| From: | Gurth gurth@******.nl |
|---|---|
| Subject: | (Fwd) [ME]: Uk Gen Con 1999 - After Action Report and an OT Ba |
| Date: | Tue, 7 Sep 1999 12:05:49 +0200 |
any on this list, and it may also be interesting to those currently
engaged in the Decipher/FASA/WotC/TSR/takeovers thread.
------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
From: "Roger Stenning" <roger@******.enterprise-plc.com>
To: "Millennium's End mailing list"
<millenniums-end-l@*******.com>
Subject: [ME]: Uk Gen Con 1999 - After Action Report and an OT Bad News Report
Date sent: Mon, 6 Sep 1999 12:05:55 +0100
Send reply to: millenniums-end-l@*******.com
[this bit snipped by Gurth]
*********
NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT
Dateline: Sunday 5th September 1999, Loughborough University, UK.
Before starting this announcement, I should point out that this is based on
a public announcement at UK GC 99 by John Brown, the Chairman of RPGA(UK),
conversations with members of the steering committee of RPGA UK, and a brief
private conversation with Peter Atkinson, the CEO of WotC, all of whom were
at UK GC 99. My opinions are my own, and provided that I am informed by
personal and private e-mail, corrections will be made, if I am at fault.
RPGA(UK) HANDED OVER TO DCI COLLECTIBLE CARD GAMES ORGANISATION.
It appears that the Role Playing Games Association (UK) (RPGA UK) has been
handed over to the DCI organisation. Brief explanation; Wizards of the Coast
(WotC) bought TSR when they went belly up. In doing so, they bought the
rights to the RPGA, world-wide, including all membership lists, and personal
database entries belonging to the RPGA(UK).
RPGA(UK) had been in decline for a few years prior to this, and WotC put one
of their own employees in the chairman spot, in order to bring RPGA(UK) back
as a credible organisation for the UK Role Playing scene to rally around,
which it did, by organising the UK Gen Con events. At the same time, the
internal organisation of WotC created/extended it's marketing "Organised
Gaming" sub-division into two sub-trees, one for RPGA(UK) and one for their
mainly CCG (Collectable Card games) section, called DCI (don't ask, I don't
know what it stands for). DCI is WotC's own creation, as I understand this.
DCI is obviously aimed at supporting the core actions of WotC - selling M:tg
CCG packs and games. RPGA is aimed at the RPG hobby as a whole, but with
emphasis on selling TSR line products. It's all a marketing exercise, when
you come down to it, but one which aids (or did until Sunday) all of us.
Sunday, immediately following the UK Gen Con 1999 prize-giving ceremony,
John Brown, RPGA(UK) Chairman, announced that the entire RPGA(UK) committee,
including himself, were stepping down from their posts, as the RPGA(UK) had
been handed in its entirety to DCI, in an internal WotC restructuring
operation. Paraphrased, Mr Brown explained was bad news for us as RP Gamers,
as the man in charge from now on was exclusively a CCG player, and had
little or no interest in RP gaming.
The effect on the audience was immediate, and visible: From a mirth-filled
crowd enjoying the last few hours of the premiere Games Convention in the
UK, the mood changed to that of a wake following a funeral.
After this, I managed to grab a few minutes of Peter Atkinson's time (He's
CEO of WotC in the US, and runs the entire organisation). He was rather
surprised at this announcement, and had no knowledge of what had been in the
offing, stating that "Something's gotten f***ed up", and that he was really
"pissed" about the entire situation.
I am NOT condemning WotC's position at all. They are in business to make
money, and have, after all, the right to run their show in the way they see
fit.
I am, however, calling into question the sense in placing a Collectible Card
Game player, with apparently no interest in RP games, in charge of a
primarily Role-Playing Organisation such as RPGA(UK).
This action by WotC can only harm our hobby, in my view.
*****
Best regards,
Roger Stenning
ISG Web Design Services
http://homepages.enterprise.com/isgwds00000/index.html
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