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Message: <blockquote data-quote="TheSword" data-source="post: 9304144" data-attributes="member: 6879661">Very interesting thread.I was surprised to see sales drop so much when 2023 was in truth the most D&D year I’ve seen so far. Five mainline products (Golden Vault Feb, Giants Aug, Phandelver Sept, Planescape Oct, Book of Many Things Nov) plus BG3 full release and the D&D Movie. Sales of products in hobby stores still dropped 30%. Some thoughts I had.2023 had an extremely back loaded release schedule. So despite more products than normal, many are not going to have major impact in that year. If we look at the previous year it was front loaded (Gift set Jan, Netherdeep March, Monsters of the multi-verse May, Radiant Citadel June, Spelljammer Aug, with only Dragonlance coming out in December). I’m no expect but I suspect products sellmost in stores in their first 6 months of release (core books aside) also unlike online sales I think it’s likely that preorders in you local store where they are effectively just agreeing to hold it for you when it comes in probably don’t count towards official sales figures.2024 is a bit more balanced with Vecna and Infinite Staircase coming out at the mid point but the core books are very late and they are what will drive sales in 2024 and 2025. Without them it would be a very slow year compared to previous years.Our group is certainly playing other systems… mainly because I’m evangelizing WFRP 4e. It’s a great system that scratches itches that 5e doesn’t reach. But we’re all still playing 5e as well - and importantly buying 5e products.I would never go back to Pathfinder. Switching to 5e was the best thing I did. The continuous chasing for mechanical bonus to achieve ever escalating targets is not a fun system for me to DM. It was a pain in the ass to DM to be honest and I felt the mechanics drove the game, rather than what was happening driving the mechanics.I second (or third) the sentiments about FLGS. When I’m thinking about running a campaign I always buy the digital version first. I don’t want to shell out for a full hardback if I’m not going to run it. If I am, I usually get the Hardback (from Amazon) and the VTT version of there is one. None of which will have impact from local game stores. Digital products and retailers are the future so any prediction of 5e results based on game store sales is almost anecdotal at this point despite what might seem to be reliable data.I should add that I love gaming stores in principle tbough and will often buy physical items, like minis, dice, terrain, board games etc. the main reason our group has a disgusting amount of plastic minis is because of regular drop ins to our store for a booster set or three. I just don’t think books that are increasingly digital is a great product for them compete on.Incidentally I can buy Amazon gift cards in my local store. Are D&D beond or Roll20 gift cards a thing?</blockquote>

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