Thursday, February 23, 2012

A Weis Strategy? Events for Marvel Heroic Roleplaying

The news article on the Margaret Weis website regarding future releases for Marvel Heroic Roleplaying reports something interesting:
Each MARVEL HEROES Event builds on the Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Basic Game and best-selling Marvel publishing events to provide a complete open-ended super hero game experience. The Event Book is the central product, with Event Supplements adding characters and expanding play.

Essential Editions are full color casebound hardcovers priced at 29.99 and include a full MARVEL HEROES campaign, with character rosters, locations, and expanded rules. Best value for those who already have the Operations Manual from the MARVEL HEROES Basic Game.

Premium Editions are full color prestige hardcovers priced at 39.99 and include all the Essentials Edition content plus the Operations Manual and additional resources.

If I understand this correctly, Premium Editions essentially reprint the entire Operations Manual from the Basic Game in addition to the full 'campaign' material for the Event in question.

In contrast, Essential Editions do not include the Operations Manual -- which is great for all the people who got it with the Basic Game.

What does this mean?
  • Premium Editions are essentially 'complete RPGs' with core rules + additional rules + setting + timelines + characters.
  • Essential Editions are the equivalent of a standard RPG sourcebook, with additional rules + setting + timeline + characters.
Interesting strategy to tackle the non-RPG market of Marvel Super-hero fans. Let's see if it works.

2 comments:

  1. I think the rules system has a flow that is quick and excellent for story telling. I think the marketing is clever as players can by the less expensive book and the Watcher can buy the Event book. Here is an interview that I got with the Design Lead Cam Banks, if you want more info. http://gamingtonic.com/blog/2012/02/interview-with-cam-banks-lead-design-new-marvel-heroic-roleplaying-game/

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    Replies
    1. Hi Christopher,

      Thanks for that link! I'm off to finish reading it now. So far, it does crystalize a lot of my theories on what we can see in the future.

      Great job!

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That's my side of things. Let me know what you think, my friend.