In what I can only call a very odd coincidence, the very same day I published my post encouraging you to go download legitimate, reasonably priced PDFs of copyrighted Dungeons & Dragons source material, Wizards of the Coast have pulled all PDFs from sale. Not just old, out-of-print material; all Wizards of the Coast material, anywhere.
Why? Apparently, they’re trying to crack down on piracy. By, umm, cutting off people’s only legitimate way of buying these hard-to-find products.
I am, understandably, not the only one shaking my head here, notby alongshot. While arguably this move is aimed at cutting off the ‘ready-made supply’ for those who are spreading bought-PDF copies of Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition all over the interwebs – and they have the lawsuit to show for it – it’s also had the knock-on effect of stopping anyone from legitimately owning vintage D&D material.
This shows a remarkable lack of understanding over at Wizards as to how the modern web works – indeed, how modern economics seem to work, at least from my chair.
You said what?