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.

 

[THEMNGMNT]

I think DDB and direct-to-consumer sales will be a game changer for WotC as they finally own their own distribution platform. It puts D&D on a path toward longterm sustainability. With few exceptions, I'm now ordering all my books directly from DDB.

 

[Scribe]

D&D almost certainly outearned Monopoly Go! last quarter

Source? No numbers for D&D were released in any way. Instead its all about how Magic carries Wizards, and Hasbro, on its back.

 

[Clint_L]

Why would they bring it up... it did poorly. That isnt what you want to focus investors on... which again gives some credence to... if they bring it up, its probably meeting and more likely exceeding expectations.

Obviously. My point is that their statement doesn't really tell us anything - they are glossing up the positives and ignoring the negatives. It's PR, not information.

 

[bedir than]

Source? No numbers for D&D were released in any way. Instead its all about how Magic carries Wizards, and Hasbro, on its back.

There's some algebra can be done via the various measurements that are released.
@Alphastream will have update at some point

 

[Clint_L]

I think DDB and direct-to-consumer sales will be a game changer for WotC as they finally own their own distribution platform. It puts D&D on a path toward longterm sustainability. With few exceptions, I'm now ordering all my books directly from DDB.

D&D achieved long term sustainability long ago, but I certainly agree that DDB is already a game-changer for WotC, not only because it give them a strong platform for direct sales, but it allows them significant control over 5e by letting them gatekeep who has access. It basically gives them what they went after in the OGL fiasco (a percentage of 3PP sales and content control)without the bad press.

I write that as a fan of DDB for personal use; I can't imagine going back to running games without it. It saves me hours every week. But it's not without costs and consequences.

 

[Scribe]

There's some algebra can be done via the various measurements that are released.
@Alphastream will have update at some point

/shrug

If it was worth crowing over, they would.

 

[bedir than]

/shrug

If it was worth crowing over, they would.

What's interesting to US may not be the same as what's interesting to investors.
130 million for D&D, if true, as an example

 

[Scribe]

What's interesting to US may not be the same as what's interesting to investors.
130 million for D&D, if true, as an example

If something is financially, objectively, numerically successful, especially if they have $$$$ metrics? You dont think that would be of interest to an investor?

Yet the numbers they do have, for Magic, are interesting?

You really think that?

 

[GreyLord]

So not BS... just obvious and if it's obvious it would appear successful at this stage in its release...why is anyone trying to push the narrative of '24 being a failure at this point... wouldn't that mean for many it's not obvious?

Maybe, I don't know. I have no idea why they would be pushing that D&D anniversary is a failure. Financially, it was obvious it would boost sales in the short term.

Maybe they are looking at it more in the 4e way?

4e sold faster than D&D 3e or 3.5 at first, and some would say it was the fastests selling edition for corebook sales ever in it's first few months. In addition, it's internet offering (I think it was estimated) was making a pretty decent chunk of change (80K subscribers I think at it's high point, at ~$10 a pop was 800K a month...and almost 10 Mil a year...but that's nothing when you have a bottom line of needing to make 50 Million or more in order to just be considered minimally successful, and 100 million to be considered good enough to be supported).

As time spread out, sales for 4e fell, and the profit from the online (character creator, etc) also fell somewhat to the point that they started looking at the next step to take. It still made money overall, but not as much as some would have preferred. It was not as popular as 3.X at it's height, and definitely not as popular as 5e is.

I think many consider that a failure today, so...maybe that's how they are looking at it???

 

[Zardnaar]

Okay Im trying to understand this statement better... what specifically is the BS they are pushing? Will they paint sales of D&D in the best light possible...sure, but we've seen them choose not to mention it at all when its not doing great... so if it wasn't doing well, why bring attention to it at all?

Cherry picked stats presented in best positive light and very vague terms. Generally no hard numbers. The few hard numbers are cherry picked as well.

They also dont mention what metrics they use.

Theres no new information in this latest statement for example. We already knew what theyre saying and its what one should expect if one was paying attention.