WotC Refocuses Its Publishing Program

[Battleground]

WotC Refocuses Its Publishing Program
On Two Core Brands
July 30, 2008

Will ContinueWizards of the Coast has announced a decision to refocus the company’s publishing program on its two core brands, Magic the Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons.  WotC’s 2008 publishing program will remain unchanged, but starting in 2009 any book not tied to Magic or D&D will be removed from the publishing schedule.  This means that the Discoveries imprint will be discontinued at the end of 2008.

WotC’s Mirrorstone imprint will continue to produce volumes for Dungeons & Dragons like the Practical Guide and the Dragon Codex series.  R.A. Salvatore's Stone of Tymora trilogy, a new Forgotten Realms series for young adult readers will go on, but other series in the Mirrorstone imprint that do not support either Magic or D&D will not continue in 2009.

Wizards' efforts to refocus its book publishing efforts mirror changes announced earlier this week in WotC’s online efforts—namely the elimination of its Gleemax social networking site in favor of full concentration on the Magic the Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons online games.

[Battleground]

I'm actually very glad to see WOTC taking these steps. These "other" books seemed to appeal to too small of an audience to warrent the attention that was being given to them. Their two successful brands are so good it seems silly to let them twist in the wind by under-supporting them.

When I was looking at their upcoming product schedule, to the end of 2008, there were a whole bunch of books that had me scratching my head and wondering who they were actually for.

[Jonathan]

As someone who works in the library field I know that a fair number of libraries buy the "other" books.  Libraries are the #1 consumer of print media (and soon to be, in my estimation the #1 consumer of non-print media).  If libraries will buy the product, and if it is used by the libraries, then it is smart of Wizards to continue producing the other titles.

I can appreciate the desire to focus more attention on brands that work but I'm concerned that his means they won't pay attention to new ideas/brands that could be even bigger than their existing two.  Something bigger is always around the corner and they may end up turning a blind eye to it.