Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Goblinoid Games First Quarter Report

James Raggi said in a recent post that I have "taken [an] absence away from the scene." I'm assuming he means that I have taken a hiatus from Goblinoid Games, but nothing can be further from the truth. He also mentioned that Labyrinth Lord wasn't my #1 priority, which is only partly true. Goblinoid Games, as a business, is second to graduating with my Ph.D. this summer (I haven't spent the last 14 years of my life in college for nothing!) and finding a job, but I do take it very seriously nonetheless. It just doesn't pay the bills right now, even though it is generating a significant income that will allow Goblinoid Games to grow in coming years. So to clear up any confusion I just thought I'd post an update on current Goblinoid Games happenings. I've been busy with a whole bunch of things, many of which actually are for Goblinoid Games, so if there are periods when I don't post as often on forums or blogs this shouldn't be construed as me taking an absence from things. Things still continue to happen behind the scenes. So let's do a first quarter report for 2010.

1) We just released our 5th monthly Labyrinth Lord Society Newsletter, which began in January. We're continuing to get a great variety of contributions from Society members. Thanks everyone! The LLS has been a major priority as an effort to build a tight community around Labyrinth Lord, Mutant Future, and now Starships & Spacemen. We're up to almost 200 members and growing each month. Of course this couldn't be done without all of the hard work of David Macauley (Greyharp), the LLS organizer, who keeps things running.

2) So far in 2010 Goblinoid Games has released the very well received Advanced Edition Companion. The AEC entered distribution last month and is selling very well in distribution and POD alike.

3) We purchased the rights to Starships & Spacemen, which is in preliminary development for a second edition. The original book was redone (by me) by scanning the original book and then recreating the original layout. It was made available in PDF and POD format. It has sold more copies now in the last month with Goblinoid Games than it sold in the last 6 years it was available from FGU. The second edition is looking promising!

4) In addition, I recently finished working with four new authors, and we have three new Labyrinth Lord modules and one Mutant Future module all written and in various stages of playtesting and editing. This will come out interspersed throughout the rest of 2010. We also have several other authors with manuscripts in various stages.

5) We struck a deal with Otherworld Miniatures for licensed Labyrinth Lord miniatures. Look for those starting this summer!

6) The ball is getting back to rolling for a campaign supplement that will be for Labyrinth Lord and the Advanced Edition Companion, which I have been working on slowly for a few years now. I'm bringing in some other talent to help me get this project out the door. It is mostly all written, we just need some final fleshing out.

7) Labyrinth Lord has sold through two print runs in distribution, and I'm now ordering a third. I continue to build direct to retailer relationships as well.

So, if that is what you call a hiatus, man, I'd like to see what I could do if this was a full time job! ;-)

14 comments:

MDtheDM said...

I hesitate to post anything that could possibly be misconstrued as fuel for yet another ridiculous "old-school flame war."

Allow me to simply state that I am a proud member of the LLS and look forward to the bright future of Goblinoid Games!

Dan of Earth said...

No worries. Just as a clarification, I don't think James was trying to start anything either. But I did think it would be a good idea to post a 1st quarter report for people interested.

Matthew Slepin said...

Slacker! Why haven't you bought out WotC yet?

Or: great job and all things.

Greyhawk Grognard said...

Dangit... #6 just killed one of my possible projects once Castle of the Mad Archmage finishes in June...

Dan of Earth said...

Really? I have only told a few people what I'm up to, maybe you're thinking of something else? Drop me a line and we can see, maybe it isn't what you think.

Mallius Vane said...

Goblinoid Games got LL and the AEC into games shops here in the UK...'nuff said!

Kiltedyaksman said...

Having been there done that with both a thesis, dissertation, and revision into research monograph - you don't need to explain anything to anyone. Seems to me those comments had little to say about you...

BlUsKrEEm said...

At this point GG is literally out producing White Wolf.

Any word on when LL mini's will be released? I've been pretty excited about that project since i first heard of it.

Anonymous said...

I was very pleased to be able to pick up a copy of AEC in London last week. Dan, have you considered asking other stores outside of the polluted miasma of our capital to carry GG products? Lingards Games in Colchester is a great independent retailer that has been around for a fair while.

Mallius Vane said...

I managed to get extra copies of the LL and AEC at my little games shop in Bristol..

Anonymous said...

arcade arcade top

Clovis Cithog said...

congratulations

i understand the pressure of a doctorate degree

you are truly a
'rock star'
in the old school community

Matthew Slepin said...

Is it just me or does xgametop sound AWESOME? :D

Anonymous said...

I've just received my copies of AEC, Mutant Future and Starships & Spacemen from lulu, and I must say I'm quite satisfied with my purchases. Good work. Also, very fast delivery: less than two weeks from order to arrival in Finland.