D&D General Ben Riggs Shares 2001 D&D 3.0 Core Book Sales.

[Zardnaar]

Yeah, 3.5 came too soon, but from what I was seeing in my area 3.0 sales had rapidly dropped off after the first two years of 3.0 (basing that off of two local conventions - year 1-2 of 3.0 there were about 50 games being played, afterwards I was the only one attempting run D&D games and couldn't get enough players to run an event. 3.5 had a small bump that lasted less about a year).

Yeah 3.0 sales being heavily front loaded has ben known about for years.

One reason 3.5 was rushed out the door. One of three editions I count as a cash grab.

 

[el-remmen]

I wonder what the total sales number difference is. If I remember correctly the 3E PHB was initially sold as a loss leader, at about $10 less than it would be 6 months or a year later. I remember grabbing a second copy before the price went up. And while I did get a 3.5 PHB, I thought a new DMG and MM were a waste of money since the 3.0 stuff was working fine for me (and because I mostly ran 3.0 with a very few 3.5 changes mixed in and some homebrewed in-between steps - like spell durations).

 

[GuardianLurker]

Yeah 3.0 sales being heavily front loaded has ben known about for years.

One reason 3.5 was rushed out the door. One of three editions I count as a cash grab.

Out of curiosity, what are the other two?

 

[Parmandur]

I wonder what the total sales number difference is. If I remember correctly the 3E PHB was initially sold as a loss leader, at about $10 less than it would be 6 months or a year later. I remember grabbing a second copy before the price went up. And while I did get a 3.5 PHB, I thought a new DMG and MM were a waste of money since the 3.0 stuff was working fine for me (and because I mostly ran 3.0 with a very few 3.5 changes mixed in and some homebrewed in-between steps - like spell durations).

You know what...if they sold all the PHBs in the loss.leader phase...and then people didn't really.buybthe supplements (they tended not to, in my experience)...

That would be a bit of a train wreck, from the business angle.

 

[bedir than]

Ooohhh! Ray shares an interesting tidbit.

That's at least one million PHB, and the PHB was already four years old.

corrected math - rough day back at work

 

[darjr]

That's at least six million PHB, and the PHB was already four years old.

How do you figure?

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I wonder what the total sales number difference is. If I remember correctly the 3E PHB was initially sold as a loss leader, at about $10 less than it would be 6 months or a year later. I remember grabbing a second copy before the price went up. And while I did get a 3.5 PHB, I thought a new DMG and MM were a waste of money since the 3.0 stuff was working fine for me (and because I mostly ran 3.0 with a very few 3.5 changes mixed in and some homebrewed in-between steps - like spell durations).

Yeah, the 3e core books were originally all $10 cheaper. I think it lasted a year. I didn't pick them up until 2002 and they were still at a reduced price.

 

[Zardnaar]

Out of curiosity, what are the other two?

1E and 4E.

 

[el-remmen]

Yeah, the 3e core books were originally all $10 cheaper. I think it lasted a year. I didn't pick them up until 2002 and they were still at a reduced price.

Thinking on it some more, I think they were $19.99 and later went up to $29.99

 

[Zardnaar]

I wonder what the total sales number difference is. If I remember correctly the 3E PHB was initially sold as a loss leader, at about $10 less than it would be 6 months or a year later. I remember grabbing a second copy before the price went up. And while I did get a 3.5 PHB, I thought a new DMG and MM were a waste of money since the 3.0 stuff was working fine for me (and because I mostly ran 3.0 with a very few 3.5 changes mixed in and some homebrewed in-between steps - like spell durations).

Dancey has claimed eve at reduced prices they didn't lose money due to print run size.

Even if someone wanted to make their own phb they couldn't sell it cheaper.
In 2000 they were selling them at 1989 prices.