Dear WotC

Dear WotC,

I know this fall on deaf ears, but something must be said. Please stop sucking the soul out of D&D. Many people in the role playing community already believe that you have taken it upon yourselves to kill this franchise. I do not believe so; I think you bought it up when a floundering TSR needed help. Then, you yourself had money issues and had to have Hasbro come and help. Yet, by doing so you have helped to hurt this fan, and I believe millions of others.

I will not get into who is selling better, though it must be a thorn in your side that the previous edition; while under a different name, is selling better than your newest line. I will not say that the game has turned into a video game on paper that has been brought up and beaten to death on many forums. I will not point out that I have heard rumors you are pulling all minis and even stopping your publishing of books. That can be debated elsewhere.

My concern, WotC, is that you have truly lost your way and instead of sitting back and laughing like many other people out in the æther have done, I offer you this; you can find your way back.

Stop rushing products out that are half done and unpolished. Stop having celebrities shill your product--most of the older generations have become immune to this. Stop touting yourselves as THE system and realize that, while once this was true, it is no longer the case.

At this point, gentle WotC; you must think that I am an Old Guard gamer. One who looks at anything published after the late 70's as so much refuse. I assure you, I am not. I loved 2nd edition. I have even come to like the strange and somewhat awkward cousin of 3rd ed. (I use 3rd ed. as a blanket term for 3 and 3.5.) I even owe 4E and 4Essential books. Yet, I also own Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, Silver Age Sentinel, Savage Worlds, Star Wars Saga, Star Wars West End, Hackmaster, and the retro clones of OSRIC, S&W, LL, Basic Roleplaying and LotFP. I like them all. Even some of the lore of your own 4E. Yet, the mechanics are wonky, mages have become magical turrets and...I apologize I was starting to rant about my issues with your system and I shouldn't.

WotC, please, please, please, I hope you can find yourself out of this quagmire that is the 4th edition swamp. And, there is something very easy for you to do. Simply listen to what people are saying. I don't mean your newest members. I mean the old guard too.

I for one and hoping that you will find a way out of this strange hole you have dug for yourselves. And, I will be hoping and leaving a light on for you, so you can find your way back to us.

The Sincere rantings of
Dragolite


P.S.
Of course, this is just my opinion. I could be wrong.