WotC downsizing D&D creative team

[cavebehr]

Ok Ok Thank you all Mighty Hasbro, we bow down before you and prostrate ourselves in submission, requesting only that you bring the miracle of new life to heroscape.

[kboleen]

I've been saying for years that Hasbro missed a HUGE sales opportunity by not releasing a "Tile Set"; a box with just tiles like a master sets with no figures. I use the tiles for several other games including Lord of the Rings Tradeable Miniature Game and Mage Knight Dungeons.

[megalofred]

I've been saying for years that Hasbro missed a HUGE sales opportunity by not releasing a "Tile Set"; a box with just tiles like a master sets with no figures. I use the tiles for several other games including Lord of the Rings Tradeable Miniature Game and Mage Knight Dungeons.

Also used with Battletech, Epic and many others.

It is a fact that they had a revolutionary -IMHO- tile system for all minis gamers, and not thinking "generic" in releasing tilesets for Sci-Fi, Horror, etc. is a such a waste

[SuperflyTNT]

Originally Posted by cavebehr

I was being a bit sardonic and sarcastic, but under no circumstances was I praising hasbro. They were not all bad, they are just a giant faceless monster mega corp, who in turn sees smaller game companies that are making money and buy them up and out. Then they pimp them till they are worn and tired . Now and then they give them a little PLASTIC surgery but most of the time they just leave them crying sitting in the gutter.

Hasbro isn't a faceless, monster megacorp. They're a business just like any other. They make financial decisions. The fact is that we, as a group, make up an almost infinitesimal portion of their gross sales. Sure, we can cry in our cheerios that they put our favorite product out to pasture, but that doesn't make them evil or negligent. It makes them a company that tries to turn a profit.

They are a mainstream company that owns smaller, niche companies. Remember that D&D, as prolific as it is in the culture, is still not going to sell like Littlest Pet Shop. So, they make financial decisions.

Hasbro's a great company. They provide joy to hundreds of millions of kids and adults worldwide, and have provided high-quality toys and games for many, many years.

[Cyborgs Gaming]

I'm often misunderstood as someone who has a deep hatred of Hasbro, that is simply untrue. I've talked a few times about my problems with WOTC. Those problems go far beyond Heroscape. They go into all their game products and the way they treat B&M stores. I've not had these problems with Hasbro. I did get in contact with Hasbro about a very minor problem with Battleship Galaxies, a stand was missing from a copy one of my customers purchased. Hasbro went beyond my expectations in how they handled it. I was skeptical of them over it because of all the problems I've had with WOTC over the past 9 months. I made the mistake of confusing the two as one. I honestly see nothing wrong with Hasbro, the only real problems that they had with Heroscape is no real experience with small hobby games stores like mine. This was something that WOTC was very experienced with and should have handled well, but they didn't. I am convinced that DnD, Magic, Hasbro itself, and perhaps even Heroscape would be better off if Hasbro absorbed WOTC completely and took over all those product lines directly. FFG, Mayfair, Z-man, and GW are all still better but I see that Hasbro is trying and adjusting where WoTC just doesn't seem to care.

[cavebehr]

This thread died but now its back. Hasbro once upon a time helped in some ways with some things. For example if you needed a set of rules for a game they make or made or a company they bought made, they would send you a free copied, copy of them. If one of the newer games they sold had something missing they would send you the missing item. If what they sold was broken in the box they would send you a label and then mail you a new one (with proof of recent purchase). This was for games that went out of stock and you could not return in exchange for another at the store.

Then they started to change. I personally bought about a dozen of one particular game that was missing a playing card, a very unique and important playing card. They would only send me one replacement card, even with my proof of purchase. I bought the games to give to friends as gifts, so when we went to each others places we did not have to have our own in the car each and every time. I asked hasbro why they would only give me one replacement. They said only one per household. So I had to give a gift and a phone number and have everyone call to get the card. Only two of the friends got thiers then hasbro said they could not send any more out. They stopped.

That is not the only example I have had to deal with them. Like I said they used to be good then they went to suck. Big time suck. Oh I have yet to see them market a mascott of anykind so yes they are a faceless giant megacorp. Only concerned with how much money they can rape out of the kids of today and their parents. They used to care alot about what they sold and who they were selling it to.
They do not in this day and age, I hope and pray that all giant corparations change into the better things they were in yesteryear. Where they made a product and stood by its' quality and its' durability. Sadly though I see more and more crap coming from these people, again I can pray they get a Jimmney Cricket in their heads.

[Hackmaster +12]

Originally Posted by cavebehr

This thread died but now its back. Hasbro once upon a time helped in some ways with some things. For example if you needed a set of rules for a game they make or made or a company they bought made, they would send you a free copied, copy of them. If one of the newer games they sold had something missing they would send you the missing item. If what they sold was broken in the box they would send you a label and then mail you a new one (with proof of recent purchase). This was for games that went out of stock and you could not return in exchange for another at the store.

And gas used to be less than $1.00 per gallon, and candy bars were a nickle, and you could meet someone at the airport as they stepped off the plane. Also, see this.

Originally Posted by cavebehr

Then they started to change. I personally bought about a dozen of one particular game that was missing a playing card, a very unique and important playing card. They would only send me one replacement card, even with my proof of purchase. I bought the games to give to friends as gifts, so when we went to each others places we did not have to have our own in the car each and every time. I asked hasbro why they would only give me one replacement. They said only one per household. So I had to give a gift and a phone number and have everyone call to get the card. Only two of the friends got thiers then hasbro said they could not send any more out. They stopped.

I'm sure they have a "one per household" policy in place for a reason. And it doesn't sound like you tried very hard to get a replacement for the other games (not that it was your responsibility in any way to get missing parts for a gift).

Originally Posted by cavebehr

Oh I have yet to see them market a mascott of anykind so yes they are a faceless giant megacorp.

You're absolutely right. They are completely faceless.







Oh, wait, what were you saying?

A corporation has to have a mascot to not be "faceless?" Huh. News to me.

Originally Posted by cavebehr

Only concerned with how much money they can rape out of the kids of today and their parents. They used to care alot about what they sold and who they were selling it to.
They do not in this day and age, I hope and pray that all giant corparations change into the better things they were in yesteryear. Where they made a product and stood by its' quality and its' durability. Sadly though I see more and more crap coming from these people, again I can pray they get a Jimmney Cricket in their heads.

As a public corporation, their first goal has to be to make money for the shareholders. I don't see how you can even think about using the word "rape" in there anywhere. As for standing by the product quality and caring about it, have you seen this? Didn't think so.

[cavebehr]

All of those pictures were from companies they bought out. I believe someone must work for the big company, or has too much reason to be loyal. I just hope that the WOTC people who have to collect unemployment soon are just as loyal and buy as much of that stock as they can cash their 401k's in for.

What is the letter you get with your paycheck? A picture of the payday game and a side note saying this is your last one, its been nice knowing ya, but just like our other game of LIFE someone has to lose.?

[robbdaman]

Companies big or small in the end only care about the bottom line. Of course the bigger they get the higher that bottom line goes because investors only care about their investment, not the employees they have put out of work. Sure there are many bosses and employees that do care but that only goes so far. In this economy people really only look out for themselves.

[Hackmaster +12]

Originally Posted by cavebehr

All of those pictures were from companies they bought out.

Doesn't matter. Hasbro is the name of the company that produces all those things.

Originally Posted by cavebehr

I believe someone must work for the big company, or has too much reason to be loyal. I just hope that the WOTC people who have to collect unemployment soon are just as loyal and buy as much of that stock as they can cash their 401k's in for.

Huh? I'm sure that you will find people "loyal" to a lot of companies. Doesn't mean they work for them, or have "too much reason, unless "too much reason" means that said companies have earned their trust, in which case it is perfectly justified.

Originally Posted by cavebehr

What is the letter you get with your paycheck? A picture of the payday game and a side note saying this is your last one, its been nice knowing ya, but just like our other game of LIFE someone has to lose.?

Seriously? Now you're just going for the cheap laughs without even trying to be reasonable. Not to mention that you've completely ignored the other parts of my post.

[Chardar]

I for one am loyal to some companies that have impressed me in the past, and Hasbro/WotC is one of those.

I enjoyed the Pokemon TCG when I was little. Now I enjoy Heroscape, Ravenloft, and Magic. All WotC games. The fact that I have enjoyed their games in the past makes me more likely to purchase their games in the future, such as Battleship Galaxies. If a game is clearly bad then I won't buy it, regardless of who made it, but I am more likely to seriously consider a product that is made by a company that I have been happy with in the past.

This is the same basic principle as looking at the game's designer. I am more likely to consider purchasing a game with a name like Colby Dauch or Craig Van Ness on it than I am from someone that I have never heard of.

I can be opened minded. I have been very pleased with Ticket to Ride, but the majority of games in my collection were from the companies/designers mentioned above.

[cavebehr]

At the cost of those games, stocks, and the unemployed, there was nothing cheap about those laughs.

I am staying as light hearted as I originally was, you sir have brought on some sort of vicious attack for only the reason that someone does not like a certain company.

Take a breath, take your blood pressure, and take a break.

I have my opinion and you have yours.