D&D (2024) 2024 Player’s Handbook is ‘Fastest Selling D&D Book Ever’

It’s only officially been out for a week, but according to Wizards of the Coast, the new Dungeons & Dragons Player’s Handbook has already surpassed Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything to become the fastest selling D&D book ever—in the entire 50-year history of the game. It has sold three times as many copies as the 2014 version of the books did at launch.

Not only that, the 2024 Player’s Handbook was the biggest print run in D&D’s history.

In a press release today, WotC claims more than 85 million D&D fans worldwide, and says that D&D Beyond, the game’s official online platform, has over 18 million users.

 

[Stormonu]

Local FLGS and Booksamillion here got in lump of PHBs - at least 10 apiece not including anyone who'd specifically preordered. Still plenty at both last time I looked (about a week ago). So far, no shortage.

I also wonder if the numbers WotC is touting are books sold directly to consumers or ordered from distributor - in the latter they're out of WotC's hand but not necessarily in the hands of consumers - which is pretty significant recalling the shoulder-high stacks of PHBs back at the local bookstore in 4E that ended up getting dumped to salvage stores when they didn't sell.

 

[KYRON45]

What percent of sales are all the naysayers hate buying i wonder?

 

[smiteworks]

Tasha's sold like hot-cakes for us on Fantasy Grounds when it launched in November 2020. Counting the pre-orders along with the first week sales for the PHB puts it at a higher rate than TCE if it remains this high for the whole month -- but for us, Tasha's outsold the PHB on its day 1 release for Fantasy Grounds by a very large margin.

 

[EthanSental]

I haven’t bought the new PHB on FG yet, but plan on it once our group is playing more regularly as we use the maps and encounters with FG with a tv in the table….fun stuff!

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Tasha's sold like hot-cakes for us on Fantasy Grounds when it launched in November 2020. Counting the pre-orders along with the first week sales for the PHB puts it at a higher rate than TCE if it remains this high for the whole month -- but for us, Tasha's outsold the PHB on its day 1 release for Fantasy Grounds by a very large margin.

That's easily explained by purchasers like Ethan above who plan to get it, but don't feel a rush.

For my FLGS, it was very slow the first week, but kept picking up steam as people "got around" to coming in for it. There is clearly excitement for it (or it wouldn't be doing so well overall) but there is ALSO an unprecedented amount of "wait and see" or "wait until our campaign finishes".

Which means that sales will probably continue to roll along at a high level.

 

[Retreater]

Here's Roll for Combat's take...
The TL;DW ... the sales are mostly driven by DND Beyond.

 

[Xaielao]

Apparently they're counting purchases of the license on D&D Beyond, because it's only sold 3700 physical copies (according to Glicker's numbers).

 

[Oofta]

Here's Roll for Combat's take...
The TL;DW ... the sales are mostly driven by DND Beyond.

I don't think it really matters all that much. What will matter is what it sells over the next 6 months to a year. People that are already playing the 2014 edition may well be transitioning slowly as campaigns end or just waiting for more reviews. People that were excited about the new edition took advantage of the bundle pricing? Shocking. I don't see how that really matters. The continued success of the game has always been and will always be driven by people new to the game in the longer run.

 

[OptionalRule]

Apparently they're counting purchases of the license on D&D Beyond, because it's only sold 3700 physical copies (according to Glicker's numbers).

That number is the GenCon one, not total. It's likely people had already pre ordered.

 

[Parmandur]

Apparently they're counting purchases of the license on D&D Beyond, because it's only sold 3700 physical copies (according to Glicker's numbers).

Bookscan does not include any FLGS numbers, let alone Beyond, and they have been selling for weeks now.