Along with reports earlier this week that Wizards of the Coast are cancelling the Chainmail brand, they also seem to have sold off their two magazines. What makes this somewhat strange is that these magazines are basically house organs that rarely feature any game that isn't published by Wizards.

My buddy Matt Cutter and I submitted a proposal (along with thousands of other would-be Gary Gygaxes and Monte Cooks, including Ogrecave's Mike Sugarbaker) in the Wizards' fantasy campaign setting search. My guess is that Wizards is trying to consolidate around their most profitable lines (the new 3E D&D). Although the magazines supported 3E, I doubt that they ever made much money, especially when compared with the campaign expansion books, etc.

Now that I've resumed playing D&D again, after a twenty-year hiatus, I find all the activity in this area most exciting. Wizards may very well be in trouble, though, unless this consolidation is driven by something other than parent company Hasbro's desire to feed the bottom line.