Posted March 14, 2015
RyaReisender got it exactly right. The problem with D&D games is that Hasbro is a huge pain to work with. If you want to create a D&D game you've got to pay exorbitant licensing fees from them (and I'm sure sacrifice some creative control as well). Most studios these days find it easier (not to mention cheaper) to just make their own system.
That's why D&D video games have seen such a sharp decline, IMHO. It's not like the 90s where getting a D&D license was a relatively painless process.
Hell, that's the reason for the Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance games. Everyone plays them and says "Hey, what does this have to do with Baldur's Gate?" and the answer is that Interplay's (or was it Black Isle?) D&D license had expired but they still had the rights to Baldur's Gate, so they could make as many D&D games as they wanted so long as they were a part of the Baldur's Gate series.
Hell, even look at how the Age of Wonders series had to rename the Beholder to "Watcher" in the latest game.
tl;dr Hasbro is super uptight about licensing.
That's why D&D video games have seen such a sharp decline, IMHO. It's not like the 90s where getting a D&D license was a relatively painless process.
Hell, that's the reason for the Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance games. Everyone plays them and says "Hey, what does this have to do with Baldur's Gate?" and the answer is that Interplay's (or was it Black Isle?) D&D license had expired but they still had the rights to Baldur's Gate, so they could make as many D&D games as they wanted so long as they were a part of the Baldur's Gate series.
Hell, even look at how the Age of Wonders series had to rename the Beholder to "Watcher" in the latest game.
tl;dr Hasbro is super uptight about licensing.