D&D (2024) 2024 Player’s Handbook is ‘Fastest Selling D&D Book Ever’

It’s only officially been out for a week, but according to Wizards of the Coast, the new Dungeons & Dragons Player’s Handbook has already surpassed Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything to become the fastest selling D&D book ever—in the entire 50-year history of the game. It has sold three times as many copies as the 2014 version of the books did at launch.

Not only that, the 2024 Player’s Handbook was the biggest print run in D&D’s history.

In a press release today, WotC claims more than 85 million D&D fans worldwide, and says that D&D Beyond, the game’s official online platform, has over 18 million users.

 

[TheSword]

Great news. Really happy that it’s selling so well.
5e is dead, Long live 5e.

 

[Mistwell]

Yeah, I've had a free account for years and never spent a dime.

I don't know how they count that stuff. I have a free account too, as do all the players I play with except two. One of them has lifetime everything (he's rich and buys literally every single "official" thing they offer on DnDBeyond and some unofficial things too) and shares it with most of us. The other has most things and shares it with many (5 more beyond our 12). So between 12-17 people there are 2 paying accounts, but those 2 paying accounts pay way more than the normal low level subscription fee and are actively used by 12-17 people. So how does that get counted?

 

[Parmandur]

I don't know how they count that stuff. I have a free account too, as do all the players I play with except two. One of them has lifetime everything (he's rich and buys literally every single "official" thing they offer on DnDBeyond and some unofficial things too) and shares it with most of us. The other has most things and shares it with many (5 more beyond our 12). So between 12-17 people there are 2 paying accounts, but those 2 paying accounts pay way more than the normal low level subscription fee and are actively used by 12-17 people. So how does that get counted?

The 18 million number is pretty clear and straight forward: that's every accoutn, free or paid, frequent purchasers or just there for the freebies.

But your anecdotes show why that works for WotC: a few people who only use the basic free functionality actually encourage big spender friends to go whole hog and share, so the sharing feature means that your free account makes your friend feel better about getting everything: similar to free to play multiplayer games. So across millions of accounts...it evens out. But they won't share the nitty-gritty of how it works out mathematicaly, cuz that's a business secret.

 

[Morrus]

As I just posted to the Amazon sales numbers thread, the PHB debuted on the USA Today Bestseller List at #57.

That's lower, IIRC, than some previous 5th edition releases, but there are various reasons why that could have happened. One of which, that I forgot in the Amazon thread, was that that there was a big dropoff in D&D book ranks before and after the multi-month USA Today booklist hiatus, indicating there may have been a methodology change.

And also of course a book's ranking depends on the competition.

 

[Zardnaar]

I don't know how they count that stuff. I have a free account too, as do all the players I play with except two. One of them has lifetime everything (he's rich and buys literally every single "official" thing they offer on DnDBeyond and some unofficial things too) and shares it with most of us. The other has most things and shares it with many (5 more beyond our 12). So between 12-17 people there are 2 paying accounts, but those 2 paying accounts pay way more than the normal low level subscription fee and are actively used by 12-17 people. So how does that get counted?

Apparently the whales make up around 1% of users in free services that offer paid content.


Bob the world builder irrc did a video on beyond they have 2 million active players of which an unknown amount are whales.

I think that's the basic online subscription model. Offline I would count as a whale I haven't bought everything but around 30 of the 50 odd 5E official releases.

 

[Mistwell]

Apparently the whales make up around 1% of users in free services that offer paid content.


Bob the world builder irrc did a video on beyond hey have 2 million active players of which an unknown amount are whales.

I think that's the basic online subscription model. Offline I would count as a whale I haven't bought everything but around 30 of the 50 odd 5E official releases.

Yeah I am not counting my offline stuff. I think I buy a lower percentage than you do, but not by much. For me, there is nothing like a physical copy of a PHB, and many of us are edgings towards a return to a live game in our future (I hope).

 

[Zardnaar]

Yeah I am not counting my offline stuff. I think I buy a lower percentage than you do, but not by much. For me, there is nothing like a physical copy of a PHB, and many of us are edgings towards a return to a live game in our future (I hope).

Basically I use ENworld as a guide.

Most of the missing stuff is the AP adventures. Most are mediocre being generous and the recent ones are duds. I xan also flick through them at the store.

The laar 5E booking bought was golden Vault as the anthologies have had a few good adventures at least.

Thinking about a 3rd group but times more the issue we can only do Sunday afternoons and 2 nights a week.

 

[Guest 7037866]

They will NEVER get my money for this LOL!

 

[Queer Venger]

congrats!!
By the way they sold out at a couple of flgs' Im happy to receive confirmation.

Wonder how the trolls will respond...

 

[UngeheuerLich]

congrats!!
By the way they sold out at a couple of flgs' Im happy to receive confirmation.

Wonder how the trolls will respond...

Meanwhile in my Local Friendly Game Store...
(not meamt as a troll post... We already have two PHB in our revived live gaming group.)