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."

 

[Parmandur]

C'mon. If TSR could do it, Hasbro can do it!

I know! 2E was the height of everything, clearly, so Hasbro should imitate TSR's business genius.

 

[Velderan]

Depends on how well they're doing. I don't follow Paizo, but I know WotC's huge and continuing success with 5e means that they don't need to raise prices to stay afloat. And why would they risk angering fans more by raising digital prices? They don't have that plausible excuse in that arena.

I used Paizo as an example because they likely have the 2nd largest print runs of books, so are probably getting better print rates than other publishers and even then needed to raise prices. The upcoming Rage of Elements rulebook is $55 print ($5 increase over their usual $50) and the PDF is still $20. The remaster core books? $60, no price on PDF listed yet.

Digital has a different set of costs associated. Assuming DDB still uses AWS for their hosting, if Amazon raises the cost on that service enough, you'll definitely see a price increase on DDB while not seeing a print book increase. If they were doing this purely because greedy corporation, they'd raise DDB prices as well because inflation would be enough justification. They're focusing on the area where costs have risen the most, period.

 

[Oofta]

C'mon. If TSR could do it, Hasbro can do it!

Exactly! Fantastic business plans like publishing product without tracking how successful they are, not understanding how to track net profit, buying back books if they don't sell. Pure business genius.

 

[Velderan]

C'mon. If TSR could do it, Hasbro can do it!

I too wish all TTRPG companies could channel their inner 90s TSR so they'd all go out of business and we could just post about the good ol' days instead of having new games to play.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I too wish all TTRPG companies could channel their inner 90s TSR so they'd all go out of business and we could just post about the good ol' days instead of having new games to play.

You're on to my long-term plan to get everyone to play FKR!

Muahahahahahahahahahahaha! First, I drive Hasbro out of business by forcing them to sell books below cost.
Then, I point out that Paizo also sells expensive books.
I'm a little confused on step three.


But step four? PROFIT!!!!!! From, um, people playing free FKR games. Still working on that.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

The new core that they commissioned all new art for, are expanding page count for, changed the font size for, are creating a better index for and have announced a staggered release because every printer in the US is printing at near max capacity already since two of the three largest printers no longer exist is evidence that they don't care about printed books?

What happened to the other two largest printers?

 

[Oofta]

You're on to my long-term plan to get everyone to play FKR!

Muahahahahahahahahahahaha! First, I drive Hasbro out of business by forcing them to sell books below cost.
Then, I point out that Paizo also sells expensive books.
I'm a little confused on step three.


But step four? PROFIT!!!!!! From, um, people playing free FKR games. Still working on that.

It's all about volume.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

What happened to the other two largest printers?

Read this article.

The great book shortage of 2021, explained

Demand for books is way up this year. Supplies are way, way down.

www.vox.com

It is mostly about the Covid issues and supply chains (it's from the end of 2021), but it discussed what happened to the printers and why the printers disappeared from the market starting in 2018.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Absolutely, they can, and have done so: that's why they adjusting now, rather than years ago. They ate the cost as years of inflation chipped away at the margins. Bit any company can only do that for so long, before either increasing prices or cancelling a product line.

They aren't going to sell books at a loss.

They are already no where near selling at a loss and were at no risk for that.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

It's all about volume.

That is one of my all-time favorites.