Daggerheart Sold Out in Two Weeks, Has Three-Year Plan in Place

A recent interview with Business Insider revealed just how well Daggerheart did for Critical Role's Darrington Press when it first launched earlier this year. Ed Lopez, Critical Role's chief operating officer, revealed that Daggerheart sold out in two weeks. According to Lopez, Critical Role anticipated that their stock would last a year, but the game was forced to go into reprints in a hurry. "The amount of units that we ordered we thought was going to last us a year, and it lasted us literally two weeks," Lopez said. "It's a great problem, it's a Champagne problem, but it's now changing our view in terms of what this product can be."

Lopez also revealed that Darrington Press has a three-year plan in place for Daggerheart, which includes the already announced Hope & Fear expansion, which adds a new domain and several new classes and backgrounds to the game.

Lopez also spoke about the hires of Jeremy Crawford and Chris Perkins, stating that the two would be working on both Daggerheart and D&D material for Darrington Press. "We really want their creative juices brought to the world of 'Daggerheart.' That being said, we're also doing a bunch of 'D&D' stuff, and who better to bring in than the guys who used to do it?" Lopez said.

 

[Josher]

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A recent interview with Business Insider revealed just how well Daggerheart did for Critical Role's Darrington Press when it first launched earlier this year. Ed Lopez, Critical Role's chief operating officer, revealed that Daggerheart sold out in two weeks. According to Lopez, Critical Role anticipated that their stock would last a year, but the game was forced to go into reprints in a hurry. "The amount of units that we ordered we thought was going to last us a year, and it lasted us literally two weeks," Lopez said. "It's a great problem, it's a Champagne problem, but it's now changing our view in terms of what this product can be."

Lopez also revealed that Darrington Press has a three-year plan in place for Daggerheart, which includes the already announced Hope & Fear expansion, which adds a new domain and several new classes and backgrounds to the game.

Lopez also spoke about the hires of Jeremy Crawford and Chris Perkins, stating that the two would be working on both Daggerheart and D&D material for Darrington Press. "We really want their creative juices brought to the world of 'Daggerheart.' That being said, we're also doing a bunch of 'D&D' stuff, and who better to bring in than the guys who used to do it?" Lopez said.

I've played it during the play testing period and was lucky to receive the core set for Christmas. It's okay, but frankly I think it's overrated. It basically "does" D&D in it's way, but, for me, it's no better than 5e and comes with it's own set of issues. However, I'm glad that someone is giving Wizards a run for their money. However, there many smaller, indie games that are so much better to me. I wish that they could get some love too...

 

[Reynard]

Yeah, sorry, my bad. Hadn't ever seen the abbreviation used for that before.

Yes, I know that there are some other ones going on, but to have Critical Role not be doing an ongoing one, even if it is alongside the D&D one sends an interesting message to say the least. Critical Role, I believe, has proven that their brand does not have to be attached to D&D. I just don't think it looks good from a business perspective.

The Critical Role side of the business is getting views for their show (and subs to their platform). I don't think it is a stretch to say that switching away from D&D would result in a major loss of viewers. Not because CR shows not focused on D&D are any "worse" but because the vast majority of the audience wants them playing D&D.

 

[Reynard]

I have the PDF and skimmed through it, but have not actually played it so I am a bit ignorant here. Why do you think this?

Daggerheart is, among other things, a Play to Find Out game, with explicit advice for the GM to hold on loosely and let play guide the narrative. That is harder to do while also have a linear Adventure Path style adventure in front of you.

 

[Bravesteel25]

The Critical Role side of the business is getting views for their show (and subs to their platform). I don't think it is a stretch to say that switching away from D&D would result in a major loss of viewers. Not because CR shows not focused on D&D are any "worse" but because the vast majority of the audience wants them playing D&D.

But they could do a Campaign for D&D and a Campaign for DH if losing audiences was such a concern. I don't think it's as big of a danger as people thing it is, not to mention some of those costs for the DH campaign could be considered marketing for the publishing side of the house.

 

[Reynard]

But they could do a Campaign for D&D and a Campaign for DH if losing audiences was such a concern. I don't think it's as big of a danger as people thing it is, not to mention some of those costs for the DH campaign could be considered marketing for the publishing side of the house.

Again, i think you are overestimating the importance to the success of Dh a actual play campaign is. Has there ever been another game besides D&D that has explicitly benefited from an actual play show?

 

[darjr]

The release was a wild ride. Right before Free RPG day worked out well too.

 

[Parmandur]

Daggerheart is, among other things, a Play to Find Out game, with explicit advice for the GM to hold on loosely and let play guide the narrative. That is harder to do while also have a linear Adventure Path style adventure in front of you.

Linear, no, but Perkins does not really write linearly. A large sandbox with lots of corners to explore could work.

Again, i think you are overestimating the importance to the success of Dh a actual play campaign is. Has there ever been another game besides D&D that has explicitly benefited from an actual play show?

In 2019, Critical Role did a Call of Cthulu campaign GMd by Talisen Jaffe, and CoC sales skyrocketed. But Age OF imbrs probably did the same for Daggerheart.

 

[Parmandur]

The release was a wild ride. Right before Free RPG day worked out well too.

As someone who has not gotten into the game, it is a fascinating turn of events. No parallel quite like it in TTRPG history.

 

[Cergorach]

No parallel quite like it in TTRPG history.

Looks at Pathfinder That game actually overtook D&D for a while...

 

[Parmandur]

Looks at Pathfinder That game actually overtook D&D for a while...

How many articles in the magazine Variety did Pathfinder get when it started publishing...?

And Pathfinder never overtook D&D, as has been established a number of times. Daggerheart won't, either.

I did not say no game has ever sold as much, I said there was no exact parallel to what they were doing and how it was going down.