D&D General Some Interesting Stats About D&D Players!

The full cover spread for Phandelver and Below, by Antonio José Manzanedo​

GeekWire has reported on the recent D&D press event (which I've covered elsewhere). Along with all the upcoming product information we've all been devouring over the last day or two, there were some interesting tidbits regarding D&D player demographics.

• 60% of D&D players are male, 39% are female, and 1% identify otherwise
• 60% are “hybrid” players, who switch between playing the game physically or online
• 58% play D&D on a weekly basis
• 48% identify as millennials, 19% from Generation X and 33% from Generation Z
• The majority of current D&D players started with 5th Edition

 

[FitzTheRuke]

It doesn’t even tell you that! There may be tons of you, that would just mean there are tons more people in other demographics.

Good point! There aren't very many of you relative to the other groups, but still could be quite a few. It's possible that that means that a company might care less about you than the other groups, but there are other factors that very well could change that. Like understanding that older players often introduce the game to younger ones, which would make you still very valuable for the company, even if you don't show up on this list.

We honestly don't know what their criteria is for "importance" - and this chart certainly doesn't reveal it.

 

[Parmandur]

Good point! There aren't very many of you relative to the other groups, but still could be quite a few. It's possible that that means that a company might care less about you than the other groups, but there are other factors that very well could change that. Like understanding that older players often introduce the game to younger ones, which would make you still very valuable for the company, even if you don't show up on this list.

We honestly don't know what their criteria is for "importance" - and this chart certainly doesn't reveal it.

We know that their target demographic is 12-24, and has been since the development of 3E, so that's the group thar drives product development and marketing decisions...but it's not like they are making books to tick off other age groups.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

One thing they have done as away to recognize the value of older and disabled players is increase the font size.

Despite this being a small portion of the audience being helped, they're doing it.

The angst about older gamers being ignored has nothing to do with the real, actual things Wizards does

Yes, that's true. They've actually spoken openly about the font size. Their actions aren't showing them to have taken this list to mean that they shouldn't bother with older fans, so why should we take that away from this list?

 

[Charlaquin]

Good point! There aren't very many of you relative to the other groups, but still could be quite a few. It's possible that that means that a company might care less about you than the other groups, but there are other factors that very well could change that. Like understanding that older players often introduce the game to younger ones, which would make you still very valuable for the company, even if you don't show up on this list.

We honestly don't know what their criteria is for "importance" - and this chart certainly doesn't reveal it.

Indeed, I think the relatively modest success of 4e taught WotC the importance of the minority of older fans who can introduce the game to new people, which is why 5e went to such lengths to win those players back. And the tremendous success of 5e likely confirmed that they were right to do so. I understand a lot of older fans are less pleased with 5e of late, but also a lot are still very much onboard. I think we’re very unlikely to see a repeat of 4e’s problem with potential growth being stifled by a lack of long-term fans bringing new people in.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

We know that their target demographic is 12-24, and has been since the development of 3E, so that's the group thar drives product development and marketing decisions...but it's not like they are making books to tick off other age groups.

A "target demographic" means that they are trying to find ways to build that demographic's interest and push the product on them. The juggling act is ALWAYS to target the demographic without alienating other demographics. Sometimes that attempt fails (a juggling act always risks dropping balls) but it's never meant to ONLY target that demographic and forget everyone else. That would just be terrible business.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Yes, that's true. They've actually spoken openly about the font size. Their actions aren't showing them to have taken this list to mean that they shouldn't bother with older fans, so why should we take that away from this list?

Maybe, just maybe, older fans care about content as well. Is it unfathomable to imagine that's what some people mean by caring about older fans?

 

[Parmandur]

Indeed, I think the relatively modest success of 4e taught WotC the importance of the minority of older fans who can introduce the game to new people, which is why 5e went to such lengths to win those players back. And the tremendous success of 5e likely confirmed that they were right to do so. I understand a lot of older fans are less pleased with 5e of late, but also a lot are still very much onboard. I think we’re very unlikely to see a repeat of 4e’s problem with potential growth being stifled by a lack of long-term fans bringing new people in.

Well, there's some nuance there: I was 22 when 4E dropped and bounced off of it, because it changed a lot thst I liked about the ludic and aesthetic experience. I think with 5E it's less that they found that they needed to appease older players, and more that they discovered what older AND younger players actually liked that 3E and 4E progressively moved away from.

 

[Reef]

Maybe, just maybe, older fans care about content as well. Is it unfathomable to imagine that's what some people mean by caring about older fans?

Is it unfathomable that some older players don't feel neglected by the current content?

 

[Parmandur]

A "target demographic" means that they are trying to find ways to build that demographic's interest and push the product on them. The juggling act is ALWAYS to target the demographic without alienating other demographics. Sometimes that attempt fails (a juggling act always risks dropping balls) but it's never meant to ONLY target that demographic and forget everyone else. That would just be terrible business.

Absolutely, it's not a zero-sum game!

 

[bedir than]

Maybe, just maybe, older fans care about content as well. Is it unfathomable to imagine that's what some people mean by caring about older fans?

Young and middle aged fans don't care about content?

I find that assertion indefensible