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PolyCon XXIII Pre-register for PolyCon XXIII for $25: (18 and over only Minors must use minor form) 
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Welcome to the Next Edition
by Joe "the Squid" Parzanese (Supporter of Squid Con) What is the fate of the Role Playing game? Apparently to have the same material re-done, re-packaged and re-sold to you at a higher price tag. In an industry where currently brand new and fresh RPGs are sadly very rarely successful, most companies have been sticking with the tried and true premise of selling new editions of their already successful and already proven role playing games. And it does make sense from a financial perspective. The games already have a fan following and have already proven that they can turn a profit for the company. The question is, however, do we need all these new editions. Some might say "Yes", some might say "No". With the recent releases of GURPS 4th Edition and Vampire: The Requiem, which is really just Vampire 4th Edition (at least I believe we're on 4th Edition), two big game companies, Steve Jackson Games and White Wolf have just told all of their fans to buy again. Apparently Ars Magica 5th Edition, Big Eyes Small Mouth 3rd Edition, and Chill 3rd Edition are all coming out soon. Obviously Wizards of the Coast has recently released Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Edition (which is just ludicrous to me, what's next Toon 1.1?) and plans are supposedly already in the rumor mill about Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition. Oh, and Call of Cthulhu is on its 6th Edition and of course Champions is going strong on 5th Edition. Currently the fate of future Role Playing Games is at stake. Very few new games have made a splash in the industry. Many of the D20 companies have gone out of business or closed up shop. Those larger gaming companies that had D20 lines have either canceled or cut back on their offerings. Apparently Alderac Entertainment Group and Atlas Games have slowed down or completely stopped their D20 lines. As a side note, I hear Atlas's Nyambe line is really good. Despite the crash of the smaller D20 companies and the failure of several new non D20 games, depending on the focus of the convention, RPGs are still the number one game played at most of them. Which leads me to believe that RPGs will continue to go strong for quite a while. However, it will be the existing RPGs that continue to go strong, not new ones. Now I can't confirm the need for every new edition. I must admit I liked the idea that White Wolf had of putting out the World of Darkness book as the main book. I'm clueless though if the latest Vampire is any different than the previous one. When I asked one game store owner about it, he stated "It still uses D10's, that's all I know." The debate rages harsher and stronger about the need for D&D 3.5. I'm not quite sure we needed an all new edition, but then again my opinion on the matter may not be the best as I just played an AD&D 1st Edition game a few weeks ago. Regardless, I constantly hear arguments about if the 3.5 edition is better than the 3rd Edition which typically leads to someone stating that 1st Edition beats all of them out. Begin argument over again, wash, rinse, repeat. Now some editions can be argued as beneficial to the game. GURPS 4th Edition at least took a long time, 16 years roughly, in coming, and according to Steve Jackson Games the new edition is justified. Chill has once again changed hands and is now owned by Otherworld Creations which of course explains the latest edition. As to Call of Cthulhu 6th Edition, well, it's almost the same as Call of Cthulhu 5th Edition which was very similar to Call of Cthulhu 4th Edition. Big Eyes Small Mouth just had the second edition released in 2000, three years after the first edition. Expect 4th Edition in 2007. In the case of Ars Magica 5th Edition, it was in 1996 that the 4th Edition was released, so maybe an updated version is warranted. Regardless of if a new version is warranted or not, regardless of if that new cover, that new system, that spiffy reprinting is really necessary for the role playing game, apparently that's what the consumer wants. Because that is what is selling in the stores. The role playing games that are performing well dollar wise are those games that have been around for awhile, that have developed a fan following and a player base, and are now the ones that have reached several editions. I saw several wonderful role playing games emerge from the creative minds of gamers everywhere last year. Where are they today? Gone. Lost in a glut of D20 products and forced to the dollar bins by the latest edition from the sure thing heavy hitters club. Sadly I can't say that I'm completely innocent. I have D&D 3rd Edition. I do not have D&D 3.5 however. I will probably buy Ars Magica 5th Edition. I will buy the latest edition of Chill. I have Call of Cthulhu 4th Edition. It works just fine for my games. So what's the fate of the role playing game? It looks like D&D 8.63 Edition, Vampire: the Blood Lust 12th Edition, and Call of Cthulhu 23rd Edition. Eric's note: Joe left off the greatest and most overdue new edition of them all - Paranoia XP (aka Paranoia 3rd ed.) It's well written, incredibly funny, and long out of print. Go buy it. Joe's Note: Citizens, I apologize for my treasonous behavior and will rush to the store immediately to purchase the new release from Mongoose Publishing. All hail the computer.
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