TSR settings sales numbers from Ben Riggs, starting with Lankmar, Maztica, Al-Qadim and Planescape!

[Guest 7034872]

Yeah, that and Spelljammer. I think those two outsold all the minor settings so far discussed by a good bit, with maybe the exception of DL. Some Dark Sun numbers would be interesting as well, though maybe they have been published somewhere else already, I dunno.

Darksun TSR sales! From Benjamin Riggs.

Actual! Dark Sun! Sales numbers! Dark Sun follows the same pattern we’ve seen with so many other AD&D 2nd edition settings. The first release sells best, sales decline and then fall off a cliff. Follow-up releases fail to do as well as initial releases and then sputter out as well. Here you...

www.enworld.org

 

[Jer]

Yeah, that and Spelljammer. I think those two outsold all the minor settings so far discussed by a good bit, with maybe the exception of DL. Some Dark Sun numbers would be interesting as well, though maybe they have been published somewhere else already, I dunno.

If you're looking at total lifetime sales - not just initial release year sales - according to these numbers Spelljammer is actually one of the worse selling of the various settings. Dragonlance absolutely sold more - the 1e Dragonlance Adventures hardcover alone sold more than double in its lifetime what the Spelljammer boxed set sold. The original Ravenloft Black Box sold more - Spelljammer outsold it in the first year, but Ravenloft held onto sales over the following few years while Spelljammer tanked. The original Dark Sun boxed set sold about 10K more over its lifetime even before you add in the revised boxed set - another example of it having lower sales than Spelljammer in its first year but then holding onto sales better over the following years. Spelljammer outsold Al-Qadim and Maztica both by a good bit, and sold about 10K more copies than Lankhmar did, but that's about it.

 

[grimslade]

I can't wait to see the Planescape numbers. I suspect they will be in line with Dark Sun and Ravenloft. I can see why WotC has been so setting shy with 5E. The numbers reported lend themselves more to a strategy of combining setting into a module to hit as many target groups as you can.

 

[darjr]

And now planescape! Timing is perfect!

 

[darjr]

Behold! Below are sales for the Planescape Boxed Set between 1994 and 1999. Despite being a work of genius, the setting did not sell like prior TSR settings did.

Next, I’ll post numbers for Karameikos, Red Steel, and Birthright. Then I’ll post a mammoth chart comparing total sales of all TSR settings from 79 to 98.

Have you preordered my book on D&D history, Slaying the Dragon, yet? THIS IS THE LAST DAY TO PREORDER! If you preorder now, you get a free Jeff Easley bookplate! This offer ends IN HOURS, so take advantage of it now!

Also, in comments below are snips of the actual data used to generate the charts.

 

[Parmandur]

Behold! Below are sales for the Planescape Boxed Set between 1994 and 1999. Despite being a work of genius, the setting did not sell like prior TSR settings did.

Next, I’ll post numbers for Karameikos, Red Steel, and Birthright. Then I’ll post a mammoth chart comparing total sales of all TSR settings from 79 to 98.

Have you preordered my book on D&D history, Slaying the Dragon, yet? THIS IS THE LAST DAY TO PREORDER! If you preorder now, you get a free Jeff Easley bookplate! This offer ends IN HOURS, so take advantage of it now!

Also, in comments below are snips of the actual data used to generate the charts.View attachment 254214

Yeah, goes to show that critical reception and memory are not tied to sales...

 

[darjr]

Yeah, goes to show that critical reception and memory are not tied to sales...

Yup

 

[Jer]

I can't wait to see the Planescape numbers. I suspect they will be in line with Dark Sun and Ravenloft.

And as it turns out - they're less than Spelljammer. Both for year of initial release and total lifetime sales.

The 20-something in me who was really into Planescape is shocked, but the much older guy who has been watching these numbers get posted this last week thinks they're right in line what what he was expecting. The only thing that will shock me is if the remaining settings - Karameikos, Red Steel, and Birthright - post close to Planescape's numbers in sales.

 

[darjr]

Usually I’m fine being wrong. But dang this one kinda stings. Just a tiny bit.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I can't wait to see the Planescape numbers. I suspect they will be in line with Dark Sun and Ravenloft. I can see why WotC has been so setting shy with 5E. The numbers reported lend themselves more to a strategy of combining setting into a module to hit as many target groups as you can.

Eh, I don't know, I am not convinced Planescape did any better than Spelljammer. They were both more 'out there' in fantasy terms, but honestly a lot of people were perfectly happy with a Greyhawk/FR style fairly generic setting. I assume that's why those were the big sellers, and why they have continued to be supported over the years while many of the niche settings have languished. Still, it doesn't surprise me at all that Spelljammer outsold stuff like Maztica, that sort of just doesn't quite hit either itch. Its not 'out there', and its not quite 'generic fantasy' either.

I'm curious, have numbers come out on OA sales? I'd assume it probably had to outsell the K-T boxed set and such...

EDIT: Ninjaed, lol. Guess my hunch was right...