Greetings All,
Perhaps I can shed some light on why we have not released the full version of the PH in PDF format.
Akrasia is correct in stating that almost all other RPG companies (I say almost, because I've in no way researched the scores of RPG companies out there) have released the rule books in PDF format. There are several reasons for this:
1) Some believe it doesn't impact the sales of printed books at all.
This may be true, though gathering empirical evidence for it is almost impossible. It is difficult to ascertain as to whether releasing a product in pdf causes a decline in sales of a particular item because once its out there in pdf, you don't know what impact it has on hard sales because you can't compare the two. Of course you can compare it to another product of the same genre. And though not entirely accurate it can give you some idea. Off of this sales data most publishers have released pdfs of their products.
2) Some companies release in pdf because sales of the print copies are low and they are looking to cultivate another revenue stream.
This is certainly helpful. The revenue generated by pdf sales, though not as great as print products sales has yielded a nice crop. And I suspect that TLG is only tapping the market, not taking advantage of the potential.
3) Some believe it augments sales. If I sell one pdf it generates a hardcopy sell.
This is out there, as there is NO evidence to support this other than internet hearsay. And the internet is notoriously structured to give the loud minority a voice. Publishers who read three customers say "I did this so blab blah blah" often over react, thinking they have a market trend. Not unlike polls on the nation scene.
4) Some believe the directly hurt sales. I've heard one estimate from one of the FEW people on the inside track of sales data in this industry remark categorically that one pdf sale costs (if I remember correctly) five hard copy sales.
Could be. Don't know. I never got to sit down and discuss it with him. Not sure I buy that though
This I know, there is no data. None. Anyone who speaks as a voice of authority is going off of assumptions he's made after carefully considering his hunches.
Where I part with you Akrasia is when you compare TLG to other companies. Set aside the fact that we are vastly superior to any other company on the face of the earth...and by that I mean we like beer more than any other company...but its like the old metaphor of comparing apples to oranges. Every company has different targets, backgrounds, products, layouts, price points, ways to measure success, business models etc etc So saying that because X company has their rules system out and it hasn't hurt sales so TLG can do it, doesn't work with me. X company may have a bigger or smaller market share than me and need to do that or can afford to do that etc etc etc etc
So the questions are two. One I don't have to answer, but will, the other I owe it to you guys to answer, but won't > Just kidding I will hahaahah (I'm in rare form today).
1) Why has the PH not been released in its full form?
It is my firm belief that maintaining a presence in RETAIL shops gets C&C more exposure than the electronic market does. I base this off of simple observations. Go to RPGNow and look over the front page and find Troll Lord Games. You can't. You can for about 5 hours after I release a product but then it is pushed off. You can search for TLG, you can follow the Product or company function keys etc. But there is no shelf space when you enter the store. When a retailer displays a TLG book in his store it generally stays on the shelf, getting exposure (maybe not sales) but exposure so long as that book is there.
The more it sells the more retailers and distributors push it as it becomes a revenue generating product for them. This can become very big (literally as I'm typing my consolidator just hollered at me about a 2K sale (retail) from a distributor. We've been working this angle for about a week. And it netted a nice profit for us.
The more books sell on RPGnow, well, the more they sale. Its much like the direct to consumer sales. By and large about 60% of our direct sales are to the same people. PDFs are about the same (it actually used to be easy to track, not so easy now).
Meaning to say that sales in PDF don't seem to generate growth, whereas sales in the print market do.
This is just my observations of course.
Also, I've used the lack of PH pdf as a marketing point with retailers at GTS and other shows I've run into them. By telling them that the PH is NOT available in PDF they get very happy. Now, does this influence their buying patterns? No way of knowing. It probably does with one of my favorite retailers Marcus King at Titan Games, but otherwise its hard to say.
2) When, if ever, is TLG going to release the full version of the PH?
We are and soon. I had planned on doing it on the first of January but various and sundry things got in my way. I will probably do it on the 1st of March.
Given my babble from above? Why? What's changed?
Well, we are easing toward a 4th printing. The fourth printing will have some noticeable additions to it, making a hard cover as usable/desirable as PDFs (we think). It will probably have a different look as well. Though it will in NO WAY offer new rules, mechanics etc etc. It will be the exact same game (how's that for a teaser).
But also, if my argument above is true, and generally the same people who are buying pdfs are repeat pdf costumers they are probably not having any noticeable impact on my print sales. Its taken me a while to become comfortable with this notion and I'm still not to be honest. But given the fact the 3rd printing has been out for awhile, the MT is out as PDF and the the 4th printing is coming down the pipe it is about time.
Hope that helps.
Steve
_________________
The High Lord, Coburg the Undying
He who sits on the elephants back
Castle and Crusade Society
troll@trolllord.com
