D&D 5E 5E Lifetime Sales in North American Big Box Stores Revealed

[Scribe]

I've seen them there, I just assumed (for no particular reason I guess) that they didn't sell much. I've never thought of buying D&D stuff at a bookstore.

A lot of FLGS are really picky on what stock to carry as their margins are so tight. Big book stores in my neck of the woods are your best bet for D&D actually unless you want to just hit up Amazon.

 

[darjr]

Someone posted a reasoned estimate of PHB sales from Amazon. I can’t seem to find it now. Anyone have it or is that person here?

 

[Parmandur]

So, per Bem Riggs numbers, the 1E PHB had lifetime sales of 1,649,981 in total, whereas the 5E PHB sales from these select channels comes to 1,5563,586. So, the 5E book needs to have sold 86,395 from other sources in order to have surpassed 1E lifetime sales. Which I rather expect it has done, and then a lot.

In contrast, the 1E DMG had lifetime sales of 1,331,368, compared with 823,116 for the 5E DMG through these limited channels. So that's a bigger gap to cross, but I still rather suspect that the 5E DMG has crossed the line.l overall.

 

[DarkCrisis]

I love D&D (as a whole), but I really hope this gets other to try non-D&D games. There is such a wealth of good games with good systems covering various genres worth playing.

 

[wedgeski]

Having thought about it overnight, I think one of the most astonishing things is that the PHB is selling about the same week to week as it has consistently for the past decade...around 2000 copies, regularly. Even with new core vooks announced, though I suppose anybody buying a PHB from Target in 2023 is probably not plugged into online D&D news at all.

Nah, that's a dodgy assumption. For a while, locally, I didn't have a FLGS, so I bought books from the local Waterstones.

 

[darjr]

I love D&D (as a whole), but I really hope this gets other to try non-D&D games. There is such a wealth of good games with good systems covering various genres worth playing.

I think it has. Just look at the Airbender Legends RPG. I think D&Ds success helped the fans of The Last Airbender jump on board.

 

[Parmandur]

You m

Nah, that's a dodgy assumption. For a while, locally, I didn't have a FLGS, so I bought books from the local Waterstones.

Issued the qualifier "in 2023". I think it's fair to say thst people buying new PHBs in 2023 are mostly new, and not hyper plugged-in to the latest klck.

 

[Parmandur]

Made a correction to the OP and added this photo, I misheard them when they discussed the best selling Adventures, which through these limited channels are:

• Curse of Strahd with 147,244 copies sold
• Hoard of the Dragon Queen with 120,844
• Waterdeep Dragon Heist with 110,678
• Tales from the Yawning Portal with 106,942 copies
• Ghosts of Saltmarsh with 92,905 copies
• Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frost Maiden with 83,308 copies
• Tomb of Annhilation with 81,903 copies
• Candlekeep Mysteries with 77,950 copies
• Out of the Abyss with 75,340 copies
• Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage with 74,750 copies

 

[darjr]

I wonder if the hoard numbers are just the single volume set and/or the latest new cover. Can’t be? Can it?

 

[Zardnaar]

I wonder if the hoard numbers are just the single volume set and/or the latest new cover. Can’t be? Can it?

There was a boost in numbers at one point but couldn't remember the release date.

Haven't quite finished watching but the 5E essentials set outsold the 4E one by over 10-1.

Several products gave blown past Golden age stuff estimates except for red box and 1E phb.

Sales of recent product down a lot though and Spelljammer fell off hard after 4 weeks.