Monday’s Podcast was a little wild

[Kevin]

Monday’s Podcast was a little wild

I answered questions and ranted a little about a few titles.

I enjoyed cutting loose on the Gateway to the Megaverse® podcast

I just hope I didn’t ruffle too many feathers. I ranted and raved a bit, especially about “Is role-playing dead?”, “thinking big” and "don't let negativity hold you down." I sure hope I didn’t offend anyone, but I am happy to have gotten that off my chest.

A number of events in the last few months (and more just this past week) – all filled with negativity and gloom and doom – just stuck in my craw. More than I realized, I think, because I kinda went off.

I wanted people, particularly all you young guys and gals out there starting your own RPG companies, not to be buried or eaten alive by all the naysayers and people with low expectations.

Throughout Palladium’s history I was told I couldn’t do . . . heck, most everything we ever did. TMNT®, Robotech®, Rifts®, softbound books, Robotech® videocassettes, etc. Back in the day, 3,000-6,000 copies was the normal press run and sale expectation. I was told you could never sell more than that. After all, that’s what everyone (not true) sells and presses. I didn’t believe it and sought out ways to sell more. Palladium has sourcebooks that have sold over 100,000 copies, and lots of them! TMNT®, Robotech®, and Rifts® – all books that well intended friends and naysayers told me I should not ever try to publish because they wouldn't sell - each had core rule books that sold 150,000 to 300,000 copies, and sourcebooks that sold tens of thousands!

Yes, today is a very different market, and even Palladium and other established companies are selling a fraction of that today. Heck, if you have a game or sourcebook that sold 6,000 copies in a year, you’d be dancing in the streets, but that doesn’t mean you can’t succeed. It doesn’t mean times won’t change. It doesn’t mean there couldn’t be a big resurgence, and YOU could be the reason RPGs boom again.

Dare to dream. Take calculated risks. Live your dream. Be prepared for failure (a good business person is ALWAYS prepared for the worst), but go for it. Failure is not the worst thing that can happen to you. Not if you learn from your mistake. Not if you are trying to do something you love.

Anyway, that was the basic gist. It hurts me to see people crushed by low expectations. It hurts to see people buying into the negativity and not trying to do more because somebody (well intentioned or not) told them it can't be done so don’t even try.

It was good for me . . .

Since the podcast, my writing block is gone, I’m writing up a storm and I feel good and positive about Palladium and the future of the RPG industry. All we need is one young game designer to create the next big thing . . . or a Rifts® Movie . . . or something that captures the imagination and draws people to RPGs again. More likely, it will be a slow, grass roots movement. Palladium is doing its part to keep RPGs alive, and I know there are dozens of other people starting up companies and launching their new games.

Role-playing is at an all time low, but it’s not dead. Keep those imaginations burning bright. Dare to dream. Dare to think big. Unleash your imaginations. Game on!

Sincerely,
Kevin Siembieda
Publisher, Writer, Game Designer & Positive Guy
Palladium Books®, Inc. – 28 years of RPG Publishing

© Copyright August 18, 2009 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.

Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, Phase World®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Megaverse®, Nightbane®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars® and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. Heroes Unlimited™, Beyond the Supernatural, Dead Reign, Warpath, Shemarrian Nation, Fleets of the Three Galaxies, Mysteries of Magic, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.

Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.