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.

 

[Zardnaar]

Same. Did a “do not recommend” a lot snd eventually they vanished. Not going to feed the algorithm.

I don't see that stuff anyway and on console I don't see the three dots.

Don't engage seems to work for me.

That particular youtuber she has done sone good videos around OGL thing. Otherwise I don't really like her content.

I don't really like most D&D youtubers tbh.

 

[Oofta]

Literally the only channel I've blocked on YouTube.

Oh, I don't blame you one bit. Every single one that comes up is "scandal", "disaster", "failure" or some such.

But it's kind of like driving by an accident ... I don't look if I'm driving but a part of me wants to.

 

[Zardnaar]

We won't know how well it's selling for a while. Even if it does well, it won't be best selling ever for at least a few years because of how well and how long the 2014 PHB sold.

I did say a while ago the first 6 weeks and year are more important. Won't be until year 3 we really know much.

Basically I'm expecting an early peak. Then see if it keeps climbing like 2014 or more like 3.0.

 

[Oofta]

I did say a while ago the first 6 weeks and year are more important. Won't be until year 3 we really know much.

Basically I'm expecting an early peak. Then see if it keeps climbing like 2014 or more like 3.0.

Most versions saw a quick peak and then a drop off except for some of the initial versions and, of course, 5E.

 

[Morrus]

But it's kind of like driving by an accident ... I don't look if I'm driving but a part of me wants to.

That’s how it works. Outrage get the clicks, whether it’s D&D, Star Wars, politics, whatever. That’s why they make these videos and write those clickbait articles—because it works.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

We won't know how well it's selling for a while. Even if it does well, it won't be best selling ever for at least a few years because of how well and how long the 2014 PHB sold.

Yeah, the closest we will get for at least five years (and probably closer to eight) will be "on track to be the best selling D&D book", which is what we have so far. It's the best-selling LAUNCH, which is great, but doesn't mean more than it says. We'll see how it continues, which is close to impossible to predict.

 

[Oofta]

That’s how it works. Outrage get the clicks, whether it’s D&D, Star Wars, politics, whatever. That’s why they make these videos and write those clickbait articles—because it works.

Which is why I refuse to click on them even if I am curious. Just because I don't want to feed the beast I am sometimes curious about what flames they are fanning this time.

 

[Zardnaar]

Most versions saw a quick peak and then a drop off except for some of the initial versions and, of course, 5E.

Yeah that's the typical pattern and revisions doing worse than that they're based off. WotC is very good at spin they don't really say much worth listening to.

I knew 5E was doing well early on buy it wasn't really until they said the starter set sold 800k you really knew. You could compare that with the red box 1 million plus for example.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

The key word there is 'brand'. Note they didn't say 'TTRPG".

It's about leveraging the D&D 'brand'. The TTRPG yes, but also novels and toys and movies and plushies and stuff. Which is fine. But we should be clear what we're discussing. When they say the 'brand' is undermonetised they aren't saying DDB is undersubscribed, they're saying there are more mass market opportunities to monetise the brand. They're talking about lunchboxes and action figures and cartoons and novels and video games and colouring books and video games. I said video games twice. I said what I said.

Always distinguish between the words 'brand' and 'TTRPG'. They aren't the same words for a reason.

Honestly I am kind of surprised people keep repeating the Under monetized thing, when that was said almost two years ago before they did a lot of their current monetizing.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Honestly I am kind of surprised people keep repeating the Under monetized thing, when that was said almost two years ago before they did a lot of their current monetizing.

You think that the CEO of Hasbro thinks that D&D is now properly "monetized"?

As a tangent, when she said that, I said, "I agree. Unfortunately, what we both mean by that is likely different, and our solutions to that issue would likely be VERY different."

We'd crossover, probably, in the area of Licensed Merchandising, which still has room for growth, and the venture into in-house VTT, I agree, is a smart move. That's probably about it.