Please stick with me. I know there are a lot of words here, but I think I have figured out whqat this all means for me, but also for a large segment of the dissenters during this time.
20 or so years ago, I was in rqadio broadcasting. It was a tumultuous time as terrestrial radio stations were staring down the barrel of digital media. The company I worked for was looking for ways to make inroads in to internet radio and other digital media. It wasn't so much that they were tired of broadcasting to people, it was that their audience was aging and young people were seeking new ways to listen to music. There were attempts to make online radio and streaming services, but they kept the same model of content. It is what they knew.. Making radio, well. Some companies succeeded, and some failed. New meddia arose and overtook a lot of it, but some managed to embrace podcasting and streaming in a way that grew their market share.
I believe this is what is happening at Wizards. It is clear to everyone that the future of gaming is online. Whether we like it or not, that is where the newer generations are going. Millennials are adopting the new ways fast, and for zoomers, if it ain't on a phone, it ain't a thing. Wizards is likely not trying to kill anything, but rather, racing to position themselves in to the new environment. With 3d spaces and AR and VR and the like, of course the ship is being steered right now by the digital division of Wizards. And that division is not evil and trying to destroy anything. They are trying to future proof Dungeons and Dragons.
Their brand is strong, despite the last few weeks. They want to keep it healthy in a changing world and get out in front of the 3d space. This is understandable. They are making a game, and an environment for that game that will appeal to the growing demographic, not the older shrinking one.
It isn't so much that they don't care about older players like me, or the people who love pen and paper. It is that we are growing smaller as time marches forward. I suspect that they are merely interested in us in so far as, what we will still pay for, and not messing with their image.
As time slogs forward, they do not want to be dragged down on twitter, or whatever platform replaces that in 5 years. I don't know about you, but my live journal page is pretty dorment and my facebook is pretty quiet. Wizards doesn't want us besmirching the brand and creating news cycles that will make it harder to sell their playing environment. I can respect that.
I believe the main crux here is that they didn't find a way to let us know that they weren't really coming after the past, so much as securing the future. I am sure there are also some legal ramifications of actually saying they want to squeeze the VTT market to gain maximum penetration. It is likely they can't flat out say that they're not focusing on the kind of content that people are afraid is going away.
I wish it was possible for them to flat out say, hey, we aren't coming for Gavin Norman and OSE. We aren't even trying to completely squeeze out Matt Colville and MCDM.
Oh sure, there are a few people they would like to have gone, but it isn't even them. I am convinced Wizards just want a clean supplement community, and a sanitized closed dighital environment.
The truth is, I am pretty sure OneDnD is not going to be for me, and that is ok. I can't keep up with that digital environment, and that is ok. I will be replaced by a younger model who can grow with the game for the next two decades, like I did for the last two.... errr three. This is not only the cyclic nature of gaming, but also of life.
What I want to hear is that, like with Nintendo and old school Mario, I can still get some older materials in to the future. If they still sell older mudules and supplements on drivethru, or wherever, Wizards will still get a few of my bucks. No matter what the future holds for the game, I want to be able to hold on to what I have, and grow it in a way I am still comfortable playing. If Wizards doesn't break faith with what we had together, I do not intend to break faith with them.
This whole mess was one of miscommunication. Can we fix that? I am admitting to what my fears and wants are. I hope they can find a way to do so as well.
Have a great game everyone!
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Please stick with me. I know there are a lot of words here, but I think I have figured out whqat this all means for me, but also for a large segment of the dissenters during this time.
20 or so years ago, I was in rqadio broadcasting. It was a tumultuous time as terrestrial radio stations were staring down the barrel of digital media. The company I worked for was looking for ways to make inroads in to internet radio and other digital media. It wasn't so much that they were tired of broadcasting to people, it was that their audience was aging and young people were seeking new ways to listen to music. There were attempts to make online radio and streaming services, but they kept the same model of content. It is what they knew.. Making radio, well. Some companies succeeded, and some failed. New meddia arose and overtook a lot of it, but some managed to embrace podcasting and streaming in a way that grew their market share.
I believe this is what is happening at Wizards. It is clear to everyone that the future of gaming is online. Whether we like it or not, that is where the newer generations are going. Millennials are adopting the new ways fast, and for zoomers, if it ain't on a phone, it ain't a thing. Wizards is likely not trying to kill anything, but rather, racing to position themselves in to the new environment. With 3d spaces and AR and VR and the like, of course the ship is being steered right now by the digital division of Wizards. And that division is not evil and trying to destroy anything. They are trying to future proof Dungeons and Dragons.
Their brand is strong, despite the last few weeks. They want to keep it healthy in a changing world and get out in front of the 3d space. This is understandable. They are making a game, and an environment for that game that will appeal to the growing demographic, not the older shrinking one.
It isn't so much that they don't care about older players like me, or the people who love pen and paper. It is that we are growing smaller as time marches forward. I suspect that they are merely interested in us in so far as, what we will still pay for, and not messing with their image.
As time slogs forward, they do not want to be dragged down on twitter, or whatever platform replaces that in 5 years. I don't know about you, but my live journal page is pretty dorment and my facebook is pretty quiet. Wizards doesn't want us besmirching the brand and creating news cycles that will make it harder to sell their playing environment. I can respect that.
I believe the main crux here is that they didn't find a way to let us know that they weren't really coming after the past, so much as securing the future. I am sure there are also some legal ramifications of actually saying they want to squeeze the VTT market to gain maximum penetration. It is likely they can't flat out say that they're not focusing on the kind of content that people are afraid is going away.
I wish it was possible for them to flat out say, hey, we aren't coming for Gavin Norman and OSE. We aren't even trying to completely squeeze out Matt Colville and MCDM.
Oh sure, there are a few people they would like to have gone, but it isn't even them. I am convinced Wizards just want a clean supplement community, and a sanitized closed dighital environment.
The truth is, I am pretty sure OneDnD is not going to be for me, and that is ok. I can't keep up with that digital environment, and that is ok. I will be replaced by a younger model who can grow with the game for the next two decades, like I did for the last two.... errr three. This is not only the cyclic nature of gaming, but also of life.
What I want to hear is that, like with Nintendo and old school Mario, I can still get some older materials in to the future. If they still sell older mudules and supplements on drivethru, or wherever, Wizards will still get a few of my bucks. No matter what the future holds for the game, I want to be able to hold on to what I have, and grow it in a way I am still comfortable playing. If Wizards doesn't break faith with what we had together, I do not intend to break faith with them.
This whole mess was one of miscommunication. Can we fix that? I am admitting to what my fears and wants are. I hope they can find a way to do so as well.
Have a great game everyone!