D&D 5E Tasha digital preorders

Nikosandros · Oct 10, 2020

Recent books from WotC have been available for preorder in digital format soon after having been announced. Tasha is not yet available and the D&D Beyond team has stated that this is due to WotC non having yet authorized preorder sales. Of course, it is not terribly important to preorder the book (it's not like they are going to run out of copies...) but I'm curious about this change. Does anybody know the reason?

Rabulias · Oct 10, 2020

I heard that it was to incentivize purchases at partnered brick-and-mortar FLGSs. Just speculation, but I can see them doing that.

darjr · Oct 10, 2020

It’s for preorder at Amazon. It’s #132 out of all books on Amazon sales rank right now. Just edging out the players handbook.

Nikosandros · Oct 10, 2020

Rabulias said:
I heard that it was to incentivize purchases at partnered brick-and-mortar FLGSs. Just speculation, but I can see them doing that.

I would have thought that letting partnered stores be able to sell the book in advance would incentivize purchases better than delaying digital preorders (especially since you can preorder on Amazon and in fact there's a link from the product page). However this is model that they abandoned; perhaps it was logistically too complex.

Nikosandros · Oct 10, 2020

darjr said:
It’s for preorder at Amazon. It’s #132 out of all books on Amazon sales rank right now. Just edging out the players handbook.

I'm sure it is going to be a huge success.

LordEntrails · Oct 10, 2020

I assume this is still the case... But I believe the digital partners (DDB, FG, Roll20, d20Pro?) are permitted to release on the WPN release date (the same one the FLGSs can use) while Amazon et al have to wait until the regular release date (which is about 2 weeks I think?).

I would be more curious if that has changed (as I've never understood digital pre-orders at full price).

Nikosandros · Oct 10, 2020

LordEntrails said:
I assume this is still the case... But I believe the digital partners (DDB, FG, Roll20, d20Pro?) are permitted to release on the WPN release date (the same one the FLGSs can use) while Amazon et al have to wait until the regular release date (which is about 2 weeks I think?).

As far as I know, they have discontinued the early releases.

LordEntrails said:
I would be more curious if that has changed (as I've never understood digital pre-orders at full price).

D&D Beyond normally gives a few perks for preorders such as character frames or backgrounds, or new "skins" for the dice roller.

Rellott · Oct 11, 2020

I was working under the assumption that Beyond didn’t have all their mechanical ducks in a row for Tasha’s yet. They’ve been working on those alternative class features and stuff and revamping their site to accommodate them since the UA came out last year. I’m not sure they’re completely done yet, and it would make sense not to promise a release date and offer preorders until they know they can deliver.

Nikosandros · Oct 11, 2020

Rellott said:
I was working under the assumption that Beyond didn’t have all their mechanical ducks in a row for Tasha’s yet. They’ve been working on those alternative class features and stuff and revamping their site to accommodate them since the UA came out last year. I’m not sure they’re completely done yet, and it would make sense not to promise a release date and offer preorders until they know they can deliver.

However, the Beyond team has repeatedly stated that they are just waiting for WotC's authorization. It is not their decision.

Mistwell · Oct 25, 2020

Tasha's is #80 in All Books on Amazon.

D&D 5E Tasha digital preorders

Nikosandros

Golden Procrastinator

Rabulias

the Incomparably Shrewd and Clever

darjr

I crit!

Nikosandros

Golden Procrastinator

Nikosandros

Golden Procrastinator

LordEntrails

Hero

Nikosandros

Golden Procrastinator

Rellott

Explorer

Nikosandros

Golden Procrastinator

Mistwell

Crusty Old Meatwad (he/him)

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