ICv2 Reports On RPGs Growth This Year

ICv2 has published its latest quarterly hobby channel game rankings for Spring 2022. The Top 5 contains D&D twice (once from WotC, and once from third parties Goodman Games and Darrington Press/Critical Role), along with two licensed Hasbro (owner of WotC) properties, plus Pathfinder.

"RPGs are the story of the year so far," a hobby distributor told ICv2. "D&D’s king by leaps and bounds, don’t get me wrong, but the number of RPGs that were [significant contributors to] sales was 40 different brands."

The chart is based on interviews with retailers, distributors, and manufacturers. As always you can see the compiled chart going back to 2004 here.

RPGs the 'Story of the Year'

Explosive Growth in Players, Sales

icv2.com

 

[Parmandur]

Nuts what a multi-million production and advertising budget can do, eh?

EDIT: naughty word, even just 100K for advertising alone is such a boon for indie publishers hahahaha that'd be a game changer for virtually all of us.

For Pathfinder...?

 

[Shardstone]

For Pathfinder...?

No, for WotC. Pathfinder does do very well for itself, and is most certainly the exception to the rule in comparison to most studios, but my focus is on Hasbro.

 

[JThursby]

They don’t care. You aren’t who makes their money.

I mean fair enough, as long as there's a store/space for my hobby they can have theirs.

I have a feeling no RPGs are selling well for them ... which is one of the reasons I'm trying to start some in-person games there. You can walk by the shelf and see 5 copies of Van Richten's Guide sitting there.

I definitely know stores like this. Sometimes it's because it's an MTG den that literally does not care their shelves of other things are skewed, disorganized or have damaged goods, sometimes the local players are just into something else. Still, this used to be the vast majority of stores I knew, and now it's like only half.

 

[Retreater]

I definitely know stores like this. Sometimes it's because it's an MTG den that literally does not care their shelves of other things are skewed, disorganized or have damaged goods, sometimes the local players are just into something else. Still, this used to be the vast majority of stores I knew, and now it's like only half.

I think the thing with mine is that the store is overall very crowded. They accept trade-ins; as a result they have countless shelves of DVDs, old PS3/Xbox 360 games, etc. Then there's graphic novels and single issues of comics that they haven't been able to sell. And plushies, action figures (which they also take in trade), cosplay props. Double-stacked shelves of board games (some of which have been discontinued and no longer supported). And then they order like 5 copies of every new D&D release, and they just keep getting shelved as tightly as they can - with no front-facing marketing.
Then they have "some" Warhammer 40K and Age of Sigmar ... but not enough to field an army, like just a couple of unit options for each faction.
They were originally in an old furniture warehouse, but about ten years ago they moved to a typical strip-mall shop. I don't think they have changed the warehouse mentality.

 

[Jimmy Dick]

Literally all the mountains of 3rd party Pathfinder support would have gone to 4E -- just like it is now going to 5E instead of PF2.

There's more 3pp support going to 2e every month. In fact, we're seeing plenty of support for both systems, some of it concurrent support from the publisher cashing in on both systems.

 

[Reynard]

There's more 3pp support going to 2e every month. In fact, we're seeing plenty of support for both systems, some of it concurrent support from the publisher cashing in on both systems.

That's good news. But the difference is stark.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

"A monopoly is a market structure where a single seller or producer assumes a dominant position in an industry or a sector.” (Monopoly Definition)

Seems like it to me.

In the UK a firm is said to have monopoly power if it has more than 25% of the market share. I wouldn’t be surprised in D&D has double that right now. It isn’t a pure monopoly (100% market share) but it is a monopoly where they have control over the market.

I think it's more like 75% D&D, rising to 90% or higher if you count D&D knock offs.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Seems like things are going quite well for House Hasbronnen.

The 5picE must flow!

 

[teitan]

Darrington is Critical Role's publishing company, so I guess that it's their Tal'dorei stuff that's selling strong.

Goodman does 5e stuff, most notably the mammoth books in the Original Adventures Reincarnated series.

I think it's weird that ICv2 group them together like that.

They also publish their own adventures and they have some monster books coming up inluding a Lankhmar monster books and Dungeon Denizens for 5e and DCC. I am probably getting the Lankhmar book but checking out of 5e for DCC in general for the future.

 

[teitan]

Looks pretty much like a monopoly to me.

Not surprising that licenses such as Doctor Who, Lord of the Rings, Batman, all the licenses associated with Everyday Heroes and also Adventures in Rokugan are all heading the way of the 5E market. I honestly wonder what other game lines will follow suit? Shadowrun for 5E? Warhammer for 5E? Traveller for 5E? Runequest for 5E?

Still, things are all relative. While some companies might not be Top 5, they may still be selling well compared to their own company targets - and 40 different brands suggest a good diversity. The key thing for the hobby is that it is still growing.

Looks like 3.x era to me