I don't think eBay is any more responsible for idiots paying 150 bucks for a J2, than a liquor store is responsible for selling liquor to people that won't drink responsibly.
There either really actually truely IS a demand for J2, or there isn't.
If their genuinely IS a market for J2, and MMP really COULD be selling reprints at a decent profit, then I have only one thing to say on the matter.
MMP is as stupid as those paying 150 bucks for J2.
If there really ISN'T a real market for J2, and these sales are flukes, then I can only pity the people that can't play the game in its absence.
You can rest assured, if I was the original source for J2, and it was common knowledge it could be sold for 150 bucks used (anything not from MMP is used as far as I am concerned), and regularly, then I would be printing more so that the money was going in my pocket, and not some faceless person on eBay.
eBay isn't doing anything wrong here.
Nor is anyone selling it for 150 bucks.
If I had a second copy of J2, and I could get 150 bucks for it, yes I would likely say cool, the sale just paid for something I want that I can't afford right now otherwise.
A spare copy of J2 right now might mean several ASL items currently exceeding my potential. And as a result not up for consideration.
AoO for instance.
You guys might call it a core module or not (AoO). But chances are the price tag will make it remain a "I have played ASL for years without it, thus it is not a required" module.
150 bucks for the sake of a few counters that might have corrections on them, entirely insane.
I have those images scanned. I am more than willing to do what I have always done for board games that had an eratta fix publicaly made availble, I made them myself.
Good quality printer coupled with a good quality paper stock = replacement counters.
And you can sure bet, I wouldn't waste a single second playing a single person that would indignantly refuse to let me use them in any game of ASL.
If the game can't be made/sold for realistic prices (realistic for both MMP and the consumer), then it is time to accept the reality.
The more I think about it, the more I realise, the best way to get an ASL starter for some, will be with a scanner and a good printer.
Home made copy of some good board choices, home made copy of some counters selected specifically because they are basic in nature, copy of Chapter A and B and the there you have it.
That will horrify some.
It won't horrify any potential ASL player that is told "hey this game is great, if you really want to check it out, take this home and test it with this loaner".
It sure won't horrify a person being told the game is great, that they don't have to pay ANYTHING to try out the game on their own table at home eh.
Might not do MMP any good sales wise.
But then MMP looks and feels like a "hobby" business some days.
If MMP shut done tomorrow, it would mean no more "NEW" ASL. It sure wouldn't mean no more ability for me to play it.
If MMP closed its doors tomorrow, I would simply do what I have always known I could do, I would go on.