Is it possible that 2nd edition could make a very popular come back?

TerraDave

5ever, or until 2024

• Dec 2, 2013

• #31

Morrus said:

Computer says "no".

http://www.enworld.org/forum/hotgames.php

Click to expand...

Looking at Amazon sales rankings (the lower the number, the higher the rank) of the PHB reprints, plus the current 4E PHB, it comes out:

4E #14,803
3E #16,682
1E #52,753
2E #179,546

Now this doesn't include the older books. The 2E version of these is at #108,331, vs, say, #17,003 for the original 3.0 PHB or #53,810 for the original 1E PHB.

Of course, the PF core rules beats all of them at #4,241.

 

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Mistwell

Crusty Old Meatwad (he/him)

• Dec 3, 2013

• #32

Interesting to note (for some) from the charts Morrus linked to. Given WOTC re-released their older versions this year, one could argue that in terms of what people are talking about the current publishing top three for D&D-type games breaks down like this:

WOTC 67.58%
Paizo 27.18%
Pelgrane Press 2.55%

And people say WOTC isn't the dominate RPG company these days!

[Yes, that is spin, and not to be taken seriously]

 

F

fjw70

Adventurer

• Dec 3, 2013

• #33

D&D still dominates the RPG market. OSR, 3.X/PF, and 4e are all just flavors of D&D.

 

Scars Unseen

Hero

• Dec 3, 2013

• #34

I don't know about the rules, but I have started recollecting 2E Forgotten Realms books, as nothing after it really compares content-wise.

 

Kinak

First Post

• Dec 3, 2013

• #35

I'd be surprised to see 2e or a 2e retroclone as a serious contender in the market.

However, I wouldn't be surprised to see a company taking the 2e mantra of "Release All the Settings!" taking a substantial chunk of the market. They might just as promptly go out of business, but the candle that burns twice as brightly and all that.

Cheers!
Kinak

 

DaveMage

Slumbering in Tsar

• Dec 3, 2013

• #36

Scars Unseen said:

I don't know about the rules, but I have started recollecting 2E Forgotten Realms books, as nothing after it really compares content-wise.

Click to expand...

Yep - great stuff.

The fact that 3E did not invalidate those books helped me feel less apprehensive about the move from 2E to 3E. When 4E made those books irrelevant, it was yet another reason for me not to switch.

 

Dannyalcatraz

Schmoderator

Staff member

Supporter

• Dec 3, 2013

• #37

RPG publishers have historically underestimated the power of products that are "evergreen". Backwards compatibility greatly increases utility...AND reduces the need to reformat, re-edit and reprint those books.

 

Umbran

Mod Squad

Staff member

Supporter

• Dec 3, 2013

• #38

Dannyalcatraz said:

RPG publishers have historically underestimated the power of products that are "evergreen". Backwards compatibility greatly increases utility...AND reduces the need to reformat, re-edit and reprint those books.

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Yes, but that means they also don't get to sell new versions of many evergreen books.

It isn't a clean and obvious balance - old players may be tempted to buy a new ruleset, if many supplements will still work with it. Or, they'll skip it because it isn't different enough to need a new game!

 

Dannyalcatraz

Schmoderator

Staff member

Supporter

• Dec 3, 2013

• #39

It isn't a clean and obvious balance...

Click to expand...

That is true.

 

M

MJS

First Post

• Dec 3, 2013

• #40

fjw70 said:

D&D still dominates the RPG market. OSR, 3.X/PF, and 4e are all just flavors of D&D.

Click to expand...

Is true.
I think it could be said that D&D is, and has always been, house rules. Arneson started it houseruling Chainmail with his RPG concepts, teamed up with Gary sending versions back and forth. Because the nature of the game is house rules, its edition-ing is infinite, as all these clones, PF, etc. illustrate.

Some house rules are "tighter" - 3.x, 4E, some looser - some people don't like to house rule, so they can buy a set of them they know work a certain way...but it's all house rules on Ability Scores, classes and levels. Some just have pretty covers, and fortunately, the market is still fairly good.