Brian Sturk
United States
Hudson
New Hampshire
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I'm very upset to report that Wizards of the Coast has cancelled this most excellent game due to lack of sales.
Details here:
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=935873
~telengard
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Scott Alden
United States
Dallas
Texas
Aldie's Full of Love!
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Bummer.
Perhaps they can look beyond the collectible aspect of *some* of their games?
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If Actions Speak Louder Than Words, Then Actions x2 Speak Louder Than Actions
United States
Hutto
Texas
Suspended?!?
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Ah, yeah! Soon to be real cheap, time to dust off my condor costume.
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James McHugh
United States
Chicago
Illinois
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I think everyone that went to the dreamblade forums seen this coming for a long time. It stinks, but finally someone at wotc said something.
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Tony Vigil
United States
Waynesboro
Pennsylvania
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That's too bad for Dreamblade, but I am certainly looking forward to purchasing quite a few Dreamblade boosters at GenCon next year. They should be pretty cheap next summer.
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Brian Michelson
United States
Des Moines
Iowa
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Didn't this replace Hecatomb? And didn't this also have poor sales and a strong following?
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Alexander E. Stevens
United States
Harrisburg
Pennsylvania
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Bare2theBone wrote: I think everyone that went to the dreamblade forums seen this coming for a long time.
Agreed. I actually backed off the game partially because I could smell the stagnation. I know that, in a way, contributed to the problem, but I didn't see my purchases helping, especially since this town is not big on gaming anyway.
Like the rest of you, all I can say is; atleast they're going to be cheap. Then expensive again. But first cheap.
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Dave Kudzma
United States
Gumboro
Delaware
Muffins.
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It's funny, I just had a bunch of minis players finally come over and watch us play Dreamblade the other day. They all said "So that's what this game is like? That's awesome!"
They all admitted to shunning the game, and turning friends away from purchasing it. Now they all want to give it a chance....right when Wizards has decided it's over.
That's why I love board games. At least I don't have to sink money into a collectible pit that will have limited rewards and shelf life.
I'll continue to play...and mebbe I can even convert some more players over to the game after it gets discounted.
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Seth Owen
United States
Norwich
Connecticut
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I was turned off by the quick release of the first four sets. It seemed like there wasn't enough time to digest one before another one was already on the way. I think a more deliberate pace would have served them better.
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Matt Shepherd
Canada
Sherbrooke
Quebec
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As stated above: looking forward to picking this up on the cheap. I've been getting a LOT of mileage out of the unfortunate Hecatomb game over the last year, and Dreamblade seems to suffer the same fate of being a slightly TOO good (deep) game to appeal to the Magic crowd, and a bit TOO dark to loosen Mom's purse-strings enough to keep the main CCG players buying it...
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I feel like I should be adding something here : I agree with Seth`s statement : the expansions were released too quick and with a too brief of time between them. I can`t imagine that the majority of Dreamblade players {including myself} would have `grasped` at the finer details of each expansion and each character. Heaven forbid that we would have found the time to create unique warbands.
So all in all, with the cancellation of Hecatomb fresh in the back of my mind, I can only say that I am not surprised that this got cancelled and in some weird way : I`m relieved : my purse will certainly benefit from this 
Dreamblade, you`ve been a great friend that had some unique things going on yet it`s only now I will be able to appreciate your uniqueness to the fullest.
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Todd Bookman
United States
Lancaster
Pennsylvania
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There's afew hardcore Dreamblade players at my FLGS who are pretty ticked off at Wizards right now. And I mean REALLY ticked off.
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Matt Shepherd
Canada
Sherbrooke
Quebec
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Convince them to give all their figures away in protest!
"Why," you could say, "you should show those jerks by mailing all your figures to some dude in CANADA!"
And then give them my address.
That'll show those Wizards guys! Mailing them all to CANADA! Ha!
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Joe Stude
United States
Plymouth
Michigan
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I bought a chunk of this via a few auctions on Ebay about six months ago, then picked up a couple boosters retail just to remember the joy I used to get from opening Magic packs way back in the day. It's a seriously fun and deep game, but even if I could afford to keep going, I personally can't justify the kind of expenditure it would require to keep relatively current with the game. The quick set release was a HUGE turnoff to me too.
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Bobb Beauchamp
United States
Palatine
Illinois
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I've picked up a starter and a couple boosters, and while haven't played, this seems, as those who have played have said, to be a pretty deep, strategic game that's a blast to play. I'll join those ranks looking forward to getting boosters cheap next con season.
From what's been said here, and my trips to the FLGS, it seems Dreamblade was put on a release schedule similar to what MtG is on...new product of some kind every 3 months whether the consumers want it or not. While that may work for MtG, which has an active tournament population, and has a track record or being able to sustain sales at that level, I find this decision by producers of new games to be crazy. I understand that this has become the model of a successful collectible game, but to me it represents a gross misunderstanding of the market when it comes to Dreamblade and Hecatomb. These games were, by the subject matter, harder to sell to the same crowd that eats up MtG. While those adults buying the games would probably invest in all three, the kids that have to run thing by their parents would have a hard time getting these past mom and dad.
"Hey, new games. Can I get them, mom?"
"Hmm, looks kind of creepy...what are they about?"
"Well, in this one, you play a doombringer trying to stitch together different monsters and terrors in an effort to reap souls, so you can end the world. And in this one, you summon and control nightmare creatures in order to, erm, well, defeat your opponent, who's using his own nightmare creatures."
"Doombringer? Reap souls? Nigthmares? I don't think so...You march right back up to that counter and grab some of those magic packs. You'll stick to your nice, decent, wizard-summoning-classic-fantasy-creatures-that-have-appeared-in-movies game."
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If Actions Speak Louder Than Words, Then Actions x2 Speak Louder Than Actions
United States
Hutto
Texas
Suspended?!?
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Any other game company sees a success if their game turns a profit.
WotC only sees a success if the world absolutely shits itself with excitement.
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Alfredo Lorente
United States
Minneapolis
Minnesota
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Hmm...
I never thought of Dreamblade as "deep." I felt the dice detracted from it. Granted, I got out early on, but my game was Navia Dratp, and that one left out luck once you opened the booster pack...
I think part of the problem is over-saturation. You have two different Axis and Allies Miniatures games, three different Star Wars Miniatures games, oodles of Dungeons and Dragons expansions, Transformers, Magic: the Gathering, and then the competiton from Pirates, clickies, and whatever else is still being prodcuced by other companies. How many collectible games can the market support?
Either way, I feel for you guys...
MattShepherd wrote: As stated above: looking forward to picking this up on the cheap. I've been getting a LOT of mileage out of the unfortunate Hecatomb game over the last year, and Dreamblade seems to suffer the same fate of being a slightly TOO good (deep) game to appeal to the Magic crowd, and a bit TOO dark to loosen Mom's purse-strings enough to keep the main CCG players buying it...
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Todd Bookman
United States
Lancaster
Pennsylvania
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joebelanger wrote: Any other game company sees a success if their game turns a profit.
WotC only sees a success if the world absolutely shits itself with excitement.
Welcome to Hasborg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.
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Ronald Chavez
United States
Hacienda Heights
California
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Which is why I was able to get close to 180 figures on ebay for $30 and $5 shipping.
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(Mr.) Kim Beattie
United States
Rocklin
California
Embrace your inner geek!
In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.
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It was pretty obvious to me that Dreamblade didn't have the legs to survive as soon as it was published. That didn't stop me from buying into what had the potential to be a really good strategy board game. In the end though, the dice (the game is just too luck dependent) and the typical CCG/CMG focus on combos did the game in for me. That and the fact that without a lot of cash, you could not be competitive in the game. Certain figs (Scarab Warcharm anyone?) were practically required to field a competitive warband. The game had real potential but was ultimately dragged down by its collectible game heritage.
When the prices drop I may pick up the few figs that I need to complete my base set collection. The expected price drop means that anyone interested in the game will be able to "buy in" at a considerable discount. A good opportunity to pick up a starter/booster (case) or two.
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Justin
United States
Creve Coeur
MO
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i thought the rate of expansion release was unsustainable as well, but AP promotion is really what killed it for me. chaos puppeteer from baxar's war, for example:
"At the same time, move each creature in a noncentral key cell one cell clockwise around the central key cell. (Abilities that trigger as a result of this movement do so after all the creatures have moved.)"
when i saw this and some other pieces in a preview, i thought the game was dead. even with the base set, good play could take some time. in my opinion, pieces like this put a player to a decision of making either an agonizing calculation or an effectively blind move every turn. i don't think that style suits this game.
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Jennifer Schlickbernd
United States
Pasadena
California
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I think the weirdness of the figures along with the truly overly ambitious release schedule killed it. Another more subtle issue is that you didn't need that much product to play casually, I probably spent about $100 and never felt the need to buy more. The new figures just weren't that different from what was already available. They were marketing this to a crowd that still depends on mom to pay for stuff, and mom just wouldn't go for some of the more creepy sculptures.
Also, the game was never meant to be quick playing like Heroscape. And if you think chaos puppeteer is bad, you should look at quite a few of the MtG cards in Block sets, they are pretty convoluted. Yet MtG still rolls on as it always has.
Well, WotC has now released two games recently that have flopped, this and Hecatomb. Along with Netrunner, Jyhad, and their boardgames, they aren't batting 1000 here. At least they are willing to experiment, although I wonder how much more rope Hasbro will give them after these last two failures.
Lastly, so many of us cry for new games and new ideas, but when they come out, we don't support them. So when you open your next 'new' area control game, or auction themed game, just remember that there were other alternatives.
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Ken B.
United States
Fayetteville
Tennessee
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jschlickbernd wrote: So when you open your next 'new' area control game, or auction themed game, just remember that there were other alternatives.
Like what, another collectible game?
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Justin
United States
Creve Coeur
MO
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Quote: And if you think chaos puppeteer is bad, you should look at quite a few of the MtG cards in Block sets, they are pretty convoluted. Yet MtG still rolls on as it always has.
mtg tournament: 50 minutes recommended for three (3) games
dreamblade tournament: 50 minutes recommended for one (1) game
mtg's match rules are proven. i only have anecdotal reports from one dreamblade tournament, but it was stated that an alarming number of the games ran out of time. my issue is with analysis paralysis, not convolution. i have no issue with mtg-like complexity. i think the dreamblade designers got it wrong when they opened up the floodgates on movement abilities.
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Brian Sturk
United States
Hudson
New Hampshire
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Aldie wrote: Bummer.
Perhaps they can look beyond the collectible aspect of *some* of their games?
That is an excellent idea. This game always seemed to be forced into the collectible/competitive arenas but felt more like a casual game to me.
Here's hoping!
~telengard
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