Critical Role Wildemount: Most Pre-orders Since D&D Core Rulebooks

LuisCarlos17f · Jan 22, 2020

Let's see if I understand it. It started as an amateur project, but it become popular because there were good vibes.

Drangolance wasn't only a best-seller, but the most sold after Lord of the Rings. My theory is Dragonlance will come back after a media project, a videogame or a serie, the story is too long for a movie. The animated movie was too violent for preteen public, even for +7. I suggest like "pilot episode" the Dragonlance story "Wanna bet?" I was really fun, as a tricker DM trolling/teasing players.

I don't know Adventure Zone or Hammond-Quest to know if its background is compatible for a canon D&D sourcebook.

* Any popular D&D podcast has been set in neither FR nor homebred settin? It could be a clue for the future settins.

* Do you imagine Disney+ creating their own RPG podcast? Low-level cost and young promised to be promoted.

* When an Endless Quest dungeon-brawling board game for +10y? (now Hero-Quest is trademark by other company)

uzirath · Jan 22, 2020

This moves both ways, too. I've been curious about CR for a while, but couldn't manage to sit through an entire episode beyond the holiday special with Stephen Colbert. (I just don't have big blocks of discretionary time at this stage of my life.) Hearing about the book coming out piqued my interest enough that I finally managed to finish an episode, and I purchased the Tal'Dorei sourcebook. Will I become a regular viewer? Not a chance. Do I respect what they're doing? Definitely. Will I buy CR-related accessories? It depends on how much I like these first two books, but I generally enjoy reading setting books, especially if they're rooted in actual face-to-face games.

Salthorae · Jan 22, 2020

I'm not surprised by this news, but it makes me a bit sad and comes with a sense of foreboding.

I've read Matt Mercer's statement about this product not getting in the way of other publications/settings. I get that.

But if these sales #'s hold up, then they are going to likely put OTHER Exandria publications in place of older or more traditional setting publications because they are what is selling well.

Since I have very little tie to the CR worlds (I've watched a handful of episodes, but none of Campaign 2 so far), I care nothing for this product or other CR products.

I'm glad for the CR folks and for D&D that they're having something sell this well, but I'm bummed for what that probably means for the prospects of other settings I love.

darjr · Jan 22, 2020

I’m hoping they open DMsGuild

Dave2 · Jan 22, 2020

We will agree to disagree on the D&D brand being more influential or not. Many forget that when critical roll started D&D 5th was on the New Yorker times best seller list. So at that point D&D 5e and playing it helped critical roll. Now I think they help each other. I think if they were to Switch to let’s say Pathfinder 2 it would take hit in its numbers. This leads me to another point. I think on EN World Ryan Delaney was saying that 3.0 sold around 300,000 copies in a month and continue d to increase after that. By everyone’s account D&D 5 e has done better than that. So I would say it is safe to say it has made more money than critical roll and more people have played it than watched critical roll.

billd91 · Jan 22, 2020

Morrus said:
You missed "astute business sense" from that list. They know what they're doing. And if making their own game was the right move, affection wouldn't be an issue. Not that I'm saying that is the right move, but if it was, they'd make the right business decision. They've very skillfully navigated the terrain thus far with multi-million dollar sums floating around.

Sure, but that's within their own sphere of experience - entertainment media - and that's different from the tabletop role playing game business. They may have widely varying levels of confidence/knowledge between the two types of businesses.

They're doing so well with D&D, I suspect that the astute business sense would tell them to stay right where they are on that topic.

Reynard · Jan 22, 2020

Salthorae said:
I'm not surprised by this news, but it makes me a bit sad and comes with a sense of foreboding.

I've read Matt Mercer's statement about this product not getting in the way of other publications/settings. I get that.

But if these sales #'s hold up, then they are going to likely put OTHER Exandria publications in place of older or more traditional setting publications because they are what is selling well.

Since I have very little tie to the CR worlds (I've watched a handful of episodes, but none of Campaign 2 so far), I care nothing for this product or other CR products.

I'm glad for the CR folks and for D&D that they're having something sell this well, but I'm bummed for what that probably means for the prospects of other settings I love.

That was always true though. If Eberron had been a runaway best seller you can be sure that the schedule would be shuffled around to put an Eberron Bestiary or Eberron Megamodule on the shelves.

Morrus · Jan 22, 2020

billd91 said:
Sure, but that's within their own sphere of experience - entertainment media - and that's different from the tabletop role playing game business. They may have widely varying levels of confidence/knowledge between the two types of businesses.

They're doing so well with D&D, I suspect that the astute business sense would tell them to stay right where they are on that topic.

I’d have thought that about Geek & Sundry, too. They are clearly not averse to bold moves.

Saracenus · Jan 22, 2020

I knew Mercer and company were breathing rare air when he tried to visit friends in the dealers room at Gary Con XI and so many people poured into the space to see him that everything ground to a halt. Hotel security was brought in to extract him.

Streaming (and Vid-casting) are giant drivers in the resurgence of this hobby. The numbers do not lie. The other Matt, Colville, proved that by having a massive Kickstarter for Strongholds & Followers (a 3rd party 5e book) and building his studio. He has followed it up with a giant Kickstarter for the follow up, Kingdoms & Warfare.

Both Matt's success did not happen overnight. They have collectively built up skill sets that make internet broadcasting look easy (it isn't from a technical standpoint or from a "performance" standpoint). They both started doing D&D related stuff they loved and were passionate about. People like what they did and they became fans. The fans started interacting with what they loved. Lightning in a bottle.

Their massive fandoms can now be leveraged into crazy levels of support for projects. Critical Role tried to shop their cartoon to various studios and all passed. CR goes to the fans and they suddenly have money to produce an entire season. That get's leveraged into an Amazon series.

So, am I shocked by the popularity of the campaign book, nope.

dave2008 · Jan 22, 2020

Morrus said:
Well that seems to be true. Amazon has commissioned a Critical Role series, not a D&D series.

I think it it important to point out that this started with CR kickstarting the animates series. Without that, I don't think there is an Amazon deal. My point is, I think WotC could, and possibly should have, made a deal with Amazon to create a new animated series. In fact, i think they have dropped the ball here. Animated series on Netflix similar to Voltron, She-Ra, Knight of Sedonia, or many others could be popular and push sales of the D&D game, brand, and other merchandising opportunities.

Critical Role Wildemount: Most Pre-orders Since D&D Core Rulebooks

LuisCarlos17f

Legend

uzirath

Hero

Salthorae

Imperial Mountain Dew Taster

darjr

I crit!

Dave2

Villager

billd91

Not your screen monkey (he/him)

Reynard

Legend

Morrus

Well, that was fun

Saracenus

Always In School Gamer

dave2008

Legend

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