooks are now almost invariably £30-£50 for big systems like D&D, usually towards the latter end. They're expensive
If 5e were to aim for the $10 mark, the cost of a mass paperback here in the UK...it would most likely be making a loss on each one. You're also on point with respect to rules. D&D has tons of them. It generally has the attitude of publishing how to resolve most situations (compare to STA which has 90% of situations resolved with one mechanic that's explained in a page or two that just has different names). That's going to cause issues. To change that so they can get them to fit...would change the very nature of the game.
WotC could do this, but it wouldn't be with D&D. It would be with a system designed to be pocketbook sized.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
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ModeratorStepping in a li'l here folk because we seem to be circling a bit and becoming a bit combative.
While I know the original topic of the thread was 'What can WotC learn from Sword World's success?' It might be helpful to think more about what the goal of the conversation is and what you as players can take from this, or just sharing observations, speculations and anecdotes on where D&D struggles where other TTRPGs don't. Speculating on what a big company like WotC should do or not do doesn't seem like it's going to be as helpful for folk, especially if it's going to come down to debating making money and going 'It will', 'It won't' or then applying moral judgement onto those monetary values.
There is a lot of interesting history and anecdotes that can be brought up here that should be fun to share, and not turn into an argument somehow. D&D's history in Japan like AD&D and Basics foray into Japan, Lodross War, 3.5, 4e and 5e's respective success, Torchpoint, Hobby Japan, so on, replays and streams, D&D's Legacy in Japanese media, what Sword World did differently and all the other interesting facts brought up.
D&D Beyond ToS || D&D Beyond Support
How much Tasha's sold worldwide in its first week is irrelevant.
The 2014 PHB sold as few as 10,000 copies in Japan over the course of ten years.
Do you not believe Wizards could make the game more popular here? Why so defeatist?
What might it take to do that?
Maybe pay attention to what games that are relatively successful here are doing? Because that is what people here are saying they should do. Maybe not assume control of localized versions but trust a domestic publisher To Get It Right?
That's what Chaosium do. And their game is the highest selling TRPG in Japan.
So why would it not work for D&D?
You keep talking about costs and returns.
They sold on average 1,000 copies a year of the Japanese translation of the 2014 PHB. The Japanese translation of the red box sold 100,000 in its first year.
Using the logic used by those who believe it's just not a good investment to do what has worked for Chaosium as well as for domestic TRPGs Wizards wouldn't even bother having foreign language editions. As those do not sell anywhere near as well as their English equivalents. They make very little on them in the grand scheme of things. [Redacted]
The development and history of the hobby here is interesting isn't it?
Reading interviews with Ryo Mizuno—author of both the Sword World RPG and Record of Lodoss War who DM-ed the campaign that would become those 'replays' and in turn those novels and the anime series and more—one can see the hobby isn't all that different here in Japan.
It resonates when he talks of how he first came to the hobby. And he speaks of it with all the enthusiasm one expects from anyone who loves D&D and other TRPGs.
You can know the return without taking the risk. In the business world this is referred to as “forecasting” and is a very common practice. They even have ways via survey, test audiences, soft launches, and other various testing procedures to get tangible data as well for forecasting.
You don’t force into a market that’s not ready for you.
Blank
I know what is meant by 'forecasting' in the context of business.
Have Wizards conducted surveys here in Japan to determine whether or not what some in Japan are proposing would work?
I wouldn't know.
I'm not sure anyone in this thread could state with confidence that they have.
We could go round and round posting nothing more than conjecture ...
Or we could take the advice of the moderator and talk about what should be more interesting. What we do know.
We know D&D is underperforming in Japan compared to how it once performed here. We know the hobby in general is alive and well here. We know domestic TRPGs are many and varied and that they do reasonably well. And when you consider these are only being played by those who read Japanese their numbers however lower they may be to D&D's overall global sales are impressive. We know Call of Cthulhu is the bestselling TRPG in Japan. We know Chaosium permit Kadokawa to produce the localized version of their game. We know among the changes made it is not two colossal and colossally expensive hardcovers but one somewhat less expensive tankabon hardcover ... or cheaper and lighter paperback if preferred. We know one of the reasons given for Sword World's dominance here and the eventual bankruptcy of the local publisher of the Japanese edition of 2nd. Edition AD&D is that the former was published as a cheap and light bunkobon while the latter remained identical to its English counterpart but for the language.
I don't get why the idea that Wizards might find more success in Japan if they produced localized versions that met the wants and needs of players here is so threatening for some.
I imagine there would even be players who don't read a word of Japanese who would love to buy those books. As curiosity pieces. Particularly if the cover art was done by someone like Yoshitaka Amano of Final Fantasy fame.
Do you notice how no one has answered the second part of my original post?
About 'replays' and whether or not there might be an audience for such things in North America?
It's funny how no one seems to find the discussion to be had there interesting enough to have commented on it.
People have instead focused on the bit about making and selling paperbacks for the Japanese market. Because it's easier to get into arguments that are going to go nowhere.
Wizards do care about Japan. Otherwise they wouldn't publish a Japanese translation of the game.
Japanese players haven't 'historically ignored' D&D. It did very well in Japan in the '80s in particular.
Chaosium have achieved what you believe impossible. They license Call of Cthulhu to a domestic publisher who have produced a local version of the game that is cheaper and lighter. It is the highest selling TRPG in Japan. Outselling even Japanese games.
What are your thoughts on 'replays' and whether or nor there might be a market for these in the North America?
QUESTION:
If Wizards of the Coast followed Chaosium's example and D&D books in Japanese were different—their covers and perhaps even interiors bore artwork by Japanese artists for example—would you buy them?
I would. I bet many players who are also fans of manga/anime or of just Japan would buy them.
Many are the threads on Reddit from English-speaking players saying they are visiting Japan and want to know where to buy Japanese TRPGs even though they don't read a word of Japanese.
Sometimes it pays to be patient- for example, I am old enough to remember, that prior to Critical Role’s massive success, D&D was still widely ignored comparatively to now.
Wven further, prior to the lockdown from COVID-19, D&D and D&D post Covid numbers again drastically different.
theres no reason for wizards to waste money and force the market, when they can continue to grow and expand on an already working business model, while letting the market come to them, as they keep it relevant, talked about, whispered about, and etc.
Blank
People only answer what they have answers to.
How hard could it be to answer a question when that question is as simple as whether or not you believe there would be interest in published 'replays' in English?
Any one of you could have simply answered with whether or not you would buy such things.
How about the other question I have just asked?
If Wizards of the Coast followed Chaosium's example and D&D books in Japanese were different—their covers and perhaps even interiors bore artwork by Japanese artists for example—would you buy them?
Imagine an edition of D&D with artwork by someone like Amano of Final Fantasy fame. Many who love anime and manga as well as D&D would buy these. Even if they didn't read Japanese.
Yes? No?
And people are not answering what they have 'answers' to. People are posting conjecture.
In the post you quoted I pointed out how it would be better to focus on what we know:
We know D&D is underperforming in Japan compared to how it once performed here. We know the hobby in general is alive and well here. We know domestic TRPGs are many and varied and that they do reasonably well. And when you consider these are only being played by those who read Japanese their numbers however lower they may be to D&D's overall global sales are impressive. We know Call of Cthulhu is the bestselling TRPG in Japan. We know Chaosium permit Kadokawa to produce the localized version of their game. We know among the changes made it is not two colossal and colossally expensive hardcovers but one somewhat less expensive tankabon hardcover ... or cheaper and lighter paperback if preferred. We know one of the reasons given for Sword World's dominance here and the eventual bankruptcy of the local publisher of the Japanese edition of 2nd. Edition AD&D is that the former was published as a cheap and light bunkobon while the latter remained identical to its English counterpart but for the language.
Why is it when someone has pointed out how players in Japan suggest the game might see more success were it to do what local publishers are doing you just want to run to conjecture and say it won't work or it's just not worth it? Because you find it more 'rewarding' to argue than to discuss what could be an interesting subject?
ForestofNoReturn, you are asking the wrong people. If you want to know how to make D&D more popular in Japan, you have to ask people in Japan. The vast majority of people in these forums would have no idea.
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ModeratorLocking this thread as it doesn't seem like it's going to be able to move onto being constructive and has immediately returned to being combative.
There has been some interesting anecdotes and history brought up by folk that I hope inspires people to go do their own research into this topic.
D&D Beyond ToS || D&D Beyond Support