Charles Ryan speaks - 4.6 million Americans claim to play D&D

[GVDammerung]

"Happy days are here again. The skies above are clear again. So, let's sing a song of cheer again. Happy days are here again!"

"What's good for General Motors is good for America."

 

[Odhanan]

4.6 Million versus 296 Million inhabitants in the US (estimate from June 2005). 1.55% if I'm not mistaken. Pretty darn good to read!

 

[eyebeams]

Please choose a less inflammatory manner of introducing your statements - although your phrasing doesn't call him a liar it insinuates it, and that isn't polite.

Cheers

Oh, come on.

 

[eyebeams]

Don't be naive. Charles Ryan is far too professional to blindly rely on such a skewered sample for his statistics.

I'm sure he's also far too professional to release press with any stats that would make the brand he sells look bad. Since, y'know, it's his job to sell you D&D, and not his job to make sober, objective statements about D&D to the public.

 

[The Shaman]

I think you're all missing a key point.

Anyone want to start a pool on how long it takes for Charles Ryan to seek a restraining order against MerricB for cyberstalking?

MerricB: Hello, Mr. Ryan. I have a question in 18 parts...
Charles Ryan: Oh dear lord, it's him again!

Spoiler

But seriously, it's a little creepy.

 

[buzzard]

Wow! 4.6 million and only three of them can play an effective bard.

Yeah, but if 3 out of the 4 total playing bards get it right, that's batting .750!

buzzard

 

[Cowpanzamie]

Eh? Not to call the man a liar, but to what survey or other input did they really get 4.6 million separate respondants?

Now, it may well be true that their market research indicates that 4.6 million Americans play. But that's a goodly bit different than having 4.6 million people acutally come to them and say it.

Excellent point. Let's be honest, the man works for WotC. It's in his interest to promote the idea that D&D is widely played. Can anyone say, "Corporate propaganda"?

 

[Jim Hague]

Excellent point. Let's be honest, the man works for WotC. It's in his interest to promote the idea that D&D is widely played. Can anyone say, "Corporate propaganda"?

I find myself wondering if you'd say this if it were Wulf or Chris Pramas making a similar claim. Calling someone a dissembler without any proof to back it up is a pretty unpleasant thing to do.

 

[diaglo]

I find myself wondering if you'd say this if it were Wulf or Chris Pramas making a similar claim. Calling someone a dissembler without any proof to back it up is a pretty unpleasant thing to do.

i'd tell Ben or Chris a mistake they made in a statement.

i believe Umbran (Arnis) was saying just that.

Charles made a mistake in his choice of wording. but Umbran (Arnis) was also giving Charles the chance to say "Oops" or to say "Yeah, I meant 4.6million people told us"

 

[JoeGKushner]

I hope these numbers are true.

If so, it could be a bright future for D&D...

I have no reason to bout it but millions of D&D playes does not mean millions of buyers, nor millions of people with anything remotely resembling interest in anything not branded D&D.