D&D 5E The Printers Can't Handle WotC's One D&D Print Runs!

One of the reasons why the three new core rulebooks next year will not be released together is because D&D is such a juggernaut that the printers can't actually handle the size of the print runs!

Jeremy Crawford told Polygon "Our print runs are pretty darn big and printers are telling us you can’t give us these three books at the same time.” And Chris Perkins added that "The print runs we’re talking about are massive. That’s been not only true of the core books, but also Tasha’s Cauldron. It’s what we call a high-end problem."

 

[MGibster]

People buying up a bunch of books off Amazon to sell for double. Everything sufficiently limited and in demand gets scalped these days.

A few years back, Popeye's Chicken introduced a new chicken sandwich that started selling like crazy. Customers flocked to their restaurants and they simply couldn't make enough of them to keep up with demand. Popeye's would put signs up letting people know they were out of sandwiches and when they were back. I remember a news story about some "entrepreneurs" who went into a Popeye's and bought out all the sandwiches and tried scalping them. Would you buy a chicken sandwich from some random dudes on the street? Neither would anyone else, so these dudes were on the hook for all the money they spent on the sandwiches.

Scalping is extremely common every time Games Workshop releases something. A new boxed set might sell out in about 10 seconds and a lot of those sales are to scalpers. The best way to combat scalping is not to buy from them. Treat them as if they're selling Popeye's sandwiches second hand.

 

[Oofta]

The game is not doing well profitably.

Do you have any basis for that statement?

 

[darjr]

The guy who draws maps for D&D may know some people who work on D&D, but his claim is ludicrous on its face.

How many copies of Tasha's - a single 5e book that's not a core book - do you think WotC printed?
How many copies of all 4e books ever published were printed? Keep in mind that this figure will include the core books.

You first. You seem so confident. Show me your numbers.

 

[mamba]

To use your analogy, this isn't a pick-up truck forum, it's an automotive industry forum where most people are deeply concerned about pick-up trucks and discussion of other sorts of vehicles, or even other sorts of trucks, is far less robust. As a fan of the industry who has fallen out of love for the new pick-ups most everyone is talking about, what am I to do?

If I were in that situation, I’d stick to the types of cars I care about, and if that means I spend less time on an automobile forum as a consequence, I am not sure I would consider that a negative

 

[mamba]

Pathfinder1 outsold 4e for a couple of months, late in 4e's cycle, when, IIRC, 4e didn't have any "big new books" out, and Pathfinder did. They didn't (as people like to think/quote) outsell any 4e books with any Pathfinder books on a direct sales-to-sales comparison.

what does this mean? The lifetime sales of the best selling PF book were less than the worst selling 4e book?

 

[mamba]

I am learning that lesson now. Tanares RPG now over a year past due...

haven’t learned that yet (and got most on time…), I do avoid companies with a track record of being late though

 

[mamba]

I don't back Kickstarters that don't have product ready to go.

so basically a preorder then, no option for stretch goals. Why do it at all then, is there a discount?

 

[Micah Sweet]

If I were in that situation, I’d stick to the types of cars I care about, and if that means I spend less time on an automobile forum as a consequence, I am not sure I would consider that a negative

Well then I guess you're just a stronger person than I am.

 

[dbolack]

Plenty of Kickstarters have content ready for immediate download, with physical priduct coming later. Those are the ones I back, sometimes just the pdfs.

Any other vague insults you'd like to lob at me?

Curious that you'd consider that an insult, but whatever. Nothing wrong with not being the audience.

 

[Micah Sweet]

so basically a preorder then, no option for stretch goals. Why do it at all then, is there a discount?

Speed mostly. If I see something I like, I want it in my hands sooner rather than later. Same reason I might go to the theater to see a movie rather than wait for streaming. I also want to support companies I like, that make stuff I like.

Is there a reason you're being so pushy about this?