2024 D&D Core Rulebooks Off to "Strongest-Ever" Start for D&D Books

Dungeons & Dragons got a rare shoutout during Hasbro's 3rd quarter earnings report, with Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks stating that the 2024 Core Rulebooks were off to a record start. Today, Hasbro released its third quarter 2025 earnings report, with Wizards of the Coast propping up the overall revenue for the company. Wizards of the Coast is up 33% YTD, with Magic: The Gathering having a 40% jump compared to last year. However, Cocks also called out Dungeons & Dragons in his comments, speaking to both the Core Rulebooks and D&D Beyond's Maps VTT.

Cocks' full comments (which are admittedly very brief) can be found below:

The refreshed 2024 editions of D&D’s Monster Manual, Players Handbook, and DM Guide are off to the strongest-ever start for D&D books. D&DBEYOND’S new, accessible virtual tabletop has driven weekly traffic up nearly 50% since its September launch.

Hasbro is having a good year, with total revenue up 7% compared to last year. Wizards is expected to be up 36-38% for 2025, largely due to the performance of Magic: The Gathering.

 

[FrogReaver]

Sometimes the answer is, we just don't have the data to tell us.

I fully believe WOTC when they say 2024 is outpacing 2014 in sales comparing from launch date to current. But we don't know if that time period accounts for 1% of overall 2014 sales or 99% of it. Most likely somewhere between.

If the bookscan numbers aren't showing that 2024 is outpacing 2014 compared from launch to current then I don't think that piece of data can be a valid comparison point.

Can someone confirm if this is the case?
Also, do we have any other good data sources than bookscan?

 

[AlViking]

It's wouldn't be surprising that in 2024 more sales are skewing digital than 2014. The exact ratio isn't know but we can guess it's substantially higher.

Obviously there was no DndBeyond in 2014, were there any digital sales at all back then? I doubt the exact numbers will ever be released unless someone that works for WOTC with insider information decides to share it.

 

[FrogReaver]

Obviously there was no DndBeyond in 2014, were there any digital sales at all back then? I doubt the exact numbers will ever be released unless someone that works for WOTC with insider information decides to share it.

When did Roll 20 sales of 5e start? Though, VTT environment I think was a minority back then.

 

[AlViking]

When did Roll 20 sales of 5e start? Though, VTT environment I think was a minority back then.

It wasn't until 2016 according to a quick search.

 

[Zardnaar]

That was exactly what RfC was using Bookscan for in their video. So unless there were hundreds of thousands of copies of the 2024 core books sold in digital format, the "strongest start ever" quote sounds more like creative word play rather than concrete sales.

I dont put to much thought into WotC statement along those lines.

I expected it and don't think theyre out right lying.

 

[Zardnaar]

We're listening to the dude that said only 3,000 copies were sold in the first month?

I'm not the data was incomplete.

I wouldn't bother reading to much into it for another year or two.

 

[bedir than]

I'm not the data was incomplete.

I wouldn't bother reading to much into it for another year or two.

I wouldn't bother reading into what Roll for Combat is sharing regarding sales ever.
The massive error when suggesting that only 3k books were sold in a month was never rescinded, corrected and it didn't change their methodology based on what's being said here.

For me, this is a claim similar to journalism that's so off, similar to the unethical use of "quotes" by DnD Shorts, that they don't deserve attention for their attempts at journalism.

 

[Zardnaar]

I wouldn't bother reading into what Roll for Combat is sharing regarding sales ever.
The massive error when suggesting that only 3k books were sold in a month was never rescinded, corrected and it didn't change their methodology based on what's being said here.

For me, this is a claim similar to journalism that's so off, similar to the unethical use of "quotes" by DnD Shorts that they don't deserve attention for their attempts at journalism.

D&D shorts at least is entertaining and his mechanical insight is quite good.

I dont really watch roll for combat.