ICv2 Reports Disappointing Year For Hobby Games Channel: TTRPGs Down, D&D Declines 30%

According to ICv2, 2023 was a tough year for hobby game sales. The US and Canada market increased by just 1%, which was less than the rate of inflation, growing from $2.86 billion in 2022 to $2.89 billion in 2023.

The hobby game sales channel is defined as specialist game and card stores--it doesn't include Amazon, direct sales, etc. It does include Kickstarter.

Top Hobby Channel TTRPGs (2023)

1. Dungeons & Dragons (WotC)
2. Pathfinder (Paizo)
3. Cyberpunk Red (R. Talsorian)
4. World of Darkness (Renegade Game Studios)
5. Starfinder (Paizo)
6. Warhammer 40K (Cubicle 7)
7. Marvel Multiverse Roleplaying (Marvel)
8. Kobold 5E Books (Kobold Press)
9. Call of Cthulhu (Chaosium)
10. Pirate Borg (Free League)

The only two categories to grow in 2023 were collectibles and miniatures. All other categories--board games, card games, and roleplaying games--were down. ICv2 reports a 30% hobby store sales decline for Dungeons & Dragons specifically, citing the impending new edition and lackluster movie performance, and the tail end of a pandemic-fuelled high; they also report that while the OGL crisis of last year impacted some lifestyle gamers, newer players as a whole were oblivious to the situation. The other important element ICv2 mentioned was D&D's increasing move to digital, which impacted retail sales.

Older D&D players, says ICv2, are also migrating to other games, with Pathfinder as one of the major beneficiaries.

The last 6 years has seen much larger growth rates--partly fuelled by the pandemic--ranging from 10% to 30%. 2022 saw a 7% growth over 2021. Despite the small increase, 2023 represents the 15th year of growth for the overall market. ICv2 does predict a market decline in 2024, though.

ICv2 conducts periodical surveys and speaks to publishers, distributors, and retailers, along with publicly available company information and Kickstarter data.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Facts.

Unless we see some relief very quickly, I dont know about everyone elses neck of the woods, but the cost of living has me saying 'nope' to a lot more than just hobby material. Steak is off the menu boys, to say nothing of an RPG book that I likely would use a fraction of anyway.

Everything is too expensive, and I declined in terms of income year over year considering the massive jump in inflation and costs.

Entertainment is often an escape, but when things are tightening like this all over, and I already accept I'm in a lucky/blessed position, its an easy cut to make.

I've got books, paper, computer, already. I dont need more.

This helps explain why -- and makes it more painful that -- DDB is apparently no longer doing a la carte sales of portions of new books, starting with the 2024 releases.

 

[Oofta]

Sales of D&D books dropping at stores shouldn't be a shock. Between no longer having pandemic boost to sales, a new version of the books coming later this year, nothing can grow forever, DndBeyond (I rarely buy physical books any more) not a surprise.

Meanwhile I doubt that the sky is falling, that's been the prediction for a decade now. Even if the number of people playing D&D (or TTRPGs altogether) were to drop by 30% there's still many more playing than we had just a few years ago.

 

[cranberry]

"Older D&D players, says ICv2, are also migrating to other games, with Pathfinder as one of the major beneficiaries."

Anecdotal support point here.

- raises hand -

I just so happen to be part of that statistic...

 

[Reynard]

It's an amazing game and Buried in the Bahamas is one of the best intro adventures, for any system, I've ever run. The zeitgeist is also swinging around to pirates again, which I'm sure helps.

Is it legible?

 

[Reynard]

Facts.

Unless we see some relief very quickly, I dont know about everyone elses neck of the woods, but the cost of living has me saying 'nope' to a lot more than just hobby material. Steak is off the menu boys, to say nothing of an RPG book that I likely would use a fraction of anyway.

Everything is too expensive, and I declined in terms of income year over year considering the massive jump in inflation and costs.

Entertainment is often an escape, but when things are tightening like this all over, and I already accept I'm in a lucky/blessed position, its an easy cut to make.

I've got books, paper, computer, already. I dont need more.

Inflation is actually down, nearly to reasonable levels. unfortunately, most of the places that jumped all their prices in the pandemic have decided they can just keep doing that.

 

[darjr]

I can't tell if this is a very good sign or a very bad sign =)

Pirates are that way.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Is it legible?

Yeah, it's just straight black and white with very metal art. There are two art-punk pages that contain quick tables for generating new PCs (I've lost PCs both times I've run the adventure) and for quickie treasures.

The adventure covers all the pirate tropes you'd want, minus naval combat (but there is combat aboard a ship during a storm) and can easily be done in three hours or so.

EDIT: Wait, if you meant Pirate Borg, yes. It's still art punky, but it's clear to read throughout, unlike some parts of Mork Borg and Cy_Borg.

 

[Scribe]

Inflation is actually down, nearly to reasonable levels. unfortunately, most of the places that jumped all their prices in the pandemic have decided they can just keep doing that.

Yeah, I'll let you know when meat hits 2022 prices.

 

[bmfrosty]

Sounds pretty personal to you. I am almost 50 and still playing 5E so not all older players are switching.

I'm almost 50 and more or less gave up on RPGs in 2021, but this year mostly started picking it up again and moving towards games with less focus on character builds that are very recognizably D&D. The problem is mostly getting games together. I like Shadowdark, Dungeon Crawl Classics, and OSE.

 

[bmfrosty]

Yeah, I'll let you know when meat hits 2022 prices.

That would be deflation.