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.

 

[darjr]

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

yea, I believe bookscan has those numbers. I don't believe the numbers. It's possible something is wrong here. Though I do see it as unusual.

 

[Parmandur]

yea, I believe bookscan has those numbers. I don't believe the numbers. It's possible something is wrong here. Though I do see it as unusual.

Not terribly unusual if it excludes FLGS, WotC directly sales. And potentially Amazon sales (aince it is categorized as a toy on Amazon).

 

[darjr]

I mean it just doesn't make sense at first look. Just a handful of stores, by reports, have probably sold that many books and there are many many stores.

 

[Stonesnake]

Not terribly unusual if it excludes FLGS, WotC directly sales. And potentially Amazon sales (aince it is categorized as a toy on Amazon).

This is what Bookscan includes in its numbers if you are curious. It does include Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BJs, Books-A-Million, Costco, Gamestop, Sam's Club, Target, Walmart, and 800 independent bookstores (among others).

Circana BookScan Data Providers | Publishers Marketplace

 

[Scribe]

Sorry, but are you implying that only 3700 books have sold?

On its face, thats absurd.

 

[Retreater]

This is what Bookscan includes in its numbers if you are curious. It does include Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BJs, Books-A-Million, Costco, Gamestop, Sam's Club, Target, Walmart, and 800 independent bookstores (among others).

Circana BookScan Data Providers | Publishers Marketplace

Would it include pre-sales? The booth at GenCon? It does seem a little low.

 

[mamba]

Believe me or not, but this is what Bookscan is reporting.

I believe you that it is what Bookscan is reporting, I also believe it is complete nonsense

 

[Stonesnake]

Would it include pre-sales? The booth at GenCon? It does seem a little low.

No, it only includes sales from 9/15/24 - 9/21/24. That's it. No GenCon sales, and pre-sales depends upon how the stores report those sales.

 

[Parmandur]

This is what Bookscan includes in its numbers if you are curious. It does include Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BJs, Books-A-Million, Costco, Gamestop, Sam's Club, Target, Walmart, and 800 independent bookstores (among others).

Circana BookScan Data Providers | Publishers Marketplace

Yes, exactly, we established in the discussions about your earlier Bookscan videos that those 800 bookstores do not include any game stores, these numbers completely exclide any sales from a FLGS.

Sam's Club, Target, Walmart, Gamestop, and Costco are not selling the PHB: Amazon is, but it is specifically not categorized as a book on Amazon right now (it was categorized as a toy), so I doubt it is reporting any sales to BookScan here.

Again, all this tells us is that they sold at least 3700 books that week, but we know they sold more through a number of outlets.

 

[Parmandur]

No, it only includes sales from 9/15/24 - 9/21/24. That's it. No GenCon sales, and pre-sales depends upon how the stores report those sales.

Right, and it excludes all FLGS sales whatsoever.