[HoE] Re: Price as a Weapon (getting OT)

[John Goff <johngoff@erols.com>]

A while ago, Ryan wrote:

> > >> Just out of curiosity, how does this opinion match up with
> > >> TSR's stated plans to publish the next edition of D&D books
> > >> at $20 each?
> > >
> > >We're going to use price as a weapon.
> > >

Couple of reasons why I didn't wring my hands in worry when I first read this a few months ago:

First, few games truly "compete" for players. If they do, price isn't usually the deciding
factor. The gaming business isn't that kind of business--it's a hobby market. People have a
taste and--as long as the price point is reasonable--$5 here or there _don't_ usually make or
break a fan-base.

Second, it doesn't take a math genius to add up three books at $20 apiece and add two books at
$25 dollars a piece and see that even with the price reduction, AD&D remains on an equal
footing with its competitors price-wise. ;-) Most smaller companies that produce a multiple
"main book" use a two-book core--either rulebook/worldbook (ala HOE) or players/gamemaster book
(ala DL, 7th Sea). In both cases, the cost of the two core books is equal (or in PEG's case)
lower than the three he mentions...

Third, it's AD&D. In all honesty, we never planned to compete with AD&D and I doubt anybody who
has a gaming company honestly _does_. Or if they do, they are soon cured of that delusion. ;-)
AD&D is likely to stay top of the heap for a long time, whether they price their books at $10
or $30 a pop. Hell, I'm even running an AD&D campaign myself right now. ;-)

I'm not sure what the purpose of the statement was, but I doubt anything in it has concerned
any small game companies out there over much.

And that's all I have to say about that.

John "Forrest" Goff