Nikosandros
Golden Procrastinator
Congratulations! Very glad to read this.
Hobby Games Sales up 5-10%... but not RPGs
Got it - here's one link: Wizards of the Coast GTS 2010 Seminar | LivingDice.com
Interesting:
* 1.5 million active D&D players
* 24 million lapsed D&D players
Cheers!
Longtooth Studios
First Post
Lapsed players... Does that go back to the early 70's? Can they accurately track that information? Closely enough I guess.
Interesting move with the red box. That's how I was brought into the game, way back when. Well it wa sthe first product I purchased myself, I had played earlier editions in brief exposures.
The Idea behind the red box has to be to recapture some of those 24 million.
I hope they can do more for brick and mortar stores. I wish I could. This is one thing that is really bothering me about my current business. I see the local gaming store as essential to the survival of the hobby, yet I can't really work through that channel myself.
Interesting move with the red box. That's how I was brought into the game, way back when. Well it wa sthe first product I purchased myself, I had played earlier editions in brief exposures.
The Idea behind the red box has to be to recapture some of those 24 million.
I hope they can do more for brick and mortar stores. I wish I could. This is one thing that is really bothering me about my current business. I see the local gaming store as essential to the survival of the hobby, yet I can't really work through that channel myself.
I can't speak to the industry as a whole. My own purchasing habits were that in the first 3 quarters of 2009, my RPG purchases were scaled back for belt-tightening reasons. Q4 of 2009 and 2010 have resumed to normal RPG purchase levels.
As for hobby stores or the elusive FLGS, they've NEVER been my primary source of RPG purchases. I'm sure that has more to do with geographic location than anything else but the one thing that contributed to a huge uptick in my RPG purchases was the Internet.
Most hobby stores in my area don't carry RPGs or a very limited selection if they do. Usually, the local B&N has a better RPG spread. As for the FLGS, in 20+ years, and 4 different cities, 1 was worthy of the title and I'd still buy from them if I lived in that city.
These days, though, without a FLGS providing a value-add, 99% of my RPG purchases are made via the Internet. I can find what I want, I can shop around, and I know which sites provide speedy delivery.
As for hobby stores or the elusive FLGS, they've NEVER been my primary source of RPG purchases. I'm sure that has more to do with geographic location than anything else but the one thing that contributed to a huge uptick in my RPG purchases was the Internet.
Most hobby stores in my area don't carry RPGs or a very limited selection if they do. Usually, the local B&N has a better RPG spread. As for the FLGS, in 20+ years, and 4 different cities, 1 was worthy of the title and I'd still buy from them if I lived in that city.
These days, though, without a FLGS providing a value-add, 99% of my RPG purchases are made via the Internet. I can find what I want, I can shop around, and I know which sites provide speedy delivery.
Congrats!
From a selfish perspective, I'm glad to hear it as Paizo/PF accounts for about 90% of my RPG purchases in the last year!
Longtooth Studios
First Post
They are doing a great job, no doubt! I just wish they were on the east coast. I run a weekly AP game at the FLGS.
I think we are going to see an upturn within the next 5 or so years, in a big way. Just think of how many MMORPG players are out there being exposed to a RPG related experience. They can't hold them forever can they?
I think we are going to see an upturn within the next 5 or so years, in a big way. Just think of how many MMORPG players are out there being exposed to a RPG related experience. They can't hold them forever can they?
TerraDave
5ever, or until 2024
Ok, if this is the games: Pathfinder, Warhammer Fantasy RPG, Rogue Trader/Dark Heresy, World of Darkness...
Pathfinder, WHFRPG, Rogue Trader/Dark Heresy would have to be growing, with new editions or basically a new game. That leaves declines to come from "everyone else", ok, but also D&D and WoD.
Some fall-off in D&D after 4E launced in 2008 was probably expected. And we don't know how well DDI is doing...but there could also be some canabilisation there.
I really look forward to the essentials line...and I am guessing they are as well.
Pathfinder, WHFRPG, Rogue Trader/Dark Heresy would have to be growing, with new editions or basically a new game. That leaves declines to come from "everyone else", ok, but also D&D and WoD.
Some fall-off in D&D after 4E launced in 2008 was probably expected. And we don't know how well DDI is doing...but there could also be some canabilisation there.
I really look forward to the essentials line...and I am guessing they are as well.
It should be noted that the numbers are for the hobby trade business only; they don't include online or chain retailers, which makes up a significant portion of Wizards business. That said, I'm sure the DDi has had an impact on book sales, and Wizards have shown (through their D&D Encounters program) that they're concerned about brick & mortar stores.
Cheers!
Eridanis
Bard 7/Mod (ret) 10/Mgr 3
You and me both. When it came out, I didn't think it stupid, but I did consider it a bit of a sideline. (Mostly, I'm sure, because I don't own an Xbox360.) But if the number of people I saw at PAXeast playing with physical cards for the first time after playing the Xbox game is any indication, it was a brilliant move.
It's also interesting that these stats won't include DDI dollars. If that's taken into consideration, I wonder if that would balance it out. Since wondering is all we'll ever be able to do, it's a rhetorical question, but that's what the Internet is for, right?
And congrats, Eric!
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