Going. If you sort the events by game, every game they produce (or major line that has been produced) is represented. If Wotc bails we loose a few offical sponshorships and a large vendor on the merchant floor.

 Side note, WOTC had to already have their vendor/display site application and fees in already, right? Is there anyway to see if Gencon LLC can comment on if this was recieved? That would be intresting.

I imagine if the fees are not in, GenCon doesn't want to jump the gun and say no, WotC isn't coming, and I'm quite sure that in July, if WotC says, Hey, case cleared, we're good to go, got a place for us? there will magically /be/ a place.

If I were the powers that be at GenCon, which I am not, but if I were, I would have /2/ exhibitor floor plans, and I'd continue planning every single exhibitor up to Aug 13 with a place with, and without WotC. And I darn sure wouldn't make any announcement about their attendance until WotC confirms attendance.

In fact, I'd do that for any largish exhibitor. Heck, if Hasbro or someone says after the deadline, "Hey, we'd like X amount of space, can you fit us in?" I would say YES! Pay up! We'll absolutely work with you.

So I for one, am /not/ going to demand a 'final' list of Exhibitors. Doesn't mean I wouldn't turn down a list of confirmed, though!

The only real problem I see with that is, what do you do with the vendors who were going to use that space? I guess you could always have it open gaming in the dealers hall then if WoTC decides to show put them there. But I mean, I'm sure there are alot of vendors who do get cut every year because of this kind of stuff. Hard to say, either way it doesn't really effect me other then if they don't come I don't have to walk around the giant lines they produce for things. But that is just me, and I know a lot of people do look forward to their booth there every year. 

Nono, you have /two/ separate floor plans. So one has WotC in the back corner, and one has an extension of Video Gaming there or something. You don't away /any/ vendors, so long as they fit the criteria and pay. GenCon clearly needs as much income as possible. WotC is an important client, and a loarge source of funds. You don't just say, 'sorry, missed the deadline,' to that much money. Especially if you're struggling to meet overdue obligations.

Vallan:

Hasbro owns WotC. 

Hasbro has huge holdings in licensed products for Star Wars. 

Which sells more - licensed Star Wars stuff (new pieces of which come out every season) or WotC stuff? 

Lucas and GenCon are embroiled in bankruptcy court.

WotC is not commiting to GenCon until they know more about the court outcomes.

Seen in this light, makes perfect sense.

It may hurt GenCon, WotC and DnD, but for Hasbro, they will follow the money. 

 

 

Stupid me, why can't I use logic? Good point, Vallan.

The Chronek:

Vallan:

Hasbro owns WotC. 

Hasbro has huge holdings in licensed products for Star Wars. 

Which sells more - licensed Star Wars stuff (new pieces of which come out every season) or WotC stuff? 

Lucas and GenCon are embroiled in bankruptcy court.

WotC is not commiting to GenCon until they know more about the court outcomes.

Seen in this light, makes perfect sense.

It may hurt GenCon, WotC and DnD, but for Hasbro, they will follow the money. 

 

 

Stupid me, why can't I use logic? Good point, Vallan.

Edit which reminds me, isn't there a clone wars movie coming out this summer with a major toy line to push.  

dontadow:

 Some times i get the feeling that wotc is the red headed step child of hasbro.

Hey, what did I do this time?

It won't ruin my experience, but I will say that I play Magic and D&D Minis, and the number one thing I was looking forward to this year was a D&D Minis League, and of course, playing some Magic, and trying out 4e.

As it sits now, I'll just spend that time in the Anime area or demo-ing/playing other games. And I can absolutely, 100% tell you that if WotC boycotts Gen Con, I will boycott WotC until such time as they return to Gen Con in their usual capacity. No sourcebooks, no minis, no Magic Online. I've got waaaay too many interests to be jerked around by one company.

dontadow:

The Chronek:

Vallan:

Hasbro owns WotC. 

Hasbro has huge holdings in licensed products for Star Wars. 

Which sells more - licensed Star Wars stuff (new pieces of which come out every season) or WotC stuff? 

Lucas and GenCon are embroiled in bankruptcy court.

WotC is not commiting to GenCon until they know more about the court outcomes.

Seen in this light, makes perfect sense.

It may hurt GenCon, WotC and DnD, but for Hasbro, they will follow the money. 

 

 

Stupid me, why can't I use logic? Good point, Vallan.

Ah,  didn't even realize that youre right. Star wars probably makes a ton more money for hasbro than d and d in that sense it would come down to the actual bottom line. Some times i get the feeling that wotc is the red headed step child of hasbro.

 

Edit which reminds me, isn't there a clone wars movie coming out this summer with a major toy line to push.  

But to me it doesn't make any sense, if you accept that logic.  Lucas is a creditor of Gen Con's.  In other words Gen Con owes them, or a third party beneficiary of theirs, lots of money.  If you take the logic that Hasbro is "following the money", then WotC ought to do everything it can to assist Gen Con.  Harming Gen Con financially would be their last logical choice.  By harming Gen Con you reduce Lucas' ability to collect on its debts. 

I think GenCon should punish WOTC by putting a large bus in front of their booth space.  There's precedence for this!  Fat Dragon Games nearly had to change their name to "Modestly Plump Dragon Games" after last year.

Seriously, it could be a simple as WOTC doesn't want to get caught in the middle.  One can "what if" this issue repeatedly. 

As far as the "topic" goes... nope, I don't give a wet slap if WoTC shows up or not. They no longer make any products that my group plays, so as far as I'm concerned, that's a metric crapton of floorspace that could be going to gaming companies who don't suck.

Draven:

Seriously, it could be a simple as WOTC doesn't want to get caught in the middle.  One can "what if" this issue repeatedly. 

True enough.

This was a response to something that someone from another Message Board received today from a WOTC Rep. 

Wizards and GenCon FAQ:

Q: Why are there no D&D or Wizards events on the schedule posted for Gen Con at http://www.gencon.com?

A: Wizards had not submitted a schedule of events by the Gen Con deadline. Since we hadn’t submitted our own schedule, none of our events are in the official Gen Con schedule at this time.

Q: Will Wizards attend Gen Con in 2008?

A: As you may be aware, Gen Con is currently in chapter 11 bankruptcy. Wizards’ plans relative to Gen Con are dependent on the course of proceedings in US bankruptcy court. While we hope to participate in Gen Con, we must await further proceedings in the bankruptcy matter before we are able to confirm our plans.

Q: You previously announced that [Living Forgotten Realms/D&D Miniatures Championship/any other event] would be at Gen Con. Is that still true?

A: We are committed to our specific programs, such as the launch of Living Forgotten Realms and the D&D Miniatures Championship. Those events will take place in some form. However, as we cannot make a general prediction about our relationship with Gen Con, we likewise can’t make any pronouncements yet about a specific program. Keep visiting http://www.wizards.com for the most up-to-date information about our events and programs.

Xefe:

dontadow:

The Chronek:

Vallan:

Hasbro owns WotC. 

Hasbro has huge holdings in licensed products for Star Wars. 

Which sells more - licensed Star Wars stuff (new pieces of which come out every season) or WotC stuff? 

Lucas and GenCon are embroiled in bankruptcy court.

WotC is not commiting to GenCon until they know more about the court outcomes.

Seen in this light, makes perfect sense.

It may hurt GenCon, WotC and DnD, but for Hasbro, they will follow the money. 

 

 

Stupid me, why can't I use logic? Good point, Vallan.

Ah,  didn't even realize that youre right. Star wars probably makes a ton more money for hasbro than d and d in that sense it would come down to the actual bottom line. Some times i get the feeling that wotc is the red headed step child of hasbro.

 

Edit which reminds me, isn't there a clone wars movie coming out this summer with a major toy line to push.  

But to me it doesn't make any sense, if you accept that logic.  Lucas is a creditor of Gen Con's.  In other words Gen Con owes them, or a third party beneficiary of theirs, lots of money.  If you take the logic that Hasbro is "following the money", then WotC ought to do everything it can to assist Gen Con.  Harming Gen Con financially would be their last logical choice.  By harming Gen Con you reduce Lucas' ability to collect on its debts. 

 This lawsuit sure as heck is not about the money.  100k is chump change to Lucas Art.  Heck, they probably have a dozen other companies who owe them 10 to 20 times as much.

  This is to teach gencon a lesson and Hasbro could lose STar Wars contracts for the next 2 decades by even hinting that they are on Gencon's side in this. Big companies don't sue because they want the money, they do it to prove a point, whether its swaying a law or protecting an asset. Wotc's hands are obviously tied so there's nothing really you can blame them about, rpga too.  You got to look at hte big picture, Hasbro loses some exclusive star wars lines because wotc sponsors gencon.  They lose a multi hundred million dollar contract.  Wotc only brings in a fraction of that and Hasbro has to cut some fat to make their investors happy.  The card game department is spinned off into another company and the board game/other content are sold to make up the losses. 

LordVader831:

Q: Why are there no D&D or Wizards events on the schedule posted for Gen Con at http://www.gencon.com?

A: Wizards had not submitted a schedule of events by the Gen Con deadline. Since we hadn’t submitted our own schedule, none of our events are in the official Gen Con schedule at this time.

Geez...what a snarky and insulting response.  Yeah, WotC, we all know how it works...you can spare us the lesson.

Personally, its two-fold.  It doesn't matter to me in the practical sense if they attend or not - I dont really buy anything they're sellin'.  Nor have I ever won any swag.  However, their presence as a big money exhibitor does tend to add a lot of excitement and glamour to the Dealer Hall.  It would seem notched down if there was no huge Wizards booth and all the miscellany that goes along with it.

Draven:

Anyone know when the final Exhibitor map is/should be released?

Lucas sued because they didn't think they were going to get the money otherwise they wouldn't have sued in the first place. 

100K isn't chump change to even GE.   Lawsuits between corporations are always about money. 

Corporations don't teach each other lessons.  (That's junior high behavior, not board room behavior.) If doing business isn't profitable, or there is more profit to be had elsewhere they just cease to do business together.  If Lucus didn't want Hasbro doing business with Gen Con, he would have said that, Hasbro would have sent that directive to WotC, and we wouldn't be having this conversation.   Corporations are cold, efficient, profit oriented machines and they generally don't act like petty teenage girls.  Generally, of course, being the operative word.  

 My wife and I signed up for Blackmoor not knowing what it was.  We thought it was a one time D and D game.  Nope it wasn't had we have had good times every since.  Nice Freindly people to work with.  Even got Dave Arneson to sign my Temple of the Frog Book. 

 Tobi

Heard the same thing about WoTC waiting to see the out come of the court.  But when will that be, before GENCON or after? 

 I go to CON's to game with new people and try games I can't play at my house.  I was a big RPGA player a long time ago but have since grown out of it. There is no draw for me anymore, it doesn't give me that "I'm special" feeling anymore (wait does that sound wierd), anyway it just seems distant for me.  I hope WoTC shows up cause I have (or had) alot of good friends that work for them and would like to see them and like someone said, it would be good for the community as a whole.  Or maybe it's a marketing ploy...lol.

Just my two cents.

I've already gotten all 4 components of my GenCon trip (Badge, hotel, flight, events) out of the way. While I find it a bit upsetting that WotC and RPGA did not appear in the event catalog (I wanted to get in on the ground floor of LFR) It didn't affect my decisions that much. I might have bought one or two products at the WotC booth each year I've been there. I'm far more likely to spend far more money at other booths, like Green Ronin, Malhavoc or Chessex. I can get most of the WotC books right after I get home from the con, without worrying about how I will get them home. I really hope this gets resolved soon though, as even the seminars normally run by WotC are not there this year. I really enjoyed listening to Salvatore, Greenwood, and other authors speak about their characters, books and projects. I like the "Secrets of (Setting name here)" that they have each year. To me, these things are just as important to GenCon as the gaming events are, and not having them as well is a real shame.

 Long answer short, their absence will not prevent me from going or having a good time, but it will be noted.