As I sit down and attempt to write this first blog to document the design and production of my first traditional Roleplaying game, Free Spacer a couple interesting things have happened.
On November 6, 2009, in an article for Gamasutra “Q&A: CCP On Keeping EVE Online Fresh And Growing”
Christian Nutt asked Ryan Dancey an interesting question:
Can you fill me in on the status of White Wolf, the physical game company CCP acquired in Atlanta?
And Ryan Dancey said the most extraordinary thing:
It’s just an imprint… White Wolf used to have a fairly large staff. It doesn’t anymore. It’s focusing primarily on the World of Darkness RPG products. It’s not doing some of the things it used to do; board games and other card games and things. The focus of the company [CCP] is on making MMOs and our legacy table top business is a legacy business.
So White Wolf is now “just an imprint” that a far fall from the number two RPG company, but I suppose after CPP saved it from bankruptcy it’s unsurprising. Seems strange that they bothered to reboot World of Darkness to be a “legacy business” babysat by a downsized White Wolf and grumpy old Mr. Dancey. It is a bit depressing to see the RPG world with only one superpower, but could this perhaps be an opportunity for small scale operations? I hope so, because with the increasing acceptance of Gaming (Video, Board, and RPG) in popular culture I think the industry could actually expand. Not with White Wolf’s help though as CPP considers the “table top business… …a legacy business.”
I guess we’ll all have to work a little bit harder to push our secret geek subculture. I’m doing my part, I’ve been designing my Science Fiction RPG Free Spacer since January 2009 and we have finally begun playtesting. I believe It is all coming together.
Darren Johnson gives this great examination of Ryan Dancey and his legacy: http://www.roleplaymedia.net/profiles/blogs/in-which-ryan-dancey-throws