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.

 

[mamba]

Sales estimates:

5e 2014: 1.6 million
1e: 1.5 million
3e: 1 million
2e: 750K
4e: 300K

those are ProfDM numbers, aren’t they?

He is off quite a bit for at least 5e, 1e, 2e and 3e we have a pretty good idea (and he lumped 3e and 3.5 together there…) because we have the actual TSR numbers and pretty good WotC number. The 5e number is Bookscan though and way too low, the actual number is most likely somewhere around 5-6M. Alphastream estimated Bookscan to actual to be around 1:3, 2 years ago or so, with the recent growth of digital I think 1:4 is more likely by now

 

[Greg K]

Did he provide a source for his estimates. I saw that video.
Other people in industry have said 4E was under 800k and under 600k.

300k is similar to what ive seen for 3.5.

I thought he did or it had come from Mearls since he mentioned Mearls twice. However, he just said estimates without a source.
When I did a search to find the video, Google Search AI came back with similar numbers except for 3e and 4e. The AI said 3e combined 3 and 3.5 while for 4e it just said that one community estimate was as low as 200K for 4e, but this is less certain). The Google Search AI stated the following about estimates : Definitive sales numbers are rarely released by the publisher, Wizards of the Coast (WotC). However, based on data from sources like BookScan, retailer information, and internal documents from the game's original publisher (TSR), estimates have been compiled for various editions.

 

[Greg K]

those are ProfDM numbers, aren’t they?

yes

He is off quite a bit for at least 5e, 1e, 2e and 3e we have a pretty good idea (and he lumped 3e and 3.5 together there…) because we have the actual TSR numbers and pretty good WotC number.

Yeah, I just saw on Google AI that the 3e number appears to combine 3.0 and 3.5. However it also noted that 3.0 sold 1 million PHB, DMG, and Monster Manuals which I take to mean each since AI stated at the beginning that sales estimates were based on PHB sales (edit: This was wrong. I have an intermittent visual convergence disorder and was looking at 1.5 million for 1e PHB)

The 5e number is Bookscan though and way too low, the actual number is most likely somewhere around 5-6M. Alphastream estimated Bookscan to actual to be around 1:3, 2 years ago or so, with the recent growth of digital I think 1:4 is more likely by now

 

[mamba]

However it also noted that 3.0 sold 1 million PHB, DMG, and Monster Manuals which I take to mean each since AI stated at the beginning that sales estimates were based on PHB sales

no, 3e sold around 500k PHBs, the 1M is 3e and 3.5 combined, according to Ben Riggs’ numbers

 

[Greg K]

The 5e number is Bookscan though and way too low, the actual number is most likely somewhere around 5-6M. Alphastream estimated Bookscan to actual to be around 1:3, 2 years ago or so, with the recent growth of digital I think 1:4 is more likely by now

Maybe, unless some reports that the popularity of D&D and the number of active 5e players has declined since the pandemic ended are true. If I recall correctly, the end of the pandemic lines up with the move to digital (I.e. about two years ago).

 

[Zardnaar]

no, 3e sold around 500k PHBs, the 1M is 3e and 3.5 combined, according to Ben Riggs’ numbers

And over half that number was year 1.

 

[Zardnaar]

I thought he did or it had come from Mearls since he mentioned Mearls twice. However, he just said estimates without a source.
When I did a search to find the video, Google Search AI came back with similar numbers except for 3e and 4e. The AI said 3e combined 3 and 3.5 while for 4e it just said that one community estimate was as low as 200K for 4e, but this is less certain). The Google Search AI stated the following about estimates : Definitive sales numbers are rarely released by the publisher, Wizards of the Coast (WotC). However, based on data from sources like BookScan, retailer information, and internal documents from the game's original publisher (TSR), estimates have been compiled for various editions.

3E generally in the 500kto 750 with the million range usually 3E+3.5.

 

[Greg K]

no, 3e sold around 500k PHBs, the 1M is 3e and 3.5 combined, according to Ben Riggs’ numbers

You are correct. I had 1 million in an earlier post and was looking at the wrong line on screen (visual convergence disorder) , I was looking at open window and typed 1million for 3.0. My eyes picked up 1.5 for 1e instead of line for 3.0.

 

[Elvish Lore]

Audience for D&D has increased by multiples since 5e14 published and that Hasbro isn't supplying numbers and the best they say is that 5e24 is best start over other editions heavily implies sales have been nothing to brag about. I mean, of course 5e24 is off to a better start than 5e14. I should hope - your audience is 3x or better than what it was.

 

[Parmandur]

the best they say is that 5e24 is best start over other editions heavily implies sales have been nothing to brag about

That really doesn't follow.