D&D 5E Amazon: D&D at the start of 2018

[TerraDave]

So I think we had at least three threads on the strong opening for XGtE, but setting aside whatever "fastest" means, it never quite got to #1 overall on Amazon, like the PHB did.

The PHB is back on top, possibly as a new semester brings new campaigns. But with XGtE D&D now has 7 perennial products pretty much always posting decent sales. Possibly for years into the future.


PHB #65
XGtE #112
MM #245
DMG #262
VGtM #706

I expect XGtE to float down to somewhere between 200 and 300 and stay there for a long time.

 

[abirdcall]

PHB #65? D&D is dying.

 

[happyhermit]

PHB #65? D&D is dying.

Dead. Not just D&D but TTRPGs in general too. Yes, more people are getting into the game and hobby, it's cultural significance is the highest it's been for at least a decade or two, the RPG market has grown immensely in the past few years and D&D in particular has been financially very successful... But... they aren't producing nearly enough ___, and I don't see as much ___ as I used to, so what's even the point?

 

[Oofta]

Dead. Not just D&D but TTRPGs in general too. Yes, more people are getting into the game and hobby, it's cultural significance is the highest it's been for at least a decade or two, the RPG market has grown immensely in the past few years and D&D in particular has been financially very successful... But... they aren't producing nearly enough ___, and I don't see as much ___ as I used to, so what's even the point?

Absolutely. Best selling version of D&D in decades. Break out the sackcloth and ashes; let us mourn the dead.

 

[abirdcall]

Here is an interesting article:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/new...yers-Grows-Every-Year#&gid=gallery_3031&pid=1

In August 2014 Erik Mona, Publisher of Pathfinder, stated that "Pathfinder has sold more core game books each year since they released, which Mona says isn't supposed to happen in roleplaying games."

This was at a time when the NA RPG market was $15 million/year, Pathfinder was on top, and D&D wasn't even in the top 5.

3 1/2 years later the NA RPG market is $45 million/year and D&D is on top.

Amazon sales ranking:

D&D PHB: 61
Pathfinder Core Rulebook: 10 033

I say this not as a knock to Pathfinder, but to show how much the scope of RPGs have changed in so little time. What was once considered doing very well is now merely a blip. Does anyone have the Amazon ranking of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook in early 2014?

 

[darjr]

From camelcamelcamel.com

 

[TerraDave]

Two products in the top 100 and two in the top 200

PHB: 41
XGtE: 69
DMG: 197
MM: 175

 

[Parmandur]

Two products in the top 100 and two in the top 200

PHB: 41
XGtE: 69
DMG: 197
MM: 175

Thia whole run of successes is unprecedented in WotC D&D history: no firings, no change of strategy in nearly four years, with continuously strong sales.

Sent from my [device_name] using EN World mobile app

 

[TerraDave]

Thia whole run of successes is unprecedented in WotC D&D history: no firings, no change of strategy in nearly four years, with continuously strong sales.

Sent from my [device_name] using EN World mobile app

thats a really good point. And it applies to D&D history more generally. TSR had all sorts of firings, random strategy switches, actively alienating fans, firing the man who did all their best selling products...nearly going bankrupt twice.

Its a welcome change!

 

[darjr]

In the wired article Chris said that D&D had its best ever sales in November and that xgte was the best initial sales of any d&d book ever.