The Dungeons & Dragons DISASTER Just Got Worse

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  • Опубліковано 2 жов 2024
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 509

  • @Themohr
    @Themohr 10 місяців тому +329

    I totally get that everything in Baulder's Gate 3 belongs to WoTC, but to give them ANY credit for the earnings which belong rightly to Larian Studios, is laughable.

    • @MrFinnyous
      @MrFinnyous 10 місяців тому +4

      They worked on it with them and it uses their system entirely

    • @Themohr
      @Themohr 10 місяців тому +40

      @@MrFinnyous as the OGL scandal laid bear, the claims of "the system" being intellectual property are spurious at best. The protectable IP is the name of the mechanic, not the maths which power the mechanic. In other words, the "system" is completely part of the licensing of the product and not the result of work done.
      I'll concede that there may be some contributions from people at WoTC - though I can't find those, and the way Larian execs talk about it, it seems like a straight up licensing agreement. Now, WoTC definitely deserves a cut (and I'm sure they're getting theirs) because they own the brand and brand recognition is a big part of the game's initial success when launched on PC. But it's the quality of the product which has earned such praise and why it's a stand out success. That credit goes to the teams at Larian, not WoTC. So while yes, money needs to go back to WoTC, credit belongs to Larian.

    • @MrFinnyous
      @MrFinnyous 10 місяців тому +4

      ​@@Themohr Not everything is related to the OGL scandal and Larian has said that they worked with WOTC on the game. You can find all kinds of videos with Jeremy Crawford talking about all the consulting he did with them for the game.
      Also, the OGL being open license has nothing to do with whether or not they deserve credit for 5e and their system obviously. The idea (and the whole thing people wanted) was for them to agree to share their system with other's for free. Not that they shouldn't take credit for it.
      "credit" belongs with both for whatever contributions they made.

    • @khyron96
      @khyron96 10 місяців тому +8

      And lets be real. Nearly everything was stolen directly from Tolkein in the beginning.

    • @whiterabbit75
      @whiterabbit75 10 місяців тому +6

      Don't forget Ed Greenwood who created the setting.

  • @HeyApples
    @HeyApples 10 місяців тому +475

    The irony is that all the tenets which made BG3 successful are polar opposite to tenets which Hasbro corporate has been leaning on for the past 5 years. They want that BG3 money but aren't willing to do the things necessary to make it happen. BG3 focused on patience and quality... Hasbro wants to eject whatever sludge will make their next quarterly number. BG3 is going back to polish and optimize their product. Hasbro tech is notoriously unpolished and buggy. You might as well ask a fish to turn into a bird before Hasbro could replicate an inch of Larian's success.

    • @TheAsarath
      @TheAsarath 10 місяців тому +5

      There have been some good books too, the Planescape Books were nice to see for example. Ultimately I think its important to remember that while Hasbro/Corporate have had a pretty negative impact the brand still has some very dedicated creators working for them, it just sucks that they have to work against their company instead of being able to work with them.

    • @judgedredd2039
      @judgedredd2039 10 місяців тому +16

      I worry is if they try to do a BG4 it will not be with Larian and it will be a rushed hot mess and if they do go with Larian they will try and put the screw to them to get it out as quick as possible.

    • @andrewlustfield6079
      @andrewlustfield6079 10 місяців тому +14

      Here's the thing--5e players are just beginning to realize what WOTC has been up to for a while---My take is, like it or not, that tabletop and virtual tabletop 5e outside WOTC's waled garden will become it's own version of OSR gaming while WOTC prusues it's digital walled garden. You'll still have third party producers and new content---it just won't be from official D&D. There will be what Ben Milton from Questing Beast calls a 5e folk tradition of D&D that emerges from the shift to the walled garden and 6e. I think this is the best possible thing for 5e players in all honesty.

    • @cernunnos_lives
      @cernunnos_lives 10 місяців тому +10

      If the leadership were as passionate as Larians & put quality ahead, they might get fans to support them.
      They need to get rid of who they have. It's not working for the company. I don't buy anything from them. And won't ever support them.

    • @garpinlithor1673
      @garpinlithor1673 10 місяців тому

      Here, here!

  • @amayasasaki2848
    @amayasasaki2848 10 місяців тому +180

    Who doesn't want a Frodo skin? Me. Who doesn't want to wield Anduril? Me. I'm not playing in Middle Earth. I don't want those. Even if I was playing in Middle Earth, I'm not playing Frodo. Frodo's tale is written. I want to write my own tale.

    • @dungeonsanddiscourse
      @dungeonsanddiscourse  10 місяців тому +49

      I would gladly wield Anduril, flame of the west forged from the shards of narsil, but only in real life

    • @LuckyNumber777
      @LuckyNumber777 10 місяців тому +7

      @amayasasaki2848 Completely agree. I personally don't understand forgoing being original for cosplaying my mini based on an established character.

    • @davidb7406
      @davidb7406 10 місяців тому +6

      Well yes, cause you're a member of the TTRPG community. Those sorts of ideas are, unfortunately, the only thing that can fit in the smooth koala-brain of a high-raking corporate officials, whose total lack of of understanding of the community they're trying to squeezed money out of is inversely proportional to the amount of contempt they hold for the aforementioned group. The fact that they we might be in the middle of a Lorraine Williams 2.0 situation just seems like the buildup to an extremely depressing invocation of the "I'd have two nickels" meme.

    • @MarceldeJong
      @MarceldeJong 10 місяців тому +5

      ⁠In real life Sting would light up in the vicinity of the Hasbro c-suit

    • @thorinteague989
      @thorinteague989 10 місяців тому

      Yes, well stated.

  • @Sturmjaeger
    @Sturmjaeger 10 місяців тому +269

    The possibility of WOTC turning D&D into Fortnite is honestly terrifying.

    • @azrealle9474
      @azrealle9474 10 місяців тому +15

      They can't force you to play their way.

    • @BlitzkriegBryce
      @BlitzkriegBryce 10 місяців тому +17

      ​@@azrealle9474 exactly, not scary at all. I've been boycotting WotC for a decade now and it has had no affect on me or how I play D&D.

    • @azrealle9474
      @azrealle9474 10 місяців тому +6

      @@BlitzkriegBryce Love to see it!

    • @doibantikov2486
      @doibantikov2486 10 місяців тому +17

      Let them try. We literally do not need them. We can play D&D with rocks and candlelight. Drop the company, embrace the hobby.

    • @ceinwenchandler4716
      @ceinwenchandler4716 10 місяців тому +6

      I'm still using the Fourth Edition rulebooks as they were when they were first published.

  • @chipchipperson7304
    @chipchipperson7304 10 місяців тому +134

    I think it's important to note a few extra things you missed or didn't touch on. Firstly Hasbro notably didn't have faith in BG3 (various sources have come out to speak on this) and didn't see it as anything more than another junk game they'd commissioned (see: Forgotten Realms: Dark Alliance failure). Secondly, Hasbro speaking about the "multi-media future" doesn't factor in tv/film as part of that, seeing how they recently closed their film studio, dismissed the success of their recent summer blockbuster as "A fun experiment", and actively rejected Joe Mangianello's filmed pilot for a D&D television series. They have no interest in anything other than online/digital/micro-transactions.

    • @InvaderZed
      @InvaderZed 10 місяців тому +20

      As far as I know WotC just approved the lisence got its percentage and fucked off.
      The best kind of producer.

    • @rockjianrock
      @rockjianrock 10 місяців тому +10

      Hasbro becoming a Konami real fast

    • @conspiracypanda1200
      @conspiracypanda1200 10 місяців тому +6

      ​@@rockjianrockThe idea of D&D being twisted into some mirror of Silent Hill Ascension just made me nauseous. Ew! Disgusting! Ack!

    • @akimbofurry2179
      @akimbofurry2179 10 місяців тому

      @@conspiracypanda1200 been dead cents 4e, long live 3e

    • @rayzerot
      @rayzerot 10 місяців тому

      ​@@akimbofurry2179Ok boomer

  • @DashunicornII
    @DashunicornII 10 місяців тому +241

    What irks me so much is what Hasbro got out of this. Instead of understanding that BG3 was a massive success due to it being a quality product created with time and care, they instead got that "clearly people want more digital DnD content". Like JFC when will these corporations learn that almost any product made with time and care will be more profitable than pumping out random garbage that vaguely imitates a previous successful product.

    • @lyianx
      @lyianx 10 місяців тому +38

      "Although most corporate executives would vehemently deny this, they almost always do these things in practice: choose style over substance, prefer fame to talent, seek profit rather than value, and desire short-term gain instead of long-term cultural impact. In other words, they’re nice to the golden egg rather than the goose that laid it."

    • @johnevans5782
      @johnevans5782 10 місяців тому +2

      Think for a second. TIME is the PROBLEM. Look at how other video game companies have been upset by Baldur's Gate. Fans have said things in the vein of "This is what we should demand from all video games." However, other companies have made it clear that if smaller companies had even attempted to do what Larian did (With Hasbro money), they would have gone out of business.
      Let's be honest, fans are consumers, and consumers want what they want, and they do not care whether companies go out of business in the process.
      Now consider how likely it would be that Larian could have made BG3 if they had had to do it on their own. They would have had to survive for 6 years without making any profit, save for sales of their previous video games.
      WoTC would be in the same boat. They make games... and that means the old adage (not created by them) of "Print or die". Basically, if they want to keep the lights on, they have to put out new books on a regular basis. Thus, even if their quality was raised much, much higher, and fans would be incredibly happy with the quality of books if they spent an entire year to make sure each new book was fantastic, doing so would be an unsustainable business model that would put them out of business.
      Now Fans wouldn't care. They get what they want, The company goes out of business, and they move on... but any smart business is NOT going to do that. They have to put out what they can, as fast as they can, so that they keep money coming in. They don't have the option to make every product some kind of "labor of love" of "For the fans", because that way lies a "Going out of business" sign in the window.

    • @tuomasronnberg5244
      @tuomasronnberg5244 10 місяців тому

      ​@@johnevans5782I haven't found a single source for Hasbro hiring Larian to develop BG3 for them. Instead Larian had to ask Hasbro permission to use their IP, which would involve Larian paying licensing fees to Hasbro.

    • @Kenneth2413
      @Kenneth2413 10 місяців тому

      ​@@johnevans5782a lot of companies are starting to do kickstarter campaigns for their products, with 2 or more years as the date that the final product will be ready. I've seen multiple 3rd party 5E companies do this. ( for example when Spelljammer was so light on space rules, several companies did a kickstarter to get 5E compatible space books done that had rules for space in them. One such book is Waystar, which is now available on backerkit.)
      With crowdfunding done like that, the companies get money ahead of time, and how many stretch goals are reached is influenced by how much money was raised in the kickstarter. During the process the backers are usually given access to a discord and the company usually listens to suggestions made in there.

    • @commandercaptain4664
      @commandercaptain4664 10 місяців тому

      This is precisely why “voting with dollars” never works, because dollars can’t speak, they only infer “yes” and “no” and not “why”, while industries rarely view social media criticism unless it’s in their favor.

  • @Singinchicsnana
    @Singinchicsnana 10 місяців тому +31

    F- the digital money-sucking machine, I'm gonna play on my table in my house till I die. They will not ruin it for me unless they start sending the Game Gestapo to my door to take away my stuff.

    • @willchurch8376
      @willchurch8376 10 місяців тому +9

      It's all fun and games until the Pinkertons are knocking on your door. Then it's just fun.

  • @TheMyrmo
    @TheMyrmo 10 місяців тому +171

    Hasbro specializes in entertainment products. In any economic downturn, entertainment you PAY for is the first thing you can do without. For all that they're contributing to the train going off the rails, that train was doomed anyway.

    • @gendo1kar1
      @gendo1kar1 10 місяців тому +4

      just play d&d as it was meant to be. make stories, and use imagination. Got any edition core books or pdf and boom endless adventures.

    • @crossing241
      @crossing241 10 місяців тому +7

      Lol! That's why I love PF2e. You don't have to pay for s**t! Sure, if you want to play the pre-made adventure paths, those are pay-for, but the core game is free-to-play as well as all the expansion materials. And I know I'm gonna get hate for this, but as a former dnd5e player/dm, PF2e is just
      ...better.

    • @yusharider
      @yusharider 10 місяців тому +1

      It really depends. Like movies were killing it back in 2008. Now, not so much.

    • @TheMyrmo
      @TheMyrmo 10 місяців тому +2

      @@crossing241 Archives of Nethys. Yeah, they're giving away the house, all you pay for is the furnishings.

    • @ilmiraculousdibill3686
      @ilmiraculousdibill3686 10 місяців тому +2

      @@crossing241 No hate, you are right

  • @Deadponygaming
    @Deadponygaming 10 місяців тому +32

    Whenever I hear anything about DnD it makes me really happy that I mostly play Pathfinder and don't have to worry about this

    • @Razshagaul
      @Razshagaul 10 місяців тому +1

      I play D&D and still don’t worry about it because there’s so much amazing professional-level homebrew content out there that I haven’t even been keeping track of what WotC has released since Fizban’s.

  • @huddleaw
    @huddleaw 10 місяців тому +31

    I love how they make it sound like they had something to do with Baldurs Gate 3 😂 like, they just sold them the rights to the IP. Larian did everything.

    • @dungeonsanddiscourse
      @dungeonsanddiscourse  10 місяців тому +11

      "yeah we'll just do another blockbuster hit like Baldurs Gate 3" HOW, CHRIS? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT?

  • @trolldomowy
    @trolldomowy 10 місяців тому +34

    Even before this whole drama with Hasbro, I moved on to Panthfinder. I felt cooler then and I feel even cooler now 🤍 peace and love RPG freaks!

    • @WolforNuva
      @WolforNuva 10 місяців тому +3

      Same, I continue to play some 5e because some members of my table prefer it, but PF2e is my favourite fantasy system at the moment. The drama was the sign to never buy anything from WotC again, and limit our future 5e games to what we already had and homebrew.

  • @james14294
    @james14294 10 місяців тому +12

    The success of BG3 comes from its quality and all that, not because "it's dnd", there are plenty of dnd-like games that have been failures, what people want is quality games, not just digital dnd content.

  • @heavynov
    @heavynov 10 місяців тому +30

    Speaking of "adult toys"; you'll be delighted to hear that your channel is the only one that I've had ads for "adult toy advent calendars" on so far.

    • @conspiracypanda1200
      @conspiracypanda1200 10 місяців тому +1

      Huh, you get those too? I get them everywhere. I even take screenshots of them because turning off tracking means I can't report them! Which sucks for both me and the advertisers who keep putting cucumbers surrounded by pills and implications on my screen, because I don't have a "cucumber" to take pills for.

  • @dmdon6314
    @dmdon6314 10 місяців тому +16

    If Hasbro tanks and WOTC ceases to exist the game of D&D will continue regardless...The game exist in several forms, several editions etc.

    • @genera1013
      @genera1013 10 місяців тому

      Won't it essentially become open source then? It's what happened with the Sailor Moon RPG book when its publisher went under.

    • @dmdon6314
      @dmdon6314 10 місяців тому +1

      @genera1013 Most likely, however, we all know the product will be in better hands than that of a greedy corporation.

    • @genera1013
      @genera1013 10 місяців тому

      @@dmdon6314 Oh absolutely. DnD is already so widespread and beloved that the only real difference is people will be downloading pdfs of the handbook rather than buying new copies. Homebrew and other fanmade stuff will likely increase since the fear of OGL bs will be gone.
      I almost want it to happen.

  • @youtubeuniversity3638
    @youtubeuniversity3638 10 місяців тому +55

    Imagine if WoTC actually managed to make a loss.

    • @elLooto
      @elLooto 10 місяців тому +1

      How? They have a product and consumer base remarkably similar in appearance and function to the tobacco industry.

    • @samuraijack3900
      @samuraijack3900 10 місяців тому +4

      @@elLooto I used to play magic about a decade ago... i can tell you most of those people are still playing and as addicted to playing and buying cards, and that comparing it to smoking is very appropriate.

    • @youtubeuniversity3638
      @youtubeuniversity3638 10 місяців тому

      ​@@elLootoDo you know what "imagine" means?

    • @elLooto
      @elLooto 10 місяців тому +1

      @@youtubeuniversity3638 yes.
      Do you know what "gambling addiction" means?

  • @theblindjedi41
    @theblindjedi41 10 місяців тому +20

    Hilarious and insightful as always. :)

  • @beefytaco6374
    @beefytaco6374 10 місяців тому +115

    This disaster seems to be getting worse and worse while these vids get better and better

    • @dungeonsanddiscourse
      @dungeonsanddiscourse  10 місяців тому +28

      hey thanks!! I appreciate that. I take a lot of time to write these videos and do background research, so it means a lot :)

    • @kevoreilly6557
      @kevoreilly6557 10 місяців тому +1

      Correlation or causation …. Mwhahahah

    • @dubuyajay9964
      @dubuyajay9964 10 місяців тому

      ​@@kevoreilly6557Yes.

    • @meowpurpur
      @meowpurpur 10 місяців тому +1

      People didn't keep with their threats. The moment I saw that Baldur's gate was doing well, I knew the community had failed itself. Look at the D&D movie people who didn't know about the ogl didn't care and went to see it, but people who did know stayed far away. This caused it to get good reviews but still under perform. This one slipup removed any progress we made towards getting wizard/Hasbro to stop screwing D&D fans.

    • @meowpurpur
      @meowpurpur 10 місяців тому

      @@speurtighearnamacterik8230 new roleplayers are needed, and you can eventually transition them into something else if it gets worse.
      You could also suggest that your brother run a game with what you have already so he doesn't have to worry about loss if the kid doesn't enjoy it.

  • @AsterInDis
    @AsterInDis 10 місяців тому +13

    If my wife's grumblings while she's playing Magic online is anything to go by, the crossover content doesn't seem to be balanced. But who cares when you have the one ring, right /s

  • @spencersalerno6354
    @spencersalerno6354 10 місяців тому +20

    I imagine whenever Dungeons and Discourse talk about anything during her normal day shes like "The parking disaster at the grocery store has gotten worse." Or "Robert's personal fashion sense disaster has gotten worse." 🙃

  • @sparky204
    @sparky204 10 місяців тому +8

    I'd like to thank WOTC for their role as salesmen of the year for numerous other companies. You made it a great year for Paizo, Frog God, and my personal favorite.. Troll Lord Games. Keep it up WOTC, Keep it up. People will eventually learn you can D&D without you, and do it better.

  • @LynTheWitch
    @LynTheWitch 10 місяців тому +18

    I am personally amazed by the number of different faces you manage to make to express each and every Hasbro Catastrophe you cover, in your thumbnails : D
    Gets me every time x’D
    Great vid!

  • @CaraesNaur
    @CaraesNaur 10 місяців тому +7

    So basically... Hasbro is transforming M:tG and d&d into LEGO: a product that survives almost entirely on co-branding and nostalgia for 3rd party IP.
    This report didn't reveal anything critically new... we've known since January that the end of traditional tabletop d&d is coming in the next couple years.
    The rest of the tabletop hobby will rise from d&d's ashes.

  • @maverickman6486
    @maverickman6486 10 місяців тому +26

    My grandmother joked with the unknown guy she found in the morning in her kitchen, "I see you met our dog, he is called wolf." Wolf was actually a wolf/dog mix that looked 100% wolf. Wolf was keeping said unknown man company and was having a conversation of low growls with him while he pressed himself into a corner of the kitchen.

  • @The_Cheeny
    @The_Cheeny 10 місяців тому +7

    FIRST. yay i got first

  • @antoniomromo
    @antoniomromo 10 місяців тому +6

    The American psycho reference in the add was delicious.

    • @dungeonsanddiscourse
      @dungeonsanddiscourse  10 місяців тому

      it has been a dream of mine to slide into the skin of patrick bateman

  • @DevinsCardHouse
    @DevinsCardHouse 10 місяців тому +8

    Always appreciate your take on things! It's truly sad what Hasbro/Wizards is doing to squeeze every last penny out of people. I wish we had more cohesion from the Magic end of things to stand up to them. It takes Wizards going completely off the rails with the Reserved List and selling people 4 packs of boosters for $1000 before anyone will do anything. Me personally, I'm just enjoying playing other card games. I wonder if some DnD players will do the same?

  • @elishmuel1976
    @elishmuel1976 10 місяців тому +2

    Why are you still on twitter, a Hate platform? Did you know celebrities, scientists, philosophers and artists have left? You can google the list. Gets bigger every day. Be brave, take the plunge and stop indirectly supporting racism, sexism and all of humanities worst traits.
    Love your vids, as always.

  • @jessehupp44
    @jessehupp44 10 місяців тому +5

    All I can say is there are so many options for RPGs out there many even arguably even better. Like shadowrun, earthdawn, world of darkness, call of Cthulhu, Gurps, ect

    • @jessehupp44
      @jessehupp44 10 місяців тому

      Oh add to that list Little Fears And Amber for really unique systems.

  • @SigfriedTrent
    @SigfriedTrent 10 місяців тому +2

    Woohoo, you flashed my book (Highlander) and one I helped with (Pacific Rim) Thanks!

  • @Machamp-ps7wx
    @Machamp-ps7wx 10 місяців тому +2

    The way I look at it is no matter how much corporate evil hasbro tries to pump into their properties like D&D, they can’t stop me from enjoying what I have and the positive memories made surrounding the franchises I have.

  • @dillonklasse4980
    @dillonklasse4980 10 місяців тому +4

    If Hasbro wants to make money, the first thing they need to do is stop the bleeding. I.e. break contract with unprofitable brands, the biggest being Disney, they order tons of toys that never sell and since hasbro only makes money off of sales via shifty Disney licensing contracts they lose money every time. Then take your profitable brands like dnd and make very high quality, super exclusive, limited edition products that the wales gobble up like candy

  • @kdog3908
    @kdog3908 10 місяців тому +9

    D & D is dead. Long live D & D!

    • @youtubeuniversity3638
      @youtubeuniversity3638 10 місяців тому +1

      Dungeons are Dragons, Longplay No Commentary!

    • @stefanjakubowski8222
      @stefanjakubowski8222 10 місяців тому +2

      Started in 78 and been playing since, I have shelves of all sorts of systems, gaming will never die
      Just short sided companies that fail to get the idea of gaming

    • @kdog3908
      @kdog3908 10 місяців тому +1

      @@stefanjakubowski8222 Was about 82 when we all started playing. I think one of our group from that time still has all of our old books. MERP, Traveller (Classic, NE, 2300), RuneQuest, Various WoD stuff, CoC, amongst others. Good times :)

    • @stefanjakubowski8222
      @stefanjakubowski8222 10 місяців тому +2

      @@kdog3908 though my first crush was dnd I grew up, and we, collectively as gamers, instead of accepting the crap, we can and do run the hobby, hasbro thinks gamers are dumb and will.just accept what they are pushing

    • @kdog3908
      @kdog3908 10 місяців тому +2

      @@stefanjakubowski8222 Absolutely! It's the player's respective imaginations that do all the heavy lifting. The biggest grift the likes of Hasbro have concocted is convincing players that their materials are essential to the process.

  • @michaelmcnamara1839
    @michaelmcnamara1839 10 місяців тому +1

    Thing they are missing is - if we wanted to play a videogame with friends, we can just go and play any of the thousands of games out there. TTRPG's in this day and age are almost a reaction against that.

  • @HmmBearGrr
    @HmmBearGrr 10 місяців тому +3

    I thought there would have been an adam and eve sponsorship at the spot where you said you wanted to talk about adult toys

  • @skullnecroze
    @skullnecroze 10 місяців тому +4

    Damn good video! Thanks YT for recommend!

  • @nweasels
    @nweasels 10 місяців тому +2

    TBH, what immediately killed my enthusiasm for using the official digital TTRPG stuff, is even the 5.0 stuff in the DMG and PHB was split up and paywalled.
    For example, Warlocks.
    Individual pacts were sold seperately from the DMG/PHB.
    Easier to just pirate it all and use fantasygrounds, or roll20.
    Friggin corpos man.

  • @PoniesNSunshine
    @PoniesNSunshine 10 місяців тому +13

    Having dabbled with licensed IP here's a quick peak behind the curtain: The biggest success of companies like Hasbro is due to licensing and not actual production/distribution.
    What this means is that they are much more happy to sell you the rights to use their brand and take a cut of the profit, versus do any of the work themselves.
    It's low risk and high reward - if the movie or the game doesnt take off then they get a paycheck anyway, albeit smaller than they planned for. Case in point, Hasbro owns both GI Joe and Transformers but Wizards isn't making or distributing an RPG based on the simple fact that Hasbro wouldnt get paid up front (and Transformers, due to the films, is one if the highest grossing brands in history, Magic/D&D are not close)
    I would bet money the reason it Hasbro didnt care it took 6 years is that Larian took divinity 2 profit and paid wizards for use of the license, versus it being a pure revenue split. I'm even more convinced this is the case because it was published BY LARIAN versus it being published by Hasbro or Wizards.
    So when Cox says the future is digital he is basically saying Larian's success proves the brand is successful in the digital space (ignore the movie) and that they can demand more when it comes to subsequent licensing agreements with other partners.
    Any investment in local digital product is great but that's still crumbs compared to what hasbro makes with a successful licensing deal off a game or movie.

  • @Arashmickey
    @Arashmickey 10 місяців тому +4

    Great video, and that American Psycho bit was brilliant... maybe a bit too brilliant. Wizards about to find out what happens if they don't pay their mercenaries! Digital is easy to copy, index, iterate, distribute. Feels bad when a business model butts heads with those advantages, even if it's the only way to stay in business. Companies like Steam and GOG seem have figured out how to lean into their advantages, maybe wazzards will get there too some day.

  • @stevenmcgrath5114
    @stevenmcgrath5114 10 місяців тому +7

    Only you can bring a smile along with bad news ! ! ! 😃

  • @SpineBreakerZ
    @SpineBreakerZ 10 місяців тому +3

    Everytime I get your videos recommended on my front page it's just wizards making worse and worse decisions lol. Keep up the news work and thank you!

  • @witchdoctorwill1796
    @witchdoctorwill1796 10 місяців тому +1

    My reaction to a title like this is the same as when my toddler approaches me with poopy hands. "What? Again?!?"

  • @jamesyoung7400
    @jamesyoung7400 10 місяців тому +5

    I had mentioned this several times since earlier this year. It's all part of the plan. Drop or get dropped by your distributer. Raise price of books. Do less work in books. Offer digital stuff for players on D&D Beyond cheaper than the books. Oh no print books don't work no one is buying, double down on microtransactions. Hire Pinkertons to finish laying the last few bricks in your walled garden. Enforce how people can play. Salute and shout Hail Zynga!

    • @commandercaptain4664
      @commandercaptain4664 10 місяців тому +1

      Their next supplement should be based on Over the Garden Wall… except there’s no way to get over it! 🫣

  • @euansmith3699
    @euansmith3699 10 місяців тому +2

    "The Okhrana" 😄 I love Discourse's off the wall references.
    Regarding the release of D&D6e; MCDM is starting a crowdfunding campaign for their new heroic fantasy rpg in December of this year.

  • @Batterydennis
    @Batterydennis 10 місяців тому +3

    One week it’s joking about clock towers, the next it dead naming X and talking about C Suite genitals. Ruthless.

  • @omegagilgamesh
    @omegagilgamesh 10 місяців тому +1

    10:14, I'm sorry, there're TTRPG's for Highlander and Pacific Rim?!

  • @leestewart72
    @leestewart72 10 місяців тому +1

    My first edition books play the same now as they did in 1983, and my home rules are as good as anything WotC could come up with.

  • @Apeiron242
    @Apeiron242 10 місяців тому +1

    STOP CARING!
    There are so many superior alternatives to D&D now.

  • @dirkfabricius2757
    @dirkfabricius2757 10 місяців тому +2

    I've been playing D&D a lot in the past. We started very classic with the predefined books. At some time we got more into doing our own adventures. Since the group in most cases didn't really care for the prepared stuff or battle strategies, the adventures at some point only consisted of some ideas, some patterns and maybe some generic maps and npcs.
    We over time got rid of many of the rules because they hindered our story flow (no one really cares about, whether you can bring that sword along or not) and implemented rotating masters. At some point there were some character sheets forgotten or lost, we noticed going without also worked. The last thing to go was the dices which at this point we still used to settle disputes. After this simply the better idea won with a little bit of reason behind to keep it an enjoyable experience for all. All steps of this way were fun and I wouldn't miss them.
    Two of the best adventures I played at this time just each consisted of one idea. One was - that the group was cursed at some time (which we didn't know) and until one of us does one single good deed things get worse. That was all the preparation. Took the group more than 4 hours ;) The other one was that each party member could see the good and evil in themselves, how to get rid of this skill or how to exploit this.
    Long story short: At least for us it was about collaborative story telling. Sure - Hasbro needs to earn money. But if they forget about the players very basic needs - they also won't do this.

  • @reapersritehand
    @reapersritehand 10 місяців тому +1

    I hate how many people went back to wotc and hasbro, especially youtubers who were all like burn it down, then went oh a free wotc trip and now there bigger shill sell outs then kevin smith, im still boycotting wotc/hasbro and will continue to hold strong

  • @XH13
    @XH13 10 місяців тому +1

    Not only Larian took their time to make bg3, but :
    1) they don't belong to Hasbro nor anybody but their founder (with a minority stake for Tencent), meaning Hasbro has no leverage to force Larian to do anything, nor any way to do an hostile takeover (which could ends up with mass resignation anyway). And we can suppose Swen is swimming in cash anyway.
    2) BG3 is based at a minimum on the huge work done on D:OS et D:OS2. By that count, for another studio to make a good bg4 from scratch, it would more likely take 10 years.
    The only other studios specialized in that genre of games are Owlcat Games, but with the sanctions against Russia that's a problem and Obsidian, which are not only already busy with Avowed but are a subsidiary of Microsoft, which means even more complicated negotiations and less money for Hasbro
    An alternative could be to negociate with Larian to license the Divinity engine to WoTC for a huge pile of money.

  • @Qedhup
    @Qedhup 10 місяців тому +1

    You should be canceled... Not because of the doomsaying with WotC. They deserve that. But because of THOSE PUNS! I just can't even. :P

  • @shimasclan
    @shimasclan 10 місяців тому +2

    A little focus on quality would do wonders. If the VTT is good. I'll use it. If the paid features add value and aren't just cheap cash grabs or basic features that should be on a free version, I'll pay for them. If they released quality books I was interested in, I'd buy them. The book for deck of many things sounds interesting, but not worth the price. I haven't got spell jammer, but I've heard that it's also very lack luster. I honestly just want a book with a lot of content in it. No settings, no adventures, just player options, magic items, monsters, stuff I will actually use in my homebrew setting. I've spent a LOT of money on third party content for just that. Content. WotC could get that money from me instead of their books were worth the price.

  • @GamemasterGiff
    @GamemasterGiff 10 місяців тому +1

    I super love the same repeated clickbait titles and stressed face over and over I had a giggle scrolling thru luv u

  • @alejandrokhan3815
    @alejandrokhan3815 10 місяців тому +1

    It’s a good thing my table is real and has decided to play 5th edition No vtt otherwise this would be bad for me personally

  • @steppahouse
    @steppahouse 10 місяців тому +2

    Shouldn't I NOT support you to continue your existential dread?

    • @dungeonsanddiscourse
      @dungeonsanddiscourse  10 місяців тому +3

      If I don't have the existential dread, then it's basically over for me :(

  • @zrebbesh
    @zrebbesh 10 місяців тому

    I don't get why so many people think they need Hasbro's cooperation to do tabletop role playing. Seriously, the fun is cooperative storytelling, not playing bit parts in a story told by others. They can pump out accessories and lore and supplements you don't need or want at a fever pitch, and so what? Most of the fun is cooperatively developing the same kind of material they're trying to sell you - where each campaign is based on the history of previous campaigns, not based on popular merch that a million other campaigns are based on. If Hasbro produces crap, you can have more fun literally rolling your own tabletop rules.

  • @ronnyrdr6553
    @ronnyrdr6553 10 місяців тому +1

    And i'll be here enjoying your content about it for all of 2024 ;)

  • @David-Obermiller
    @David-Obermiller 10 місяців тому +1

    Space-grade Al-you -minium! I love your accent!

  • @trpdrspider8372
    @trpdrspider8372 10 місяців тому +1

    12:07 This, this is my 40 years of gaming. My very soul.

  • @chrisheapsenhouse7086
    @chrisheapsenhouse7086 10 місяців тому +1

    I wish you'd have some positive videos. Every video is "this is a disaster", "that is inexcusable", etc. I hope it doesn't affect your health too much.

    • @dungeonsanddiscourse
      @dungeonsanddiscourse  10 місяців тому +1

      If you watch the videos, you'll see that a lot of them are pretty positive actually :)

  • @noneayourbusiness5149
    @noneayourbusiness5149 10 місяців тому +1

    BG3 had 6 years of development and almost 3 years of full-priced "Early Access". Oh, and it has half the features that Neverwinter Nights had at release - a game 20 years older. So... yeah, not anywhere near as good as people like to hype it up to be.

  • @Battleguild
    @Battleguild 10 місяців тому +1

    I've basically stopped supporting WotC altogether since they decides to shat on Lord of the Rings because they wanted to "modernize" it.

  • @nicknunez2293
    @nicknunez2293 10 місяців тому +1

    Tried to listen to this in the shower and YT unleashed an 11:32 min ad on me. It's almost as long as the video. jfc...
    This video even has a built-in ad ffs...
    Love your videos though.

    • @dungeonsanddiscourse
      @dungeonsanddiscourse  10 місяців тому +1

      Damn dude that really sucks, i'm sorry about that. Just know that you have like my moral support in using ad blocker btw 11 minute ads are totally unacceptable

  • @Noisius
    @Noisius 10 місяців тому +1

    Wotc needs players, players don't need wotc

  • @LordAryu
    @LordAryu 10 місяців тому +1

    BG3 was good not because it's a DnD game, but because Larian developed it. No other developers out there could show it the same level of love and care that they have

  • @headoverheels88
    @headoverheels88 10 місяців тому

    My heart just dropped about the "multimedia universe" nonsense. This is what happened with Dragon Age and Mass Effect, and it ripped Bioware - one of the world's most premier game developers and my person favorite - completely apart. I know this won't affect Larian Studios directly, but we'll see.

  • @broke_af_games9661
    @broke_af_games9661 10 місяців тому +1

    The worst just got worsesingly worst

  • @yippeethreeeight
    @yippeethreeeight 10 місяців тому +1

    Thumbs up for the Excalibur clip (and the content was really good too).

  • @WolfHreda
    @WolfHreda 10 місяців тому +2

    Honestly, you could reupload this video every week for the rest of the year, and it would probably still be accurate.

  • @penguinlust6749
    @penguinlust6749 10 місяців тому +2

    Good analysis, and my guess is you're probably correct as it makes sense and explains more than a few things.

  • @Shamefulroleplay
    @Shamefulroleplay 10 місяців тому +1

    That thumbnail seems to be used a lot recently 😂

  • @bradluck1108
    @bradluck1108 10 місяців тому +1

    Hello DC, I haven't seen you in my feed in ages!
    I remember that same thumbnail tho

  • @guner9824
    @guner9824 10 місяців тому +1

    WOTC was releasing rpg books for non D&D IP's in early 2000's like dune, and hasbro cancel it.

  • @TheRedneckGamer1979
    @TheRedneckGamer1979 10 місяців тому

    Since WOTC and Hasbro are both publicly traded company a shareholder meeting at WOTC could force the company to split from Hasbro if it seems like Hasbro is only being kept afloat by WOTC and it is to the detriment of WOTC itself.

  • @DShoe
    @DShoe 10 місяців тому +2

    Let this brand go everybody. There's so many better TTRPGs on the market.

  • @mtgmac1
    @mtgmac1 10 місяців тому +5

    Yes, WotC, keep on using that TSR playbook. Can't wait for the later chapters.

    • @avidreader8521
      @avidreader8521 10 місяців тому

      To paraphrase Sir Templeton: the most expensive words are 'this time, it's different.'

  • @l33tninja1
    @l33tninja1 10 місяців тому +1

    Would look forward to bg4 if I didn't believe that Hasbro will ruin it and than blame everyone else. Really hope hasbro and maybe even wotc lose dnd maybe even magic to.

  • @nicolocorbellani9807
    @nicolocorbellani9807 10 місяців тому +3

    your random bdsm stuff is hilarious 🤣

  • @Chiungalla79
    @Chiungalla79 10 місяців тому +5

    My best guess why they want to get rid of the OGL:
    5E will never die as a result of the OGL releases.
    And that's a huge risk for One DnD and their virtual table top.
    AD&D 2nd really sucked in comparison to 5E (sorry guys), but it still has many hardcore fans. Fans that probably never played 5E or at least did not buy much.
    And since One DnD will be a rather small step in comparison... and not necessarily an upgrade, we will probably still see more 5E players than One DnD players in five or ten years.

    • @davidbowles7281
      @davidbowles7281 10 місяців тому

      You don't need the OGL to create 5E compatible products though. It just lets you do some cut and paste.

    • @rookiedrifter4273
      @rookiedrifter4273 10 місяців тому

      More than likely, they want to get rid of the OGL, because they're going to attempt to monopolize the license.
      There is no goddamn way that WOTC has not noticed some of the incredibly popular 3rd party books & settings for 5E; Grim Hollow, Sunken Isles, Aetherial Expanse, Drakkenheim, Ryoko's Guide... They hate all of that, because it's not a setting that they're profiting off of.
      I would not be surprised if, within the next few years, WOTC/Hasbro announce a system for D&D that bears a shocking amount of resemblance to Bethesda's Creation Club; WOTC-approved 3rd party content, where they can commission other people to do the work, which they then get to profit off of.

  • @ScottBecker-z3m
    @ScottBecker-z3m 10 місяців тому +1

    I have to laugh at the stupidity of people. D&D will not "end." Worst thing that would happen? D&D would be sold to someone else.

  • @Red5nake
    @Red5nake 10 місяців тому +1

    Fuck hasbro, all my homies using Pen and paper for dnd!

  • @FunkyAbigail
    @FunkyAbigail 10 місяців тому +1

    Meanwhile Paizo just released their new core rulebook revisions in actual book format and they are not slowing down. Actual table top role playing is far from dead.

  • @pctoolbin
    @pctoolbin 10 місяців тому +1

    Curious as to what your mic set-up is if you don't mind me asking?

  • @scootergsp
    @scootergsp 10 місяців тому

    The thing that doesn't add up is that even if Hasbro/WotC decides to push for an entirely digital format for a new edition; they can't stop people from continuing to play previous editions in person. Surely they're not dumb enough to think that just because a new edition is released, everyone will think that they are prohibited from continuing to play other editions and will be forced to adopt the new one.
    I have a pile of 5e books and can continue to play indefinitely as long as I have people that want to get together in person. And unless they intend to send the Pinkertons out to every player's house to kick in the door and confiscate all our books, I don't see how they think they can compel people to adopt a new edition .

  • @lordcucumber7772
    @lordcucumber7772 10 місяців тому

    So basically Wizards are saying an externally licensed extremely successful BG3 saved them from a complete disaster they themselves created. And their only takeaway is to go full digital because money. Yeah, smart, this way Larian will keep earning money and Wizards will lag behind, because Wizards has no clue it's the tabletop experience that people love so much. I mean look at the videos that came out of the voice actors playing tabletop D&D.. TABLETOP Wizards.. Live, around a table, with friends.. THAT is your game. It isn't going to be fully digital with your customer base, ever. People will switch to other systems if you try and make them. Ugh, these dumb ass execs...

  • @natebernasconi
    @natebernasconi 10 місяців тому

    That was the grimmest use of "Break glass in case of emergency" I've ever heard. LOVE IT!

  • @MrBanditoRazor
    @MrBanditoRazor 10 місяців тому

    Yeeep and it's going to be a huge success. I mean I haven't bought ANYTHING DND related in forever (oh hello pirate bay).
    But if their VTTG actually can generate dungeons and combat encounters, and let me control the NPCs ala VTM: Redemption and NwN....imma give them money to use said VTTG system.

  • @reynoldsVincent
    @reynoldsVincent 10 місяців тому

    Grognard here, and a former marketer too. The WoTC cross-marketing makes me sick. Those other franchises ARE cool, I even own a couple Dr Who cards but honestly, what imagination is required in that sort of fan-boy card-flopping? Iron Crown published the best Tolkien RPG decades ago and the trade caters to digit-OCD twitchers, IMNSHO. They need to work on gameplay mechanics and make some money cross-marketing actual play streaming and products, because, hey its a game of imagination and I'm seeing good ideas from Mercer and others that can liven up the game, just as all the OGL partners do. If they want to cut the OGL partners out they better become more open to new settings and scenarios and do some actual work writing those. Cards can be fine if used for imagination and player story involvement, but if its just a another numbers game, that's not very D&D.

  • @corwyncorey3703
    @corwyncorey3703 10 місяців тому

    Remember... you will always have the rulesets you already own... and TTRPG is about telling a story as a group. It iis creative.
    So... make your own.
    Where do you think all these "third party setting" stuff comes from?
    Homebrew.
    We don't *need* them. Never did. Stop spending your money on trash. Tal'dorei Reborn is far superior to the last crap WotC put out. Should say something eh? Third party is better. *WE* are better.
    Stop feeding the troll.

  • @TigerKirby215
    @TigerKirby215 10 місяців тому

    I hope WoTC looks at the absolute failure that was D&D Dark Alliance and realizes that they can't just slap a D&D coat of paint onto any video game for it to succeed, and (more importantly) their games have to _actually be well made_ to make money.
    I am absolutely not against more D&D video games and other such things, even if they're not all made up to the standards of Baldur's Gate 3. What I *am* against is shovelware made by a toy company that doesn't know video games trying to turn a quick buck.
    And uh, crunch culture. I am very much against crunch culture. Crunch bad don't crunch devs for money.

  • @TF2CrunchyFrog
    @TF2CrunchyFrog 10 місяців тому

    Me: *looks at what is currently going on at Epic Games firing their former Creative Director and 1000 employees and declaring the "future of Fortnite" is going to be "as a digital platform" instead of a video game*
    Me: *looks at Games Workshop killing all goodwill from their own Warhammer 40K gamer fandom in one corporate decision*
    Me: * looks at Hasbro/WotC deliberately driving the D&D train off the same cliff*
    Just where do they _find_ all those gredy clowns to turn into corporate executives?

  • @mattackerson6728
    @mattackerson6728 10 місяців тому +1

    I hope Hasbro's repeated attempts to squeeze every last penny out of the hobby -- while reducing fun -- leads to players leaving en masse for other systems, such as FATE, Pathfinder, GURPS, or any of literally hundreds of different RPG systems.

  • @ScipiPurr
    @ScipiPurr 10 місяців тому

    I don't get the "D&D is dead" cries. Even if it does die, there exist a lot more TTRPG systems than just 5e which have mountains of content made for them. Plus, someone could just make a 5e clone like Kobold Press is already doing with Project Black Flag. So it really isn't a major problem for the hobby as a whole if it ends up getting axed in the future

  • @SweetPeteInTheBackSeat
    @SweetPeteInTheBackSeat 10 місяців тому

    i think i figured it out, i think this video is perfect for nerds who want to learn about dnd and watch videos about it online. but they never run games. if they ran games they would be too busy for this video. gotta write their PLOTS.
    not that its bad but i think i realized why it isnt for me. i gotta get GAMING. WOTC cant take ANYTHING from me, This Fella . This Guy

  • @woj_kal
    @woj_kal 10 місяців тому +2

    You One of the funniest D&D content. Subscribe

    • @dungeonsanddiscourse
      @dungeonsanddiscourse  10 місяців тому +1

      hey thanks!

    • @woj_kal
      @woj_kal 10 місяців тому +1

      ​@@dungeonsanddiscourse the unbelievable amount of sarcasm need time to get use to, but that's for acquired taste

  • @FEV369
    @FEV369 10 місяців тому

    I'm new-ish to the DND conversation, but have played DND for about 4 years with the same group. Three out of the four of us are conservative/libertarian leaning and I can say without a doubt DND's liberal leaning's get made fun of a lot by us. I personally won't consume anything DND outside of the general rules (costs me nothing) because of their highly bigoted and hateful positions towards anyone not highly integrated in their group think... also the fact that they are hilariously unaware of their rigid collectivism.
    I'm not here to complain, I don't care... at all... I simply watched a video and am responding as to *one* reason I think DND has been struggling. There is a quote that goes something like this, "should you live long enough to see yourself become the villain of your own story." When people in this case, trans, bi, gay liberal democrat" create an echo chamber so tightly monitored that anyone who physically or verbal does not sound or look like them is openly attacked, ridicule, mocked ect... then that group becomes like a Sun under massive gravitational pressures that inevitably squeeze anyone and anything that does not fit out like radiation.
    The reason the quote holds so much truth is due to the inevitability of process. Individuals do it to themselves, family units do it, groups... states, countries.... Even rocks and water does it.
    So it seems to me that DND like many companies and the LGTBQ nonsense did it to themselves. They self segregated and openly and freely attacked anyone not identical to them, they became the inevitable bad guys of their own story. They are often less funny, hateful, self centered and willing to express it with anger. Because DND became infected with bigots (even Critical Role) who would now and then push their politics and bigotries to the front pushed away 2 of the players in my group. They liked the overall story but would always comment how idiotically liberal they could be. For the record none of us are Republican or Trumpers...
    So there it is... my prospective of why DND has had a hard time as of recent is due to the inevitable process of collectivism VS individualism. You can't have one without the other and when unbalanced we see a correction that can't be avoided. The individuals who were pushed out will create a new collective and the process starts anew.

  • @Avarstia_Owain
    @Avarstia_Owain 10 місяців тому

    I will forever find it funny how Hasbro has kinda has only the core of their brands from the 80s making the most money, Marvel Legends and Star Wars makes money but it has slipped in comparison to Transformers getting back on track and GI Joe is back with MLP also being a brand they can make bank with but have on the backburner right now. BG3 has shown the success for Wizards but is a double edged sword for Hasbro, the digital side of D&D can easily be fucked due to Divinity Original Sin 2 having mod tools, a sign that Larian will support their game's community and one for BG3 could easily spell out the doom for the digital tabletop as DM mode will likely be modded in and people who want to get into D&D could just play BG3 alone, with friends, or with a full table by this margin of idea. Magic is a card game, card games have more so gone digital in recent years for the factor of play and with magic those who play is where they make money but once its out of stores, brand growth will also slow as it will no longer be known as easily: Yugioh and Pokemon are examples that show the media beyond the game itself for reason to stay in stores: its because of the factor of legacy with their animes all the same as their cards, a legacy that allows for them to grow, unlike MTG who would likely shrink in full digital in focus unless they keep universes beyond for Magic. The OGL scandal likely screwed over the One D&D original plan, the future of digital D&D likely means D&D will be stuck in a loop of stagnation and at some point will fizzle out, akin to some of the setting expansions from the AD&D days like Dark Sun, at some point the wick for the candle will extinguish itself and Wizards may have to close their doors in a decade or two if this plan goes forward. Ultimately I believe Hasbro has enough in their pocket to subjegate their debt if that were to occur as the toy side of the company has learned Transformers is their only mainstay that makes enough to keep forever and they can cycle their other brands at disposal beside it to try and feed in a resurgence, perhaps using the 2030s as a platform to try and revive some of their visionary stuff again , just likely not going back to the plan that The Hub was where they tried to bring Mask back through Transformers.

  • @latajacamysza8365
    @latajacamysza8365 10 місяців тому

    It wont work - cause as far as digital thing is concerned, there is a lot more competiton for licenses. They could licence those IPs for physical CCGs, where WotC have very serious position, but in the world of digital entertainment - WotC are nobody. And BG III proofs it - it was not a product made by WotC, but made using WotC's license. Taking license and giving license are very different thing, same as CCGs and video games are very different markets. So - if the plan described above is real - it is will fail.

  • @artblockonthefrontlawn6701
    @artblockonthefrontlawn6701 10 місяців тому

    Just invest in indy games. Theres alot of books that need love. Im putting my time into ICRPG and Mörk Borg. All my friends have flocked to other games too. My little brother started running Anima which is a ttrpg made out of Spain.

  • @damightyshabba439
    @damightyshabba439 10 місяців тому

    Table top role playing is exactly that. Table Top. Face to face. For many, its a singular social output - not just a game. I know that in recent years it has become a celebrity "thing" and actually quite fashionable. But prior to that it was your one time to shine, without shame or guilt, and have fun with friends. Yes... PC games like BGIII do have their place - but they do not - and can never - replace the experience of sitting at a table with your friends and actually playing. And honestly - if you really want to enjoy it - download an old copy for free - anything recent is garbage anyway.