HeroQuest Digital Edition

[wallydubbs]

So it seems like the future of HeroQuest will live on through a screen.
I've had a lot of thoughts since catching wind of this and it's both good and band:

We probably won't be getting any new physical content, no further box expansions, it'll all probably be on this digitized version.
This WILL help getting groups together, but this will be done on line. Getting groups together is already problematic and not always easy, so we'll be seeing even less groups playing at a table anymore.
Fanmade content will become more available, which will blur the lines and eventually destroy official content and fanmade content. Eventually the fans will take over the sight. I imagine players will be able to more freely make content including new spells, artifacts and weapons. This may endanger our own website.
Much like the app, there will probably be several bugs too.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

[HispaZargon]

Well... I think it is still early to know how the Digital Edition will work and what it will actually provide to the fans of the board game.

A key point is how flexible will be the quest editor of the videogame, because if it is not too much, and has tons of limitations, especially to protect the HeroQuest IP, etc., it will definetively not replace the board game on such matter.

And about the gaming experience, even assuming the videogame flows well, I think many people will always prefer to play on a table with eeal people, physical dice, cards to own in your hands and miniatures to be painted. Nevertheless, previous fanmade creations trying to emulate the board game worked reasobably well, but had some issues with waiting times, especially when rolling the dice, so if the Digital Edition doesn't speed up things like that, will have troubbles to encourage people to prefer it against the board game.

Anyway, to summarize I honestly don't see yet any big menace for the board game or this website due to the DE of HeroQuest, I even see positive more people approaching HeroQuest through a videogame. Time will say, but I think we should remember that Hasbro mainly lives from selling toys made of plastic, not software, so more physical expansion boxes will probably appear.

[wallydubbs]

I'm probably being a worrywart. My fear is that HeroQuest's future will be in the digital world. I hope you're right and maybe I'm just making a mountain out of a molehill. Wouldn't be the first time I'm wrong. But those were my initial thoughts on hearing about this.
I DID think this announcement was an alternative for Hasbro to stop publishing HeroQuest material, but I realize that was incorrect as they're planning some reveal at Spiel Essen.

Just the same, I'm curious how other people are taking the news. Will this launch be good or bad for us at the inn?

[Daedalus]

If you've watched some of Professor Dungeonmaster's YouTube videos, you may have heard him talk about Hasbro and D&D. Their corporate is making a push to digitize D&D content for subscription service, but they also are likely to continue publishing D&D products as well. At least, that's his opinion, and I'd say he demonstrates with enough supporting evidence from industry sources that his view is well considered.

It appears that Hasbro is doing the same with Hero Quest. As long as Avalon Hill can continue to produce revenue, the brand is big enough to be supported in two arenas for profit--game boxes and digitized play.

I'd hope there'd be some crossover content between both outlets for HeroQuest products. If that's the case, I'd be satisfied.

[Foilfodder]

I am not interested in digital HeroQuest, but I am interested in where digital leads the HeroQuest game franchise. If Nomad / Balor creates significant content it could become canon if IP controller (Hasbro / Avalon Hill) decides to make it so. A crossover with other Hasbro owned IPS, is possible, but I do not believe Hasbro will give official license to blend HeroQuest with other IPs.. The biggest change was the switch from Chaos to Dread in order to decouple HeroQuest from Warhammer and Games Workshop. I doubt we'll see any changes on that scale going forward

So it seems like the future of HeroQuest will live on through a screen.
I've had a lot of thoughts since catching wind of this and it's both good and band:

We probably won't be getting any new physical content, no further box expansions, it'll all probably be on this digitized version.
This WILL help getting groups together, but this will be done on line. Getting groups together is already problematic and not always easy, so we'll be seeing even less groups playing at a table anymore.
Fanmade content will become more available, which will blur the lines and eventually destroy official content and fanmade content. Eventually the fans will take over the sight. I imagine players will be able to more freely make content including new spells, artifacts and weapons. This may endanger our own website.
Much like the app, there will probably be several bugs too.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Quite a bit to consider...

1) HeroQuest in a digital game engine
I prefer HeroQuest in physical boardgame form. I tried the unofficial version in virtual tabletop simulator years ago and found it clunky. The new digital product will probably be more steamlined, but I will stick to the physical boardgame.

2) No new physical product boxes or miniatures
Etsy is already full of options to buy 3D printed replacements/knockoffs of HeroQuest. If Hasbro/Avalon Hill decides not to make more physical copies I am sure the 3D printing commmunity will be up for the challenge of making physical versions.

3) new content will be digital only
Playing virtually on computer or with a physical boardgame will be a choice. The relaunch has produced far more new material than we had back in the 1990s. If Nomad/Balor games creates more Quests to release and they are good/popular there will be demand for physical copies. As I mentioned, the 3d printing community should have us game enthusists covered for physical components to buy.

4) fan made content
I don't see fan content being a problem as Wallydubs mentioned in his post. Ye Olde Inn getting swamped with fan made content is unlikely as I doubt it will be significant volume to matter. We already have many fan made character cards and artifacts from past decades here.. viewforum.php?f=33