Chart of ICv2 Rankings Back To 2004

I created a spreadsheet with all the ICv2 rankings going back to 2004, and then output it into a chart. This is what that looks like. You can click on the image to enlarge it.

And this is a (reverse) total of the rankings over the last 15 years for each RPG listed. Higher is better:

 

[TrippyHippy]

I'm not sure which Powered By the Apocalypse game would be the biggest seller. My guess is that each is pretty small, although influential with game designers and popular with their niche. The fact that most are published by separate tiny publishers helps keep them off the chart, too.

Still, it'd be nice to see, say, Monster of the Week get the attention that ranking high in the sales chart would help bring it.

In the case of Apocalypse World, they only seem to sell through a very small number of trusted vendors - which would account for this. Monster of the Week, I’m sure, has a bigger distribution.

However, what is notable is that PbtA games seem to feature big at Conferences, despite having little retail presence. The charts don’t really account for playing trends, as much as retail distribution.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

However, what is notable is that PbtA games seem to feature big at Conferences, despite having little retail presence. The charts don’t really account for playing trends, as much as retail distribution.

Yes, this. Most PbtA is sold via Kickstarter, and then through Drive Thru - but I have only seen PbtA games in the largest of stores.

 

[Morrus]

However, what is notable is that PbtA games seem to feature big at Conferences, despite having little retail presence. The charts don’t really account for playing trends, as much as retail distribution.

Well, no. It’s a chart of hobby retail channels. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Well, remember, there are some pretty significant channels that ICv2 rankings just don't cover. Maybe they don't make a huge difference (IE Amazon) and maybe they do! I would think that DriveThruRPG is a pretty significant channel for certain smaller games. OTOH I would doubt that is going to upset the rankings a whole lot. Still, some of the PbtA games, for instance, might be a bit more popular than they are getting credit for.

I know, speaking for myself, if I can go to a place like that and get a PDF of some game that I will likely only run a limited number of times, or which I just want to read through and reference, I sure am not that tempted to go buy a hardcover. Anyway, I doubt it makes a HUGE difference overall.

 

[macd21]

Well, remember, there are some pretty significant channels that ICv2 rankings just don't cover. Maybe they don't make a huge difference (IE Amazon) and maybe they do! I would think that DriveThruRPG is a pretty significant channel for certain smaller games. OTOH I would doubt that is going to upset the rankings a whole lot. Still, some of the PbtA games, for instance, might be a bit more popular than they are getting credit for.

I know, speaking for myself, if I can go to a place like that and get a PDF of some game that I will likely only run a limited number of times, or which I just want to read through and reference, I sure am not that tempted to go buy a hardcover. Anyway, I doubt it makes a HUGE difference overall.

The main exception I can think of is NWoD material, which didn’t have much of a retail presence but was generally a Drivethru best seller (and later did well in Kickstarters). Had they had standard retail releases, I’d say a lot of them would have grabbed a 3-5 spot in that quarter.

 

[Phenomen]

I'm not sure which Powered By the Apocalypse game would be the biggest seller. My guess is that each is pretty small, although influential with game designers and popular with their niche. The fact that most are published by separate tiny publishers helps keep them off the chart, too.

KULT and City of Mist have a decent following and active communities. Both are published by Modiphius and have AAA quality.

 

[atanakar]

Question: What territory does ICv2 cover? If it doesn't cover Europe and Asia we are missing big chunks of the market.

 

[Morrus]

Question: What territory does ICv2 cover? If it doesn't cover Europe and Asia we are missing big chunks of the market.

It's a sample, not a count. But I believe it's NA only.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

KULT and City of Mist have a decent following and active communities. Both are published by Modiphius and have AAA quality.

Are they bigger than GURPS, though?

I think there's probably a lot of AAA quality PBtA games out there, it's just they're spread across so many publishers.

 

[teitan]

I would say being on the chart at all is a success. There are thousands of games not on it.

Yeah but that particular Marvel game didn't last 6 months!