Pathfinder 1E Pathfinder Still #1

[DaveMage]

ICv2 - Top 5 RPGs--Q4 2011

Not a big surprise, of course.

 

[Steel_Wind]

ICv2 - Top 5 RPGs--Q4 2011

Not a big surprise, of course.

No, it isn't.

However, my guess is that there is a real chance that the first quarter of 2012, and far more likely than not in the 2nd quarter of 2012, that D&D will drop to third place.

Reason: The announcement of 5th edition has ended interest at the distributor level from taking on new 4E products on ordinary commercial terms. Nobody wants to get stuck with those products in inventory when 5E comes out. Sales of 4E from here until whenever 5E is released will come from products already in the distribution chain. Selling new 4E is very hard for WotC to do right now other than on 100% return agreements.

If WotC releases new products for 4E, they will be very limited in terms of quantitiy as WotC will not want to take any inventory back.

 

[SteelDraco]

I wonder how big the gap is between #3 and #2. I'm guessing it's pretty large, and I'd be surprised if the expected slump in 4e sales is enough to dip it to #3.

 

[Twowolves]

I wonder why I can't seem to find this info anywhere on ENWorld but in the Paizo subforums.....

 

[ShinHakkaider]

Here's the thing, it doesnt matter if Pathfinder is #1.

Right now and for the past few months or so you've had people coming out of the woodwork to devalue Pathfinder's standing on that chart.

These are the same people who had no issue with WOTC's standing on that list prior to Pathfinder taking the #1 spot. Some of these same people pointed to the ICV2 list saying that "see the game is selling! LOTS of people like it."

It doesn't matter if Pathfinder is #1. The fact that it was able to challenge D&D at #2 was already enough of an achievement. It'll probably go back to #2 when 5E is released because everyone is going to try the new shiny. The real test (and I said this before when 4E was released) will be to see who is playing / supporting 5E in a year and a half's time after the release.

I'm hoping that people who like and play Pathfinder will STILL be doing so. I know that for me to even start THINKING about supporting or playing 5E it will have to be an AMAZING game.

 

[Crothian]

Here's the thing, it doesnt matter if Pathfinder is #1.

Of course it doesn't unless you have stock in the company or it is paying your bills. In the end all the matters is that gamers play the games they like. I'll play a good game if it's the best selling RPG in the World or a game so obscure most of the people around here don't even know about it. In the end the industry awards like the ENnies I think have more meaning to me then some sales data.

 

[Steel_Wind]

I wonder how big the gap is between #3 and #2. I'm guessing it's pretty large, and I'd be surprised if the expected slump in 4e sales is enough to dip it to #3.

I am told that the gap between 2 and 3 is big and the gap between 3 and the rest of the list is monumental.

Re: "It doesn's matter that Pathfinder is #1". Of course it matters. If D&D had been no. 1 throughout, the chances the market would be getting 5E right now are relatively small.

I would agree that the test of 5E is how wel it's selling in its second year after release.

As for the news not being elsewhere on the site, well, I can fix that and put it on the front page as "News" if you think it should be brought to people's attention.

In related news, care to guess what the DM prize support was over the weekend at DundraCon? They gave judges for LFR at Dundracon ... copies of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook. (Yes, seriously; that's what I was told)

Pathfinder is rather rabidly entrenched in Northern Cali. OP tables over the weekend were 6:1 in favor of Pathfinder. I'm sure that varies regiong to region, but inNorthern Cali at least -- that's the way the wind is blowing.

None of this should be surprising to us.

 

[Fooly_Cooly]

All right pathfinder. Show that 4E what d&d is supposed to be like (Dont flame me this a my personal opinion based on self experience). But Really im not surprised. Since I bought the first core rule book in my group over 20 supplements have been purchased and close to $1000 dollars for pathfinder on hero lab.

 

[freeAgent]

I suspect the Beginner Box may have had something to do with it. People can now start playing Pathfinder after only a single purchase, and that's a big draw. I think Paizo said at one point that it was their biggest selling item.

 

[Fooly_Cooly]

Yeah. I started back when they first released core so I did not have all the goodies os the starter box. But I have read many reviews and would definitely recommend it to any up start paizo players.