1 hour ago, Kaito Kikaze said:

I would be beyond excited for the next cycle to focus on courtiers, glory, and honor/ dishonor.

There is a non-negligible percent of the fan base who would hate that.

2 hours ago, Kaito Kikaze said:

I would be beyond excited for the next cycle to focus on courtiers, glory, and honor/ dishonor.

That already exists: Clan Scorpion.

?

Yeah, that was too general a statement for what I would envision for the cycle. It would include courtiers and honor/dishonor tech, but for the military/conquest focused decks it would also include some measure of counters/protection against dishonor, and perhaps more ways to utilize honor for conflict advantages (beyond simply honoring bodies to boost stats).

Unless those aren't things that players would benefit from? Even so, with the current cycle focusing on spells/shugenja/elements, I don't know that it'd be any worse (with the caveats mentioned above) than this current cycle.

After the loss of Netrunner, I'm a bit less sure about L5R. Sure, FFG owns the license but it's a property that's been exchanged many times. While they can't lose it, they can sell it. Nothing is permanent.

Do I think we're in danger of losing L5R anytime soon? No. Is it a game people should get into? Sure! I do know that nothing lasts forever and I feel wary of saying "at least FFG owns L5R" as my pitch point, so I don't jinx the game...

Well with that logic you don't play anything, everything can be sold, everything can bankrupt.

Netrunner and Warhammer conquest both ended for licencing reasons and both of their IP were own by a competitor, therefore they were a very risky investment.

Star wars games can also stop at any moment but at least Disney is not a competitor of FFG contrary to GW and Wotc ? which reduce the risk quite a bit.

Needless to say, L5r is all right we're fine.

9 minutes ago, Hordeoverseer said:

Do I think we're in danger of losing L5R anytime soon? No. Is it a game people should get into? Sure! I do know that nothing lasts forever and I feel wary of saying "at least FFG owns L5R" as my pitch point, so I don't jinx the game...

I figure that getting into L5R with a mono no aware spirit is particularly fitting. ?

13 minutes ago, Hordeoverseer said:

After the loss of Netrunner, I'm a bit less sure about L5R. Sure, FFG owns the license but it's a property that's been exchanged many times. While they can't lose it, they can sell it. Nothing is permanent.

Do I think we're in danger of losing L5R anytime soon? No. Is it a game people should get into? Sure! I do know that nothing lasts forever and I feel wary of saying "at least FFG owns L5R" as my pitch point, so I don't jinx the game...

If your concern about playing a game is that the manufacturers may sell it than why even get involved in the first place. Yes the loss of conquest and Netrunner was horrible for those communities it was even worse for FFG as they were major revenue streams being yanked out from under them (and if rumors are to be believed for reasons completely beyond their control). Its why they were so proactive in seeking out an IP that they can own outright as it gives them a security of knowing where they will always stand with the game. Add the aggressive release pace for product with the game (we have the LCG, Battle for Rokugan as a board game and the upcoming RPG release) and it seems obvious that FFg has faith in the property and want to get as much of it to market as possible.

As to L5R being sold multiple times it actually only happened twice. The company that first developed and released it was bought by Wizards, who primarily wanted it to use as a new setting for a 3.5 release of Oriental Adventures, and when that failed they sold it "back" to Alderac (I say back because FRPG that Wizards bought had been a spin off company of Alderac) who continued with the release for another 15 years. The sale to FFG made a lot of sense given how Alderac's corporate structure had shifted and that they had transitioned from a CCG/RPG supplement company to a more board game based company. Coupled with the mess that they had made through a series of direct order supplements that turned retailers against the game it made more sense to just sell it for the value and put resources into what their core focus had shifted to.

Why bother getting involved? I love the game and setting. Hobbies are meant to be money sinks and I think my enjoyment has already been returned from the money I've spent.

I hope I'm wrong and it lasts forever. If not, I hope it lasts for a long time .

2 hours ago, thorrk said:

Star wars games can also stop at any moment but at least Disney is not a competitor of FFG contrary to GW and Wotc ? which reduce the risk quite a bit.

There’s a rumor that Disney wants to buy Hasbro. Hasbro owns WotC. If that happens, I see Disney pulling the SW license to make games in their own “house”. Which would devastate FFG quite a bit, seeing that X-Wing is FFG’s top seller.

2 hours ago, Schmoozies said:

Coupled with the mess that they had made through a series of direct order supplements that turned retailers against the game it made more sense to just sell it for the value and put resources into what their core focus had shifted to.

One such expanions per edition (per 2 years) was really a problem?

10 minutes ago, kempy said:

One such expanions per edition (per 2 years) was really a problem?

For some distributors and retailers (when combined with various delays) yes it was.

3 hours ago, thorrk said:

but at least Disney is not a competitor of FFG contrary to GW and Wotc ?

Disney has no competitors. Only future acquisitions.