ICv2 Reports On RPGs Growth This Year

ICv2 has published its latest quarterly hobby channel game rankings for Spring 2022. The Top 5 contains D&D twice (once from WotC, and once from third parties Goodman Games and Darrington Press/Critical Role), along with two licensed Hasbro (owner of WotC) properties, plus Pathfinder.

"RPGs are the story of the year so far," a hobby distributor told ICv2. "D&D’s king by leaps and bounds, don’t get me wrong, but the number of RPGs that were [significant contributors to] sales was 40 different brands."

The chart is based on interviews with retailers, distributors, and manufacturers. As always you can see the compiled chart going back to 2004 here.

RPGs the 'Story of the Year'

Explosive Growth in Players, Sales

icv2.com

 

[Reynard]

Put it this way, most retailers wouldn’t be selling any RPG right now without D&D establishing its market. Yes, it is a monopoly as defined.

It is fascinating when people make up their own definitions for words in order to win arguments.

 

[RobJN]

Looks pretty much like a monopoly to me.

 

[TrippyHippy]

It is fascinating when people make up their own definitions for words in order to win arguments.

I’ve provided you with a definition from a cited source. You argued with it.

 

[Reynard]

I’ve provided you with a definition from a cited source. You argued with it.

Lol -- you didn't even use the correct definition of the term you sourced. You should probably read that whole page if you are going to link it and argue based on it.

 

[TrippyHippy]

Lol -- you didn't even use the correct definition of the term you sourced. You should probably read that whole page if you are going to link it and argue based on it.

Lol. Yes, I did. All your arguments are consisting of here is an assumption of authority on your part. You don’t have that. You are simply arguing with a definition and an explanation provided. In fact, this very site has already discussed the fact that D&D has a monopoly on the RPG market in one of its podcasts. I suggest you go find it and listen to it - you might learn something.

 

[Dungeonosophy]

Another thing:

Though Renegade Game Studios firmly denied that Essence20 was in any way a playtest for 6E, it would be folly for Wizards to not take the success of the Essence20 games into account when designing 6E, whether that be in 2024, or some years down the road.

Because, despite the great success of D&D 5E, it says a lot when your own Hasbro licensee basically refuses to use the system due to its over-complicatedness vis-a-vis the totally fresh, “non-rpg savvy” group of consumers which those lines are targeting.

Renegade originally announced they we using 5E, but they later changed their tune, probably after playtests with new consumers indicated that 5E just wouldn’t fly.

Essence20 is still quite similar to 5E. Its four attributes are clearly collapsed versions of the six D&D attributes. And its skill list even uses the same names, but likewise collapses outlying D&D mechanics (e.g. initiative) into the skill list as well.

I’m not suggesting that 6E (whenever it comes) will have less than six attributes, but except for that, the rest of Essence20 could very well serve as 6E as-is, right out of the gate.

 

[Gammadoodler]

"A monopoly is a market structure where a single seller or producer assumes a dominant position in an industry or a sector.” (Monopoly Definition)

Seems like it to me.

In the UK a firm is said to have monopoly power if it has more than 25% of the market share. I wouldn’t be surprised in D&D has double that right now. It isn’t a pure monopoly (100% market share) but it is a monopoly where they have control over the market.

I imagine an important part would be to define the industry/sector. TTRPGs vs tabletop games vs RPGs generally vs games generally vs. Published materials generally vs. entertainment generally.

I'd expect that once you get outside the specific TTRPG niche, the market share dominance evaporates.

If we confine the consideration to just TTRPGs, what would be the impact of a monopoly? The only distribution channels I can think of that would be small enough to lean on would be FLGSs, but even there I'm not sure. FLGSs typically offer higher margins and sell other products to stay in business. For materials, 5e is just a very small part of the larger publishing industry that uses mostly the same materials. The only thing I think they could do is try and price their competition out of the market for creative talent. But I really don't think they have the budget for that, and I'm not actually sure how "bad" it would be if they tried.

Tldr: if it's a monopoly, it's an extraordinarily weak one.

 

[TrippyHippy]

I imagine an important part would be to define the industry/sector. TTRPGs vs tabletop games vs RPGs generally vs games generally vs. Published materials generally vs. entertainment generally.

I'd expect that once you get outside the specific TTRPG niche, the market share dominance evaporates.

If we confine the consideration to just TTRPGs, what would be the impact of a monopoly? The only distribution channels I can think of that would be small enough to lean on would be FLGSs, but even there I'm not sure. FLGSs typically offer higher margins and sell other products to stay in business. For materials, 5e is just a very small part of the larger publishing industry that uses mostly the same materials. The only thing I think they could do is try and price their competition out of the market for creative talent. But I really don't think they have the budget for that, and I'm not actually sure how "bad" it would be if they tried.

Tldr: if it's a monopoly, it's an extraordinarily weak one.

The chart at the top of the thread is for Tabletop RPG, which is the context of what we are discussing. I would challenge you to find any retailer that sells tabletop RPG that doesn’t sell D&D5E. I know of several that only sell D&D5E. Do you think that is an extraordinarily weak situation for them?

 

[Reynard]

The chart at the top of the table is for Tabletop RPG, which is the context of what we are discussing. I would challenge you to find any retailer that sells tabletop RPG that doesn’t sell D&D5E. I know of several that only sell D&D5E. Do you think that is an extraordinarily weak situation for them?

That still doesn't make it a monopoly. WotC is not the sole producers of TTRPGs, nor do they control the distribution of same. Therefore, by the exact definition you linked, it isn't a monopoly. It is a market leader. Even a market dominator. But "monopoly" has a specific legal definition as well as ethical implication.

 

[TrippyHippy]

That still doesn't make it a monopoly. WotC is not the sole producers of TTRPGs, nor do they control the distribution of same. Therefore, by the exact definition you linked, it isn't a monopoly. It is a market leader. Even a market dominator. But "monopoly" has a specific legal definition as well as ethical implication.

I gave you specific legal definition from the UK. A company does not need to be a sole producer in a market to have monopoly power over it - as defined in the source I gave. Like I say, you really need to go and find that podcast and listen to it too - because this has already been discussed by people better qualified than you and I.