Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 gecko85 Sep 20, 2014 11:24:17	I've been looking forward to 5e for a while, having not really cared for 4e. Picked up the PHB at a local shop. They had already sold out of the Starter Set, so I picked it up from Amazon. The guy at the shop said 5e has been selling really well.   Here's the problem: not a single shop in my area is running 5e, and most aren't running any D&D at all. I live in a large metro area and we have dozens of local shops, some of them quite large. Using the store locator on the WotC site, I can see that 95% of the shops run Magic: The Gathering only (as far as WotC games go...most also run Warhammer, Pathfinder, etc.) The couple that do run D&D are still running 4e Encounters.   Very frustrated. I asked one shop owner (over the phone) if they plan to run any 5e, and he said "not at this time - there hasn't been much interest...) But, like the other shop owner, he said 5e has been flying off the shelves. Those two statements don't seem to be in line with each other.   Maybe if the shop owners scheduled some sessions then put a flyer in the bag with every 5e purchase.   Sorry for the long rant. If anyone has any ideas to convince shop owners to run some 5e, I'd love to hear them. 5 nights a week of Magic, and none of D&D, is a bit sad.
#2 DM_HEEGZ Sep 20, 2014 11:58:51	find out who the shop's coordinator is for gaming groups. set up a meeting and tell him you'd like to DM something. take lead and get some people going for a group.    i did this on my own, without a shop even, and my first group has grown large enough i have to split it into two separate groups. it is a lot of work, time and expense, but it has been worth it to have multiple games going on a week.   the stores will benefit if people are buying product from them. they can get add on sales in the form of dice, maps, minis and so on. there are also spell card decks, dm screens, tokens, and other third party offerings. hell they could even charge a table/player fee if they need financial incentive, or compensation for the table space time slot.
#3 gecko85 Sep 20, 2014 12:06:32	Good ideas, thanks.
#4 DM_HEEGZ Sep 20, 2014 12:59:41	no problem. this might help as well:   http://dndadventurersleague.org/get-involved/
#5 Tony_Vargas Sep 20, 2014 16:58:10	Encounters has transitioned to 5e, so perhaps you've just mistaken 5e games for 4e games.    It may also be that 5e, in your area, is mostly being played in home games.  For the last 5 years or so, all the organized play has been 4e  Encounters (though, there was the playtest playable at encounters for at least a year there), Lair Assault, & LFR, and Pathfinder PFS.  If 5e is selling well to fans of pre-3.5 eds, though, they may have little or no interest in organized play programs that have a history of doing only modern D&D.   But, I really think you should check out an Encounters session or two, they're /supposed/ to be playing AL-guideline 5e.
#6 Prom Sep 20, 2014 21:21:41	I organize D&D for many stores. The issues are not actually lack of interest, but lack of people interested in DMing for a store. This is partly due to Pathfinders dominate market position while playtesting has occured for 5e. The other problem is that people are still learning the game. It all comes down to DM's, if the store has someone walk-in with a group of people who want to play with their own DM, they will do it. If you suggest an entry fee to play, on a day that suits them, they will treat you more like the Magic events.   First task is find a DM or your regional coordinator for AL.