Marcus King of Titan Games & Music in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, MI read our recent article on RPG PDFs (see “RPG PDF Publishers Double Down”) and responds with this open letter to the RPG publishers mentioned in the article:
Dear Industry Friends:
In response to the White Wolf announcement that their Exalted 2nd Edition book will be free on PDFs -- I want to know, can they please send my store four free copies of the actual printed book? I mean, if the PDF is free, why would anyone ever need the printed book? And although I have several copies on hand, in stock at both my stores, evidently I am just a schmuck for stocking this title! Golly, thanks White Wolf!
To my dear and close friend Lisa Stevens of Paizo, a person I care about, and a company I support, I want to say that in response to the 35% off Pathfinder books, "Lisa, will you please extend an additional 35% discount to your distribution and retail partners, who carry and support your companies products?"
To my friends at Green Ronin, including Chris Pramas, would you also like to drop the MSRP of your True20 core book to $9.99 -- so that your distribution and retail partners can continue to support that title, and your line?
Maybe it's just me. I'm a retailer, I just opened our second location of Titan Games & Music (in Kalamazoo, Michigan, if anyone cares), but when I see the companies, whose products I support and proudly tout to my customers, giving special pricing/treatment to a different tier or supply channel than the ones my company is in I find it incredibly insulting.
Now, let me be clear. I will still be ordering White Wolf’s Exalted, True20 and Pathfinder. I am not boycotting anyone's products, or dismissing their efforts. All of those companies, and those products, do well in my store(s). But, I am insulted that my friends, my business "partners" or "publishing suppliers" value another sales channel so much that they would make a special effort to support that channel over the one I have worked in for 20+ years, and hope to work in for another 20.
Like I said, maybe it's just me.
The opinions expressed in this Talk Back article are solely those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff of ICv2.com.
