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.

 

[Morrus]

I may be, but you are still not thinking as an investor. I KNOW you have been a game publisher and TTRPG journalist for 25 years, so I am sort of surprised you haven't SEEN what I am talking about.

Xbox Gamepass is out there BECAISE of this idea of expanding the service and subscriptions. Xbox itself has various ways it's trying to expand beyond those who own Xboxes (because appealing only to those that own a current xbox, that's currently a losing battle to PS) to other platforms and to appeal to those who are merely "fans".

THIS is the current lingo that you would use. This is not just a "D&D" thing, or an "RPG" thing, this is what the market is currently about. You expand or you die. If there are fans out there that are not being utilized...then you haven't even been able to get beyond the fanbase (and getting beyond that is crucial to expanding) and that is seen by some as a failure. Of course...they are going to try to exploit the fans for money.

It's not just the players.

I think that's what you are not seeing. You think it's just about those currently playing. It's FAR beyond that. You think the OGL ideas were focused simply to try to get more money from those currently playing only D&D???

No, it was FAR beyond those playing D&D, or even D&D related fans. It was about anything and anyone related to D&D (even those who hated D&D but were using things connected to it). It's THAT thinking, how to get money from every facet that can be utilized that is going through their heads. That's why that 85 million number is important and stands out.

I personally think some VP is trying to get promoted with stating numbers like that, but that number is going to most likely cause problems that many here won't see until it probably come to a head in a year or two.

I DID see WHAT you SAID but DISAGREED with IT.

 

[mamba]

The OGL situation that arose awhile back didn't come about simply because they were looking at who the people who bought the PHB were...in fact...the players weren't even really what they were looking at in that situation. They were looking at other numbers...the extended base as one would put it. That extended base of fans, users, or simply those who were aware of it is far larger and far more tempting to get money from

you do realize that the OGL is completely meaningless for that extended base, it existing or not and its content make zero difference here, so that is absolutely not why WotC did what they did

 

[mamba]

You think the OGL ideas were focused simply to try to get more money from those currently playing only D&D???

No, it was FAR beyond those playing D&D, or even D&D related fans. It was about anything and anyone related to D&D

I will need an explanation here… how is this ‘OGL idea’ supposed to help them with non-D&D players?

And if your answer here too is

I have no idea HOW

then maybe stop shouting this nonsense from the rooftops

 

[Parmandur]

you did not say it, I did.

3773 PHBs sold in the first week, if you want the exact number, conclusion: everyone buys the digital one on DDB as they need to have outsold the 133k from Tasha according to the announcement and they clearly had next to no physical sales (the 3773 cannot possibly be the issue here…)

Glicker has the tendency to go off the handle sometimes, but thst is particularly unhinged.

 

[Hussar]

Wow. We made it 192 posts before bringing up the OGL. That’s a new record I believe.

Only DnD fans would turn this into bad news.

 

[KYRON45]

Glicker has the tendency to go off the handle sometimes, but thst is particularly unhinged.

The thumbnail alone is unhinged.

 

[Parmandur]

The thumbnail alone is unhinged.

Well, that's just his business strategy. Hate the game, not the playa...?

He should.know better to be cautious with thise bookscan numbers, though, folks like @Alphastream went over them with a fine tooth comb previously.

 

[KYRON45]

Well, that's just his business strategy. Hate the game, not the playa...?

He should.know better to be cautious with thise bookscan numbers, though, folks like @Alphastream went over them with a fine tooth comb previously.

Those goofy thumbnails remind me of:

 

[Stonesnake]

The 3,700 number is complete nonsense. They sold 3,000 copies just at Gen Con.

D&D (2024) - 3,000 Player's Handbooks Available At Gen Con

At Gen Con (August 1-4), there will be 3,000 copies of the Player's Handbook available. These copies will include a gold foil D&D logo and a commemorative bookplate. RENTON, WA – July 18, 2024 – It’s a banner year for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS! Coming off the acclaimed film Dungeons & Dragons: Honor...

www.enworld.org

There's about 10,000 game stores just in the US. And that's not counting book stores, chain stores, Amazon, etc.

3,700 is fewer books than I sell!

Believe me or not, but this is what Bookscan is reporting. Here is the reporting directly:

 

[Parmandur]

Believe me or not, but this is what Bookscan is reporting. Here is the reporting directly:
View attachment 380895

Yes, because Bookscan doesn't include FLGS sales at all: they don't track hobby channels, just mainstream bookstores.

Nobody doesn't believe that is what Bookscan says, juat that Bookscan doesn't tell us anything useful on this front.