Editionitis

Saturday Potpourri

OOPS!

 

 Welcome back!

First of all, I'd like to apologize for the interruption. I lost internet usage due to some bull-ca-ca (tenants + landlords + disagreement = bullshit), and quite frankly, while I had access through my phone, i refuse to write coding via Iphone app. On the same note, I still do not have access to the internet and am currently occupying my brothers couch and using his interwebz to post, so I'll try to write a goodly few posts to cover future interruptions (I found I have half a dozen Tutorial Tuesday's written up and ready to post, but no Thursday Theories OR Saturday Potpourri... so I'll fix that!).  How's that for dedication!

AAAAAANYways, on to the subject at hand!

Today I want to talk about New Editions and what they do for the games we play.

Now I'm sure many of you are playing a game of some sort (if not, get on it, or else this blog isn't going to be much help to you...). I'm also (relatively) sure that of these games, few are on their very first edition. And lastly, while I'm on my assumptive know-it-all-for-the-sake-of-the-article kick, I'm sure all of you who have been playing these games since an earlier edition, have seen rules change in your favorite system, and you remember a day when such-and-such was better because *engage Rosey-tinted flashback*.

Well I'm here to tell you that change is good, get over the rules changes, and stop complaining.

(kettle calling the pot black say whaaaaat?)

Where do I get off you ask (dirty turn of phrase though that may be). Well let me tell you.

Change in the games we love only leads to good things, despite what the internet would have you believe. It really isn't in a companies best interest to make edition changes just to turn a higher profit, again, despite what the internet would have you believe. Companies such as Games workshop and Wizards of the Coast/Paizo/Hasbro (the most guilty of money hungry tyrants according to the web) DON'T just create new editions out of hand. They create new editions in response to:

1. A changing and Maturing gamer base. 
2. To make the games more accessible to a younger audience. 
3. In response to what the loud and proud and downright ASSHOLISH internet crowd demands. 
4. And lastly, YES they change editions to make more money (but that is a good thing). 

Think about those points for a second while I explain my rational behind these points.

1. The gamer base is ever evolving. The worlds population, as a whole is expanding exponentially. More importantly to my point, the concurrent gamer base seems to begin at the age of 8(!) and goes aaaaaaallllll the way out to the ripe age of 50.  This is a HUGE change from 10 years ago, when the gaming base was people aged 12-50, or when I first started and the gaming base was mostly late teens (17+) to early 50's. We are currently in the Golden Age of Gaming and the player base has evolved to match. No longer is video-gaming restricted to nerdy teens hidden in their basement shooting light-guns at ducks and dogs on their television screens. No longer is D&D purely the prevail of acne-d, bottlecap glassed teens and chubby cheetos chewing guys living in their mothers basements at the age of 30 (yes these are stereotypes, I'm making a point). And No longer is Wargaming restricted to Old men, cooped up in the basement, curling their magnificent mustaches and smoking pipes whilst moving Napoleonic troops about the board discussing the tactics of Alexander the Great.

This has all changed.

Now Video games are part and parcel of EVERY-DAY LIFE. Jocks swear at Nerds in different countries when they get sniped from across the map. D&D is headlined by mainstream actors such as Vin Diesel and Sash Grey and Mandy Morbid (yeah, THAT Sasha Grey and Mandy Morbid... So hot...). And I've Personally talked to Robin Williams and WILL SMITH (as well as his son) about Warhammer 40K while they played games in the Store I was running (yeah.. Games Workshop). Hell Even Brian May of a little known band, QUEEN, plays 40k.

What I'm trying to say is that Gaming isn't just for the "elite" (read: outcast) anymore. It's mainstream and everyone knows about it. It's in everyone's home and people, young and old, are getting into it. And the companies know this.

 2. With the ageing population of gamers, new blood is in dire need. More importantly, the Gamers that ARE currently playing, are at the majority age of having children, and these children are being exposed to gaming at a younger age. Companies, quite simply, have to to adapt to this reality. We are seeing it in games such as Super Dungeon Explorer and the newer editions of Warhammer 40k. THIS IS REALITY AND PEOPLE NEED TO DEAL WITH IT.

When I first started going into GW stores, you wouldn't even be let in the door if you were under 12. Straight up, you were not allowed in. When I became a manager of said stores, ANYONE was allowed in, regardless of age, and we were to actively recruit younger kids. Why? Two reasons:

a: Parents were coming into the store to buy stuff for their armies and the kids saw it, and wanted to play with their folks. More returning customers.

b: Parents spend, on average, $600 at Xmas on their kids in stores, let alone birthdays, random gifts, etc. And BUY-IN/Start-up for the game was generally in the $400+ range. MORE MONEY FROM YOUNGER KIDS.

It's pure business. And it's a smart business decision. If they are coming in anyways, then sell to them.

3. The Internet, whether we like it or not, has become a major influence to gaming companies. Everyone has access to the internet, at home, from their phones, at all times. And people, gamers in particular, seem to spend this time, bitching about the games they play. Companies CANNOT ignore this. They may make is seem like they do (*cough, cough* Games Workshop *cough, cough*) but in reality, that concept is assinine and ridiculous. They have a HUGE internet presence. They make MORE money via internet retail than they do in-store (in fact, the retail chain is a huge money loss each year... but I'll leave that for another post sometime...). WHY ON EARTH WOULD THEY IGNORE THE INTERNET. DUH!

They Listen, patrol, and monitor everything. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING. But more importantly, they just don't let on and just "do what they always have". Bullshit. 

On the Flip-side, we have companies like WotC/Hasbro. They are using the Internet as free playtesters of their new Edition of D&D. What an awesome idea!!! Hopefully all the loud and proud people don't make themselves the ONLY ONES HEARD and become responsible for everything that comes out. But this is a HUGE step in the right direction for companies. Corvus Belli even released their rules for Infinity for FREE on their website.

The Gaming Marketplace is evolving and becoming better. Hence, New Editions...

4. The Companies need money to continue being companies that sell the product we love. Money comes from us, the consumer. If we don't like their product, they don't make money and go away.

Simple as that.

Now, After that long winded, winding explanation, what this all boils down to is this: NEW EDITIONS ARE GOOD FOR US, THE GAMING COMMUNITY.  And If you havn't noticed, I'm not just Talking about the games. I mean the COMPANIES AS WELL. The companies themselves are ever changing... becoming NEW EDITIONS of themselves.

 They result in Us, the consumer, being happy. And in the end, isn't that why we do this?

That monkey knows what games make him smile...

Most importantly, at the end of the day, if you don't like the product of the new edition company...

Don't buy from them. 

No one is forcing you to switch to the new edition. Show some backbone and keep playing the old editions. I'll never give up my AD&D books. But I love 4E. I love 4th-7th Edition Warhammer Fantasy, but I don't like the New edition so I'll keep playing the old.

And there are others out there who, undoubtedly feel the same way as you and I do.... so find them. Buy from them.

That's what Ebay and Used book stores are for. 

Anyways, That's my spiel for the day.

Hope it makes sense.

Until next time,

Like Richard Ashcroft once sang, "I can Change, I Can't Change, That is Life."

Bean out~