D&D General Penguin Random House To Stop Distributing D&D [UPDATED!]

A memo which went out to retailers this week indicates that Penguin Random House will not be distributing Dungeons & Dragons products in mainstream bookstores from 2024.

Effective December 31, 2023, Penguin Random House LLC will cease distributing titles for Wizards of the Coast LLC. Depending on the product, please ensure that the vendor of record for Wizards of the Coast LLC titles is changed to one of their new distributors listed here: Distributors | WPN."

WotC uses a range of distributors, including Alliance, Diamond, GTS, and more in the US, and Asmodee and others in the UK and Europe. Most of these deal with hobby trade (game stores and the like) retailers, while Penguin Random House is a general book trade publisher. Of course, the game will still be available on Amazon, also.

This isn't brand new news--WotC announced this back at the beginning of September.

UPDATE--WotC spoke to ICv2:

Penguin Random House is a valued partner and publishing licensee of Wizards of the Coast. While we deeply appreciate the excellent service provided over the years by PRHPS, we are now shifting our distribution strategy to utilize the capabilities of Hasbro to sell and distribute D&D products to retailers, and we will continue to partner with PRH on licensed D&D titles like the recently released Lore & Legends and the upcoming Hero's Feast: Flavors of the Multiverse. This change to distribution of Wizards' D&D roleplaying game publications such as rulebooks and adventure content won't affect fans as they will continue to find Dungeons & Dragonsproducts at their preferred retailers.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

This. All websites are short-term by nature, and ones that you have to log in or subscribe to don't work very well with archiving services. If you're thinking in terms of decades (or even just years), physical copies is the way to go.

Let’s say it again for those in the back. Digital ownership is not real ownership. If you can’t hold it in your hands, you don’t own it,

 

[SkidAce]

Did a lot of books sell through big box stores? The only data I’ve seen is extrapolation from BookScan which includes Amazon. Maybe I’m wrong and lots are being sold off the shelf at Barnes & Noble, but no one knows that outside

I know we were selling dozens per month and about 10% theft rate.

 

[Mistwell]

Let’s say it again for those in the back. Digital ownership is not real ownership. If you can’t hold it in your hands, you don’t own it,

I have PDFs on my computer from decades ago, and all of this can be printed to PDF.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

Digital ownership is still ownership, but what you pay for on D&DBeyond is a "license", not a product.

 

[beta-ray]

Article disappeared but here is the cached version:
PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE DUMPS DISTRIBUTION OF 'DUNGEONS & DUNGEONS'
As Well as Other Wizards of the Coast Titles
Posted by Jeffrey Dohm-Sanchez on October 5, 2023 @ 8:45 am CT

Penguin Random House will cease distribution of Dungeons & Dragons, as well as all other Wizards of the Coast titles, as of December 31, 2023.

The largest trade publisher in the United States has decided to call it quits on distributing WotC's books to its customers. PRH handled a variety of WotC products for the trade channel, which included D&D specialty books (see "New 'Dungeons & Dragons' Cookbook") and Magic: The Gathering novels. PRH also distributed novelty products for both D&D and Magic, like puzzles, post cards, and tarot decks (see "'The Dungeons & Dragons Tarot Deck'"). The co-op claims cut-off date for claims is December 31, 2023, and returns on these products will be accepted until June 20, 2024.

It's now WOTC ENDING PRH DISTRIBUTION OF 'DUNGEONS & DRAGONS' . I don't see an author, but it says at the bottom:

Note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that PRH was ending the relationship rather than WotC, and that licensed products would also be affected. We apologize for that incorrect info, which has been corrected. – ed.

 

[Mistwell]

It's now WOTC ENDING PRH DISTRIBUTION OF 'DUNGEONS & DRAGONS' . I don't see an author, but it says at the bottom:

Ah that would explain why it was pulled down. Thank you.

 

[see]

01-10 Slovenly hovel
11-25 Brazen bungalow
26-35 Cheap rental
36-50 Typical home
51-65 Sleek apartment building
66-75 Windowless slum
76-85 Expensive mansion
86-90 Haughty country house
91-92 Aged villa
93-94 Wealthy compound
95-98 Sly fixer-upper
99-00 Rich palazzo

Oh, not that kind of random house.

Right, what you want is:

01-22 Carefully-constructed nest
23-37 Barren ice shelf
38-52 Rocky beach
53-71 Isolated iceberg
72-85 Cramped zoo exhibit
86-98 Abandoned Antarctic research station
99-00 Expensive mansion in Gotham City

After all, it's a penguin random house.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

I have PDFs on my computer from decades ago, and all of this can be printed to PDF.

If it’s on your own hard drive I would call this physical ownership, since you physically own the storage mechanism.

 

[see]

Incidentally, I note it's entirely possible that WotC is lining up a replacement book trade distributor, like Ingram. There's still months to ink such a deal and have it in place for the 2024 corebook release.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Interesting that ICV2 has a different take on the news.

WotC Ending PRH Distribution of 'Dungeons & Dragons'

Book Channel Will Continue to Receive 'D&D'

icv2.com

Too bad for ACD. They've taken some punches over the years, but this may be a death blow