IMO it was the best starter set they released. LMoP was a better adventure, but the Essentials Kit just came with more stuff that made the game friendly for a new player. A DM screen, cards for the magic items, initiative cards, instructions for using sidekicks to allow the game to be played with just 1 player and a DM. Including those things helps remove barriers to getting started and helps a new DM with learning to run the game. Plus giving a code to get the included adventure for free on DDB as well as a huge discount to the DDB PHB was a good marketing move to help steer people towards their online marketplace.
They are out for me, and more key: there isn't an option to place a backorder.Looks like Amazon is out of PHBs, at least in the very short term. You can't put a PHB from wizards into your Amazon cart.
Note it just may mean it's out in my local region.
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I expect they'll get one more printing. They aren't going to ignore 1000s of sales a monthThey are out for me, and more key: there isn't an option to place a backorder.
Wee hours of November 26th, 2023: possibly the time when Amazon sold out of their last print tun of the 2014 PHB?