Critical Role Wildemount: Most Pre-orders Since D&D Core Rulebooks

It seems that the most popular D&D setting in the 5E era is... Wildemount! Talking about the upcoming Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, WotC's Greg Tito said on a Twitch stream recently that "we're pretty sure that this book has seen the most pre-orders and pre-release excitement since any of the core rulebooks for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition were released".

Here's the quote in full:

"...It was number 1, ranked number 1, for all books on Amazon. How many of you out there remember when Amazon was just selling books? Raise your hands. Yeah, that's me. So it's really cool, even though obviously I do a lot more other fun stuff right now, there is a ton out there that are excited for this book, and it isn't even out yet.

"We have little bit of an internal metrics, but we're pretty sure that this book has seen the most pre-orders and pre-release excitement since any of the core rulebooks for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition were released, and if you've been following along at home, Dungeons & Dragons has been selling like hotcakes since 5th Edition released in 2014."

It sounds like the Critical Role setting is proving more popular (at least right now) than traditional D&D settings like Ravenloft or Eberron, newer ones like Ravnica, or adventures set in the Forgotten Realms.

Explorer's Guide to Wildemount will hit game stores on March 17th.

 

[Reynard]

Critical Role could buy D&D from Hasbro...

Probably not. i think the valuation of D&D is something like $50 million, and that was a few years ago.

 

[darjr]

The licensing agreement between them has to be very interesting.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The licensing agreement between them has to be very interesting.

I think it only works because the people involved seem to be pretty chummy.

 

[jgsugden]

CR works so well because of factors Hasbro would not have been able to collect together. It is a collection of highly skilled actors that genuinely like each other and are having fun, while using the acting skills, under the guidance of one of the best DMs around. Their style of game is not for everyone, but it is great for a lot of people. It was the right people at the right time.

That being said - they are doing quite well financially for a D&D game, but they're light years away from being able to buy D&D - and they are going to do far better aligning closely with the game than they will fighting against it. Part of what makes CR so great is that Mercer LOVES the game and has so much respect for it - making his own game would be a betrayal of that affection, I imagine. I know they started in Pathfinder, but he seems to be of the camp that Pathfinder was just another version of D&D with house rules.

 

[Morrus]

CR works so well because of factors Hasbro would not have been able to collect together. It is a collection of highly skilled actors that genuinely like each other and are having fun, while using the acting skills, under the guidance of one of the best DMs around. Their style of game is not for everyone, but it is great for a lot of people. It was the right people at the right time.

That being said - they are doing quite well financially for a D&D game, but they're light years away from being able to buy D&D - and they are going to do far better aligning closely with the game than they will fighting against it. Part of what makes CR so great is that Mercer LOVES the game and has so much respect for it - making his own game would be a betrayal of that affection, I imagine. I know they started in Pathfinder, but he seems to be of the camp that Pathfinder was just another version of D&D with house rules.

You missed "astute business sense" from that list. They know what they're doing. And if making their own game was the right move, affection wouldn't be an issue. Not that I'm saying that is the right move, but if it was, they'd make the right business decision. They've very skillfully navigated the terrain thus far with multi-million dollar sums floating around.

 

[darjr]

Now I wonder if PF2 and the PF1 pocket edition were bumped in sales thanks to CR?

 

[generic]

Critical Role could buy D&D from Hasbro...

Hasbro is still a bit more influential than CR...

 

[darjr]

I think we already know if it would make a profitable venture. A CR rpg. Could you imagine the Kickstarter?

But I don’t think Mercer would do it for business reasons. Other things would have to align for that to happen. Maybe if WotC approached them to do it.....

 

[Retreater]

The Green Ronin Tal'Dorei book moved like hotcakes at Gen Con when it released - so much so that I was concerned I wouldn't be able to pick one up for my girlfriend as a gift (which I did, luckily). I'm not shocked to see this one be successful in light of Critical Role's expanded popularity as well as the marketing of Wizards of the Coast behind it.
So good for them. I might pick this up for that same girlfriend (now fiancée).

 

[Morrus]

Hasbro is still a bit more influential than CR...

Hasbro is. One of their smaller brands like D&D might not be soon if things keep going this way!