Interesting. Follow up:
- We don't really know how D&D Beyond relates to the overall player base, but WotC also says their data suggest high level is less well traveled. Do you have information that suggests otherwise. Personally, as a person you loves epic, high, & ultra-high level play, I have never had a campaign go 1-20 to epic. We always play an adventure or two at high level to try it out, but most of our campaigns end around lvl 10 (even in 4e).
I believe that high level is less travelled. As I mentioned, my personal experience involves high level being common after 2e. I've also been to many conventions and peeked in on games being played in the common areas. Most of them were lower level(below 10th). A good number were high level, though.
- How much do you think the D&D Beyond data is different from the whole player baes? If D&D Beyond says 90% of campaigns stop at about 10th level, what do you think the % is for the whole player base? Personally, I have had one campaign go past 11th level (my current one) in about 35 years of gaming. However, since we advance at a slow pace, I think that is closer 15% of our games getting past 10th level.
I think the vast majority of players do not use D&D beyond or any online platform. Just like the players who go and debate on forums is not representative of players as a whole, neither are the ones who use D&D Beyond. I have no idea what the percentage of gamers is that use that platform, but I'd bet it's pretty low. I think that the percentage of groups who goes higher than 10th level is probably 20%.........maaaaaaaybe 25%. Still nowhere near a majority, but definitely a very significant minority.
- So a part of believes D&D Beyond is lying about their data? For what purpose I wonder?
The same reason every other corporation does it. To make it seem like their choices are good and/or to get you to buy what they are selling you. That they lie isn't in doubt. I don't know how much they lie, but given my experiences over many years and a wide variety of people, social groups and settings, and editions, I don't think 10% is accurate.
- Another part of you believes how they collect or present data is misleading. What is your issue the presentation / collection of the data?
So D&D Beyond wants people to pay for all of their books a second time while using their platform. Lots of people don't want to do that. I'm certainly not going to and I can easily afford it. Groups of students, younger people and those others of lower means definitely aren't going to want to pay for books a second time AND also for the ongoing service.
The free version of D&D Beyond only offers up one or two subclasses per class and like one single crappy feat. All of the free users seem to be included in their numbers and I know that if I made a free PC, I'd quit in a few levels and just use a sheet offline, since there's stuff that D&D Beyond won't give me access to and I don't need that frustration. I think a lot of free users are quitting before they reach the upper levels and a good many are probably continuing on past 10th. The free version skews the numbers and WotC has to know it.