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

 

[Umbran]

Mod Note:
Bickering over definitions is not constructive. Please find a way through the conversation that doesn't have you trying to "win" based on definitions, or the discussion will end.

 

[Reynard]

EDIT: Posted before the mod note.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

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.

Moving away from technical definitions, having 4/5 of the top products be from different companies probably means that your monopoly theory could use a little work, or perhaps needs to depend on a higher quality of podcast.

Now, that doesn't mean that there aren't interesting conversations about antitrust theory that have to do with the accumulation of market power, but as others have alluded to- this requires defining the market in question, and determining the actual power within the market (and if you're a fan of US antitrust theory, looking at the harm to the consumer in terms of prices).

While D&D is certainly popular, it does not seem that there is any anti-competitive or anti-consumer behavior, and given the ease for new entrants and the power of third-party distributors (cough Amazon) I don't think you'd have a very good case that mere popularity is leading to antitrust concerns.

But I may not be listening to the right podcasts.

 

[TrippyHippy]

Moving away from technical definitions, having 4/5 of the top products be from different companies probably means that your monopoly theory could use a little work, or perhaps needs to depend on a higher quality of podcast.

Now, that doesn't mean that there aren't interesting conversations about antitrust theory that have to do with the accumulation of market power, but as others have alluded to- this requires defining the market in question, and determining the actual power within the market (and if you're a fan of US antitrust theory, looking at the harm to the consumer in terms of prices).

While D&D is certainly popular, it does not seem that there is any anti-competitive or anti-consumer behavior, and given the ease for new entrants and the power of third-party distributors (cough Amazon) I don't think you'd have a very good case that mere popularity is leading to antitrust concerns.

But I may not be listening to the right podcasts.

It is not my theory.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

It is not my theory.

I apologize if I was being subtle. I think you might be confusing monopoly with antitrust.

You were using the definition of "monopoly." That's an economics term. Monopoly power (in relation to market power) is different- that's an antitrust term, related to legal issues of market power. In the United States (for example) this is the Sherman Act.

 

[darjr]

It would be interesting to see a breakdown by individual product.

If it included products from the top ten or so of total sales rank companies.

 

[TrippyHippy]

I apologize if I was being subtle. I think you might be confusing monopoly with antitrust.

You were using the definition of "monopoly." That's an economics term. Monopoly power is different- that's an antitrust term, related to legal issues of market power. In the United States (for example) this is the Sherman Act.

No. I thought a Mod just came on this thread to stop bickering about definitions. The point is this is not my theory that I am putting out here like some maverick. I am explaining what other people have defined the situation as.

I am referring you to a Podcast on this site that has already discussed and examined this entire point.

 

[Reynard]

No. I thought a Mod just came on this thread to stop bickering about definitions. The point is this is not my theory that I am putting out here like some maverick. I am explaining what other people have defined the situation as.

I am referring you to a Podcast on this site that has already discussed and examined this entire point.

For clarity -- I don't think you actually linked a podcast. I would actually be interested in a discussion on D&D as a monopoly.

 

[TrippyHippy]

For clarity -- I don't think you actually linked a podcast. I would actually be interested in a discussion on D&D as a monopoly.

No I haven’t linked it. Find it for yourself. It’s one of Morrus’ Podcasts from earlier this year in discussion with some industry analyst. It isn’t as if providing links and sources actually makes any difference with the posters on this thread anyway.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

No I haven’t linked it. Find it for yourself. It’s one of Morrus’ Podcasts from earlier this year in discussion with some industry analyst. It isn’t as if providing links and sources actually makes any difference with the posters on this thread anyway.

I mean... I did provide you a link to the FTC's explanation of "Monopolization defined" so that you could see how it works in the real world (and it's written for laymen to understand it). So ... I guess you're right! People don't bother with links.

But if you want another overview, try this. Go to section 2. You'll see why "bigness" alone is not an issue- it's really about the leveraging of market power. Which ... yeah.

If you have any stories about Hasbro leveraging the market power of D&D within the TTRPG space to exclude competition, I'd be all ears.