SFCRB Paperback?

[DLNorton]

Just curious. Is there a plan to publish a paperback version of the Starfinder Core Rulebook at some point? I have the hard cover version which at times can be quite a glorious boat anchor just to lug around to the various games. I have some friends and players who do find the hard bound version to be cost prohibitive when on a budget, and even a used version is still quite a daunting prospect for ones wallet.

Not that it matters to me since I'm well off financially. I may even buy these for my friends and players since I'm that kind of guy. But it still boils down to a weight issue, thus a paperback version would be perfect.

I also suggested to my friends and players to get the PDF version on here which some have, but still can't beat the feel and smell of an actual book in your hands. Of course paperback versions of everything else Starfinder (not including Adventure Paths) would be a nice change as well.

Any rate.. just putting that out there.

[Nerdy Canuck]

I can't say I'd expect a paperback to hold up especially well to the common use of a rulebook...

[Wingblaze]

If cost is the issue, there's always the PDF.

I agree it's a big book, but it's kind of just life. Again, there's the PDF.

I have not heard of any plans for a paperback.

[Foeclan]

Maybe they'll eventually do a pocket edition like with Pathfinder, but I wouldn't expect that at least until they do the next printing.

[Themetricsystem]

Pocket Edition with stripped down and refined errata and a reorganization and PERHAPS slightly less/smaller art would be FANTASTIC at the game table at around 500 pages-ish.

Of course that's a big task but if the SF Beginner's Box does well it would be a natural step up into the full system for people introduced via that product.

Besides, I've already broken two spines on my SFCRB, had it replaced once and now I just deal with it so a durable softcover like the Pocket Edition PF rules would be a welcome sight to me at least.

[DLNorton]

Foeclan wrote:

Maybe they'll eventually do a pocket edition like with Pathfinder, but I wouldn't expect that at least until they do the next printing.

I suggested the PDF too..which they now have.. But also, say, two or three years down the line, I assume a new edition of the SFCRB will come out .. and I'll probably get that one too.. it's inevitable. ;-)

[xris]

The best time for Paizo to release a paperback edition of the Core Rulebook would be when the sales of the current hardcover book has all but died up.

There's no incentive to do this any earlier because currently there is a demand for a rulebook and there is an existing product that fulfils the demand, i.e. the hardback version. Releasing a hardback and paperback edition at the same time will mean the two editions will compete with each other, retail shops won't be as eager to stock two versions of the same book, customers will complain that they've just purchased the hardback edition only to have a cheaper paperback version released.

Give it a few years (I would imagine something like in 5 to 10 years), once the sales has dropped and there's only a small demand. By then, most of the players who would be interested in a Science-Fantasy RPG like Starfinder have purchased the currently available hardcover. While there will always be new players who have just been introduced to Starfinder, the number will grow smaller and smaller over the years.

In about 5 to 10 years, the bulk of people who own the current hardcover version wouldn't feel ripped of by the fact there's a cheaper version being released and in fact might also be interested in purchasing a second copy in a smaller format. That's the best time to release a paperback edition.

We've already seen a similar scenario with Pathfinder 1st Edition. While I'm sure PF2E influenced the choice to release the PF paperback editions, I'm sure the fact that sales were tapering off to begin with was a factor (plus the fact that once PF2E was announced, that would be the final nail for the sales of PF1E).

Given that the paperback edition of PF1E appears to be popular, I wouldn't be surprized if we eventually do see a paperback version of SF as well, and it might not even be driven by fact that SF2E is about to be released.

All of this is purely IMHO. It's far too early to see a release in a new format.

[BigNorseWolf]

Just have one of the originals with the bad bindings and some duct tape...