No new release from TSR?

[prtr02@scorpion.nspco.co]

- ----- Begin Included Message ----
From: http://www.wizards.com/Catalog/TSR/birthright.html
>The 1998 releases for the BIRTHRIGHT campaign setting have been delayed
>indefinitely; there are no plans to release them at this time. TSR is
>researching a way to release these products in a way that would be
cost->effective and profitable for the company. When a decision has been
made, the >appropriate catalog pages will be modified accordingly.

- ----- End Included Message -----

Hmmm, this sounds fairly grim. We were told by a very reliable scource that the Birthright line relaunch was simply delayed until next year. I still believe
that. The above official message seems much more serious. I would say it's a death knell if I didn't know better.

Randax

[bloebick@juno.com (Benja]

On Tue, 23 Jun 1998 13:38:21 -0700 "Richard \"Ronnie\" Livingston"
writes:
>
>Was any one, besides me, holding their breath for the new revision?
>I've
>been bugging my local retailer constantly. I noticed the following on
>the
>TSR On-line catalog. Any real stories on what's up?

Well, I had been holding my breath until I heard from a TSR employee on
this list that everything would be delayed until next year. Since then
I've just grumbled to myself and gotten on with life.

The "official statement" sounds much worse than we have been assured is
true. Just wait until next year like the rest of us to see how things
work out.

Benjamin

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[Richard \Ronnie\ Livings]

Was any one, besides me, holding their breath for the new revision? I've
been bugging my local retailer constantly. I noticed the following on the
TSR On-line catalog. Any real stories on what's up?

From: http://www.wizards.com/Catalog/TSR/birthright.html
>The 1998 releases for the BIRTHRIGHT campaign setting have been delayed
>indefinitely; there are no plans to release them at this time. TSR is
>researching a way to release these products in a way that would be
cost->effective and profitable for the company. When a decision has been
made, the >appropriate catalog pages will be modified accordingly.

Semper Fidelis,
Ronnie

[Gary V. Foss]

Richard "Ronnie" Livingston wrote:

> Was any one, besides me, holding their breath for the new revision? I've
> been bugging my local retailer constantly. I noticed the following on the
> TSR On-line catalog. Any real stories on what's up?
>
> From: http://www.wizards.com/Catalog/TSR/birthright.html

Yeah, that's definitely an ominous sounding message. Of course, we don't know
what it means. We've heard some folks talk about pushing any Birthright
materials back to 1999 and 2000. In the corporate world, that might mean
"indefinately," though I certainly wish they would choose their words more
carefully so as not to panic everyone on this list....

We also don't know what "profitable" might mean either. It might mean they are
planning to release the materials with a paper cover rather than the hard-cover
edition they were talking about. Some sort of web release might also be
possible. Who knows? (This is my not-so-subtle plea for information from
those who are in the know....)

Personally, I don't think the signs are very good. The computer version of the
game floundered, the writing/editing staff has been given a few new projects,
and if you read the call for articles and adventures put out in the writer's
guidelines for Dragon, Dungeon and Polyhedron, they aren't looking for any new
Birthright stuff. All that adds up to a rather gloomy future.

What to do? Nothing. There is probably very little we can do. The powers
that be have remained silent, which in the publishing industry is worse than if
they had spoken and spoken negatively. In publishing, like romance,
indifference is worse than hatred. Hatred at least represents interest, and
you can work with that....

What do to? Everything. If you really want new Birthright materials from
WotWC/TSR then start writing letters, make up your own stuff and put it on a
website, or scribble down a Birthright adventure or article and send it in to
the editors of the aforementioned magazines and let them reject it or print
it. Either way they'll see that there is an interest out there and--despite
the efforts of marketing departments to present themselves as gurus of supply
and demand--companies are still much better at following a market into
profitability than creating one on their own.

- -Gary the laid-back agitator.

[Jim Cooper]

Gary V. Foss wrote:
> What to do? Nothing. There is probably very little we can do.

Not true -- you can participate in the Birthright Online City Project,
and help keep BR alive that way. We can always use more help and
ideas/comments ...

Cheers,
Darren