D&D 3E/3.5 5E's Initial Raw Sales Numbers Stronger Than 3E's!

It seems that the initial sales of D&D 5th Edition are very strong. Asked about how they compare to 3E and 4E, WotC's Mike Mearls says that "Raw numbers are stronger, but that's not the complete picture. end of year 1 is the key." The Player's Handbook has now topped the hardcover nonfiction sellers list at Publishers Weekly. As of right now, it's #1 in Fantasy Gaming at Amazon, and a week ago it was the #1 book on Amazon!

In other news, prompted by some discussion about the gaps between D&D edition releases, I whipped up this quick info-graphic showing the dates that each edition was released. [threadcm]http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?359004-So-I-have-been-out-of-town-for-a-few-weeks-did-I-miss-something[/threadcm]

 

[Tormyr]

Now it's #1! (as of 3:46 pm EST)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkCf7LPHJe4&t=0m25s

 

[DMZ2112]

And then there is this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/books/16211/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_b_1_3

Man, that dude with the self-published Minecraft books. What a great racket!

 

[Hand of Evil]

Do we have any figures? How many copies sold? Would like to see the numbers for the PHB, Pathfinder, 4E, etc.

 

[Iosue]

I'm sure you've thought of it, but I would guess the average product generates more reviews, overall, now than in 2000.

Sure, but he's comparing a 2014 product with a 2008 product and a 2009 product. Amazon was huge in 2008, so it's a much better comparison.

 

[Gundark]

The owner of my FLGS (I'm in the UK) was telling me that he surprised at how well the PHB has been selling. "I can't keep them on the shelf" were his words. Although, of course, this is just one case; sales could be highly variable by region/store.

The various LGS I have been visiting suggest that the PHB has been selling very well. I haven't heard to the contrary.

 

[Thaumaturge]

Something noteworthy pointed out by someone named BadMike on the WOTC boards:

5th editon PHB has racked up more 5 star reviews in one month (159) than the 5 and 4 star reviews the 4th edition PHB accumulated over 6 years (145).

It's also more than half-way to all the 5 star reviews for Pathfinder Core Book, or PHB 3e...in a month.

I'm sure you've thought of it, but I would guess the average product generates more reviews, overall, now than in 2000.

Despite that caveat, that's an impressive number of 5 star reviews and an interesting comparison.

Is the PHB out of stock at Amazon?

It appears to be, which gives us another, quite positive seeming, data point.

Thaumaturge.

 

[Thaumaturge]

I like how it is "nonfiction".

Mearls has already confirmed "the spells work". So I'm getting to memorizing a few of them.

He also warned us to be careful when the Monster Manual is released.

Thaumaturge.

 

[Mistwell]

I'm sorry but trying to compare online services and usage from 2000 to now is absolutely ludicrous and makes me want to tell them to please educate themselves.

Well, that's insulting, and false.

Amazon was not selling back then like they are now because the populace didn't fully trust online shopping. The online bubble wasn't about shopping on Amazon or Ebay. FLGS and big retail bookstores are where most of your RPG's were bought and saying otherwise is just flat out wrong.

I cited the actual Amazon book sales numbers from 2000 versus now. It's not that different. It's up, but not by the exponential numbers people seem to think. When facts disagree with your instincts, facts still win. I've gone through the actual facts in this thread. You can review it, or just pretend you know better and not read it and tell people to educate themselves for disagreeing with your uneducated instincts.

 

[Parmandur]

It's not the size of the staff, it's what you do with it

 

[Alphastream]

I remember the outrage that happened last time when people would talk about buying books on Amazon instead of their FLGS. Now it is a point of pride that Amazon is where many books are being sold?

Seems to be a change?

I don't see this as anti-FLGS or pro-Amazon. I think its simply impressive that Amazon sales are high. And, Amazon is established enough to be important/meaningful. It is perhaps even more impressive, because now the LGS that are WPN members (and who run a high volume of Magic and D&D organized play) are allowed to sell these products two weeks in advance of Amazon. I've heard several cases of people canceling their Amazon orders to purchase from their FLGS because they wanted to get their books as soon as possible. I know other people who used to order from Amazon who know turn to their FLGS for the same reason.

It is great to see 5E do well on Amazon and at the FLGS. I visited a board game store in Belgium recently, and they were carrying the Starter Set and had made several sales despite not normally catering to RPGs. The stores I visit in Portland and Houston are seeing well beyond expected sales. Great news for our hobby.