Netrunner says hi.

The Android setting is wholly owned by FFG, and has been since it was used from the Android boardgame in 2008. Android: Netrunner is a licensed product from Richard Garfield, with some ties to Wizards of the Coast, utilizing the Android IP, just the same as Android: Infiltration and Android: Mainframe. Android: New Angeles is a wholly owned game as well, I believe.

I don't find anything in the FFG announcement ( https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2015/9/11/a-new-emperor-rises/ ) about it being their first fully owned property. However, that is not to discount its sheer size as a brand, which outshines its legacy as a CCG or future as an LCG. It is the first brand I know of which FFG has purchased whole hog, for what that is worth. FFG does a lot of licensing, and has some in-house brands which it has originated. Usually, they do not buy the full brand, which they did here.

Netrunner says hi.

It says hi? When did it have a large, existing player base prior to FFG buying the usage? Did it have sanctioned tournaments, numerous sites for its factions, and regular releases prior up to that purchase too? Oh, it didn't?

It had a very large player base that was super excited for its return

I don't think you can compare netrunner and l5r in this context. 13 years passed between netrunner ending and android: netrunner coming back. whatever fanbase netrunner had, no matter how enthusiastic, doesn't map to l5r's situation.

that said, i don't think that means we're especially likely to get unique treatment by FFG. Star Wars and Warhammer have enormous existing fanbases, and they followed the same basic pattern. the fact that we already had a game doesn't, i don't think, mean we're likely to get handled differently. i hope i'm wrong, but i'm not expecting to be.

There won't be any difference. That's my point.

And Netrunner is as huge as it is because of that fan base that already existed and lasted for so long. L5r might have that kind of success with older l5r players but I'd say more recent ones will have moved on. Only time will tell at this point.

There won't be any difference. That's my point.

And Netrunner is as huge as it is because of that fan base that already existed and lasted for so long. L5r might have that kind of success with older l5r players but I'd say more recent ones will have moved on. Only time will tell at this point.

gotcha, yeah, on that we agree.

i think netrunner is as huge as it is because its a really great game. i don't honestly think that the size of its pre-existing fanbase was the determining factor, which is why i think FFG doesn't really care about treating L5R fans any differently than it does any of its other fans. They make great games. I'm pretty confident that what they do converting the ccg into an lcg is gonna be equally high quality, and is gonna be a winner with or without placating the fanbase with early hype.

I think the comparison to Star Wars and Warhammer 40k to Legend of the Five Rings is a fair one, but with one key difference.

Anything FFG brings to Star Wars or WH40K, they have to get approved by the Brand management at their respective partners (Disney and Games Workshop, respectively). With L5R, they own everything in house. They will need no outside approval. Part of the power of brand ownership.

i think netrunner is as huge as it is because its a really great game. i don't honestly think that the size of its pre-existing fanbase was the determining factor, which is why i think FFG doesn't really care about treating L5R fans any differently than it does any of its other fans.

I do think the fan base was part of the success of Netrunner. You don't necessarily need a numerous but not very dedicated fan base when you have a small die-hard community to promote and carry the game on its back from day one (I should say from its announcement!). I believe L5R has both : numerous fans and a die-hard core. Netrunner had the die-hard core, and I believe it's a big reason for its success.

Eventhough the games are good and eventhough both franchises are huge, the reason behind Star Wars and WH40K not being that much of a success is because they lacked the die-hard core community. There are die-hard fans for both franchises of course (hell sure!), but there is no such thing as a pre-existing die-hard community for both franchises' cardgame . Huge difference. Huge impact on sales.

Want another example ? Tomorrow FFG publishes a new VTES : huge success ahead ! It doesn't even need to be a totally new game. Just an updated and supported VTES will drive the die-hard fans of VTES insane, and the game will go crazy !

Netrunner without its die-hard fanbase would have ended up just like WH40K or Star Wars (to a lesser extent because I think the SW deckbuilding mechanics are also a reason for its moderate success. It drove off some gamers like me.) : a good game, and nothing more.

Oh and L5R ? Netrunner x10. Be ready for it !

Oh and L5R ? Netrunner x10. Be ready for it !