ZOMG! D&D drops to #4

[jodyjohnson]

http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/28124.html

With only 2 adventures on the shelf for Fall 2013 D&D drops to #4.

Of course locally, they sold the one copy of LotCS and never restocked it.

I think this reflects on stores not messing with a line that's between editions.

 

[ExploderWizard]

I think this reflects on stores not messing with a line that's between editions.

Yep. This is completely expected. We are in the final months leading up to the launch of the first products for 5E. Those who wanted 4E stuff pretty much have it by now and those who are thinking of checking D&D out are waiting for the new releases.

 

[Morrus]

Yeah, they're just down to retailers selling their remaining old 4E backstock now, pretty much, plus the occasional reprint edition. I'm surprised D&D is even on the chart at all given that the publisher isn't actually shipping a game at present. Must be enough of that residual 4E backstock being bought to nudge it onto the chart, but even then I wouldn't expect it to be in the top 5.

 

[Umbran]

More importantly, you can be #4 with only a couple adventures on the shelf! Think about that for a moment.

 

[Arduin's]

I think this reflects on stores not messing with a line that's between editions.

Somewhat only. D&D line has been in this situation before and never dropped to 4th place as a result. There is MUCH more to the collapse than just being between edition... That's ipso facto.

 

[jodyjohnson]

My store (a major Hobby chain) doesn't even have Fate Core on the shelf.

It's all Pathfinder and Star Wars plus Numenera and 13th Age.

Wonder why Numenera and 13th Age didn't make the list. They are the new shiny.

 

[Blackbrrd]

I am assuming the sales from http://www.dndclassics.com/ isn't included here? I haven't actually bought anything from there yet, but it's really tempting. Part of what's holding me back is the bad scan quality on some older items (where they haven't ocr'd the text so it gets 100% crisp).

 

[delericho]

Yep, it's not really shocking that D&D is down to #4, but rather that it's managed #4. Reflects really quite badly on the market as a whole, especially when you consider that Iron Kingdoms at #5 is probably not there solely by virute of RPG sales.

That said, with so much of the RPG market now being swallowed by Amazon, direct subscriptions to Paizo and DDI, and Kickstarter/other direct sales, these surveys become less and less useful.

 

[Morrus]

I am assuming the sales from http://www.dndclassics.com/ isn't included here?

You assume correctly. It's the hobby retail channel.

 

[Plaguescarred]

I'm surprised D&D is even on the chart at all given that the publisher isn't actually shipping a game at present.

Me too, i was surprised to see it in there with the very few release they had.