WotC 2020 Was The Best Year Ever For Dungeons & Dragons

[Urriak Uruk]

Well unless James Wyatts major project is a video of his interruptive dance routine or a new D&D themed line of fishing gear, or Amanada Hamon's major project is her vlog on how to yodel in elvish or Chris' Summer Adventure is hunting D&D players for real, then yes we know its a book (not a box set those don't take up slots).

A boxed set like the Essentials Kit would count as a major release. I don't know what WotC considers a major release, but its possible they count things like the Rick & Morty box, or Curse of Strahd: Revamped.

I think it's unlikely, but its possible.

 

[Steampunkette]

I think it's great that people of all ages are playing and that 40% of the player base is female. I want the game to continue to succeed an grow.

However, I gotta admit I get tired of the term "Grognard" being tossed around. I find it kind of offensive to lump any category of gamers into a generic group. The term Grognard literally means "one who grumbles", it's an insult. Just as if I assumed all Gen Xers were the same [insert favorite stereotype here].

Grognard comes from a French term for "Old Soldier". Old Soldiers in the ttrpg community largely referring to the older players of previous editions.

I've heard the phrase since I was about 16 years old. And it has always been a term of endearment, to my ears. It's how I intended it. That's why I put in the little heart.

I apologize that it came across as an insult. It wasn't my intention, but it was the result.

(I'm also among the old soldiers compared to that 54%, by the by)

 

[Sacrosanct]

54% of active players are under 30. That's -amazing-.

It means the Grognards are -way- outnumbered! <3

Yes, it is a great thing. Because it means the game is growing and the hobby is getting a lot more people in it, including this next generation. I think we all (grogs like myself included) agree on.

Thinking it's a great thing because grognards are becoming more of a minority? Seems a weird thing to celebrate when there are plenty of good reasons to celebrate that figure that isn't denigrating another group of people.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

A boxed set like the Essentials Kit would count as a major release. I don't know what WotC considers a major release, but its possible they count things like the Rick & Morty box, or Curse of Strahd: Revamped.

I think it's unlikely, but its possible.

Except that they didn't count it as one

 

[Parmandur]

There are more players in just the 35–39 age range than in the entire 40+ range!

Does that seem odd to anyone else? What exactly happens to people when they turn 40 that causes such a steep dropoff?

I don't 5hink that's the right way to look at the numbers: there isn't necessarily a drop off of people 40+ who played and then stopped, it's that so many new people have started recently that the compariaonnisbiffbthe charts. Hence why Winninger feels confident in saying that D&D is bigger now than in the 80's.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Except that they didn't count it as one

WotC doesn't exactly have a declared definition for what a "major product" is, it's not an official term for something.

 

[Parmandur]

Lest we forget, WotC released Dungeon of the Mad Mage and Guildmasters Guide to Ravnica on the same day. They can release unrelated books on the same day if they feel like it.

 

[Nefermandias]

WotC doesn't exactly have a declared definition for what a "major product" is, it's not an official term for something.

Yeah. Natural language.

 

[Marc_C]

There are more players in just the 35–39 age range than in the entire 40+ range!

Does that seem odd to anyone else? What exactly happens to people when they turn 40 that causes such a steep dropoff?

The 40+ range is the segment of players who are more likely to still play older editions (3e, 2e, 1e, Basic and Original D&D).

 

[CleverNickName]

There's a lot of tall poppies in the field, for sure. But I'm proud of them...that kind of growth, in this kind of industry, with the kind of year we just had? That's impressive.