My biggest concern is three weeks into sales on Amazon and the PF2 core book has dropped to below #1200 in All Books (#1208). This, despite selling as low as $35.99 on Amazon (retails for $47.99).
For context, we're now in the first week of year SIX for 5e, and the Player's Handbook is still ranked in the top 100 for All Books (#94).
I know both companies make digital sales, and of course store sales as well. But still, these are some shocking numbers to me. The disparity is on a scale that I can't justify based on "it must be digital sales" or "it must be direct sales" or "Amazon numbers are biased".
I also heard they did not sell out at GenCon. Which was planned, but I have never heard of planning to ship a near mountain of extra book inventory back home with you (which is what reports from GenCon were of what was left, and that sales were very light on Sunday with no lines).
Maybe this is unfounded unease on my part. It goes against my bias - I genuinely assumed PF2 sales would be extremely strong out the gate, and do well long term. But I am starting to be (at least mildly) concerned that it's not hitting the expected sales numbers.
This isn't something we'd hear in any official capacity. I think we heard glowing reports from Paizo about the MMO right up until they laid off most of the staff for that project and missed their targets, and I don't think we're going to get any data from Paizo other than "It's doing better than expected". Which I guess I don't blame them for, as that's the job of public relations. But it makes figuring out the real situation kinda difficult for a fan.
I hope I am wrong on this one. Paizo is a good company, they make some great RPG products, their employees are some of the best in the industry, and it's good for the industry to have that competition for WOTC. (And from a personal bias, I use some Pathfinder adventures to convert to 5e).