ICv2 Reports Disappointing Year For Hobby Games Channel: TTRPGs Down, D&D Declines 30%

According to ICv2, 2023 was a tough year for hobby game sales. The US and Canada market increased by just 1%, which was less than the rate of inflation, growing from $2.86 billion in 2022 to $2.89 billion in 2023.

The hobby game sales channel is defined as specialist game and card stores--it doesn't include Amazon, direct sales, etc. It does include Kickstarter.

Top Hobby Channel TTRPGs (2023)

1. Dungeons & Dragons (WotC)
2. Pathfinder (Paizo)
3. Cyberpunk Red (R. Talsorian)
4. World of Darkness (Renegade Game Studios)
5. Starfinder (Paizo)
6. Warhammer 40K (Cubicle 7)
7. Marvel Multiverse Roleplaying (Marvel)
8. Kobold 5E Books (Kobold Press)
9. Call of Cthulhu (Chaosium)
10. Pirate Borg (Free League)

The only two categories to grow in 2023 were collectibles and miniatures. All other categories--board games, card games, and roleplaying games--were down. ICv2 reports a 30% hobby store sales decline for Dungeons & Dragons specifically, citing the impending new edition and lackluster movie performance, and the tail end of a pandemic-fuelled high; they also report that while the OGL crisis of last year impacted some lifestyle gamers, newer players as a whole were oblivious to the situation. The other important element ICv2 mentioned was D&D's increasing move to digital, which impacted retail sales.

Older D&D players, says ICv2, are also migrating to other games, with Pathfinder as one of the major beneficiaries.

The last 6 years has seen much larger growth rates--partly fuelled by the pandemic--ranging from 10% to 30%. 2022 saw a 7% growth over 2021. Despite the small increase, 2023 represents the 15th year of growth for the overall market. ICv2 does predict a market decline in 2024, though.

ICv2 conducts periodical surveys and speaks to publishers, distributors, and retailers, along with publicly available company information and Kickstarter data.

 

[John Dallman]

I don't have an LGS any more. I had one for a fair while. They didn't carry any of the stuff I wanted to buy. Well, most of it was pretty niche, so I tried to get them to order it for me: they'd get paid for that before they had to settle their bill with the distributor, so they'd be ahead. They couldn't manage that. Somewhere between them and the distributor was a Zone of Incompetence, which meant orders took multiple months, and often a few retries, to fulfil. After a couple of years of struggle I gave up: there seemed no point in trying to prop them up. A couple of years later, they shut down. They'd always been more interested in Star Wars collectibles than TTRPGs anyway.

 

[overgeeked]

Pirate Borg!!!

Right? That's cool to see. Also honestly surprised that Cyberpunk Red is #3.

 

[Joshua Randall]

Look, I am not saying that people have to pay the retail MSRP+ but if they don't they really can't complain that they don't have a FLGS anymore.

It is not the consumer's moral imperative to overpay for a commodity in one channel (FLGS) vs. another (online bookseller).

It is the physical-location retailer's imperative to convince me to spend my time/money there with other services that I cannot get from the online bookseller, such as community, events, immediacy (no, Amazon cannot (yet) put the book in my hand the instant I want it), an actual personal connection between the retailer and me the consumer, etc.

 

[jolt]

I'd also like to point out that this isn't just about WotC or even rpg's; almost every game sector is down (apart from minis). There's a lot going on here that has nothing to do with what Hasbro/WotC are/aren't doing.

 

[Reynard]

It is not the consumer's moral imperative to overpay for a commodity in one channel (FLGS) vs. another (online bookseller).

It is the physical-location retailer's imperative to convince me to spend my time/money there with other services that I cannot get from the online bookseller, such as community, events, immediacy (no, Amazon cannot (yet) put the book in my hand the instant I want it), an actual personal connection between the retailer and me the consumer, etc.

Emphasis mine.

No one is talking about morality. The question is do you want a retail shop? If so, you need to realize retail shops have extra expenses that means they charge more than Amazon. People confused why the FLGS can't match Amazon prices are not thinking it through. If this isn't you, then the posts weren't aimed at you.

 

[Deset Gled]

I'd also like to point out that this isn't just about WotC or even rpg's; almost every game sector is down (apart from minis). There's a lot going on here that has nothing to do with what Hasbro/WotC are/aren't doing.

Oh, please. There's a new-not-new edition on the horizon. We have no time for that kind of logic or rational thinking. Heads must roll, the only question is whose. You better find some overarching moral outrage and draw the battle lines around your philosophy soon, or it might be yours.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Certainly doesn't help hobby shop sales, that's for sure.

If only there was a way that WotC could publish an additional book or a boxed set that would help lead people from the CRPG space to the ttrpg space.

 

[SlyFlourish]

Pirate Borg!!!

I can't tell if this is a very good sign or a very bad sign =)

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I can't tell if this is a very good sign or a very bad sign =)

It's an amazing game and Buried in the Bahamas is one of the best intro adventures, for any system, I've ever run. The zeitgeist is also swinging around to pirates again, which I'm sure helps.

 

[Scribe]

I'd also like to point out that this isn't just about WotC or even rpg's; almost every game sector is down (apart from minis). There's a lot going on here that has nothing to do with what Hasbro/WotC are/aren't doing.

Facts.

Unless we see some relief very quickly, I dont know about everyone elses neck of the woods, but the cost of living has me saying 'nope' to a lot more than just hobby material. Steak is off the menu boys, to say nothing of an RPG book that I likely would use a fraction of anyway.

Everything is too expensive, and I declined in terms of income year over year considering the massive jump in inflation and costs.

Entertainment is often an escape, but when things are tightening like this all over, and I already accept I'm in a lucky/blessed position, its an easy cut to make.

I've got books, paper, computer, already. I dont need more.