I think not. Much of my editorial inspiration for this issue comes from attending conventions or reading other magazines. Unfortunately, in many magazines, the folks doing the writing have a doom and gloom view of hat is happening in the industry. The biggest question or debate is still "Roleplaying: is it dead?" Many people who are able to publish their opinions say, "Yes."

I say "No." Before I say why here are a few facts from the last few months.

TSR's D&D sales (from reports we have heard) are now back at a profitable level. D&D has never made the money that Magic boasts, so to say that Magic makes more than D&D is just not a viable argument for the "death" of role-playing. D&D is, was and just may always be the best selling role-playing game of all time.

Palladium Books has more than once since the beginning of the Magic craze announced records sales on new products and record months in overall sales.

Last Unicorn Games has unbelievable preorders for the re-release of the award winning Aria RPG.

White Wolf's Kindred: The Embraced TV show has catapulted sales of Vampire.

Daedelus Games' Feng Shui sales are huge for a company their size. (By the way, have you seen this product? Full color with awesome art all the way through. When do I get my review copy?)

At the recent Chessex Midwest open house, more than one industry pro commented on the large baskets of role-playing games which were being purchased.

These are just the obvious examples. I spent a good portion of time in the card game room at Gamex, a big Los Angeles con, this weekend. I listened to multiplayer games of Jyhad and Legend of the Five Rings being played, and I was surprised at the level of role-playing going on in both games. This wasn't just people throwing cards on the table at each other, it was vampires and Daimyos jockeying for power. Cards just happened to be the medium with which the players were role-playing.

Here is a fact: Role-playing games will never account for the amount of dollars that card games do. Card games draw not only from role- players but non-gamers (as we know them) as well. But this summer the number of card games being released is fewer and role-playing games will again be a major focus of releases this summer and at GenCon. Pinnacle Entertainment will release Deadlands, a horror wild west game. Biohazard Games will release Blue Planet, while Holistic Designs has an almost guaranteed hit with Fading Sum. Babylon 5 role-playing is on its way, and Werewolf. Wild West from White Wolf Games is expected to stir things up.

Also don't forget that many of the companies that jumped on the card game band wagon are role-playing game companies at heart. I am pleased to announce a Legend of the Five Rings role-playing game set to release early next year. Our friends at FPG are planning a big-productiondollar role,playing game based on the world of their new Dark Age card game, and Last Unicorn Games is hard at work on Forsaken Earth, the working title of the role-playing game based in the world of their Heresy card game.

Doesn't sound like role-playing is dead to me. Sounds almost like the renaissance is returning this summer. Card games have injected cash and adrenaline into the gaming industry, and that means giving those same companies more capital, and that means more of what everybody wants: good, high quality role-playing games.

If you have a take on this subject I would like to hear it. Send your letters directly to John Z. at this magazine's address.