Review of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay

[Belen]

But you can accept that people see it differently than you do, right?

I have always saw that people could see things differently from me. It is the people who're acting offended that I rail against.

 

[Akrasia]

Where did you get that information?
...

That WFRP 1e was the best selling RPG produced outside of the U.S. is a well-known fact. Asking me where I got that information is like asking where I got the information that D&D is the number one selling RPG of all time. However, I'm sure some poking around the WFRP sites will turn up this point easily enough (I can't be bothered to do it myself). It might actually be mentioned in the core book (I'd have to check).

As for the fact that WFRP 2e is currently the third best selling RPG, that was a claim made by Chris Pramas, and I see no reason to doubt it. Apparently the first printing ran out faster than expected, and BI had to rush to get more copies on the shelves.

 

[eyebeams]

That WFRP 1e was the best selling RPG produced outside of the U.S. is a well-known fact. Asking me where I got that information is like asking where I got the information that D&D is the number one selling RPG of all time. However, I'm sure some poking around the WFRP sites will turn up this point easily enough (I can't be bothered to do it myself). It might actually be mentioned in the core book (I'd have to check).

As for the fact that WFRP 2e is currently the third best selling RPG, that was a claim made by Chris Pramas, and I see no reason to doubt it. Apparently the first printing ran out faster than expected, and BI had to rush to get more copies on the shelves.

Supported by info at IVC2.

 

[The Shaman]

It is the people who're acting offended that I rail against.

Some people are offended by what they see as a misleading and self-serving review by an industry "name" - why does this trouble you so?

 

[Akrasia]

... It is the people who're acting offended that I rail against.

People objected to the review because:

(a.) it claimed that WFRP 2e was a 'derivative' (i.e. based upon) D&D 3e, whereas it was in fact clearly based on WFRP 1e (3e may have influenced aspects of the revisions, but to assert that it was the basis for WFRP 2e was absurd);
(b.) more generally, it claimed that particular rules and features of WFRP 2e were based on superficially similar ones in 3e D&D (e.g. the review claimed that the WFRP 2e skill system was based on 3e's, whereas it was clearly based on WFRP 1e);
(c.) it failed to grasp some of the essential differences between WFRP and D&D by applying D&D notions to the WFRP game and setting (e.g. that it is about 'killing, looting, and powering-up', etc.);
(d) and, overall, the tone of the review conveyed the impression that it was a 'backhanded compliment' to the work done by the author (e.g. 'a clever derivative...', etc.).

Please note that none of these reasons have to do with 'anti-D&D elitism' or any such nonesense. Rather, people disliked the review because it was inaccurate, and failed to do justice to WFRP's distinctive merits.

 

[JoeGKushner]

That WFRP 1e was the best selling RPG produced outside of the U.S. is a well-known fact. Asking me where I got that information is like asking where I got the information that D&D is the number one selling RPG of all time. However, I'm sure some poking around the WFRP sites will turn up this point easily enough (I can't be bothered to do it myself). It might actually be mentioned in the core book (I'd have to check).

As for the fact that WFRP 2e is currently the third best selling RPG, that was a claim made by Chris Pramas, and I see no reason to doubt it. Apparently the first printing ran out faster than expected, and BI had to rush to get more copies on the shelves.

I wouldn't know about that. I mean in White Dwarf 300 they were talking about how poorly the game sold and how there were like only 5000 role players in the world no? And that's from the horses's mouth.

 

[Turjan]

That WFRP 1e was the best selling RPG produced outside of the U.S. is a well-known fact.

Although "outside of the U.S." most probably means the UK, where the game had a home match. It's definitely not true for some other countries with large roleplaying communities. Anyway, it sold amazingly well.

 

[Nikosandros]

Although "outside of the U.S." most probably means the UK, where the game had a home match. It's definitely not true for some other countries with large roleplaying communities. Anyway, it sold amazingly well.

So which other game, produced outside the US, sold more world wide?

 

[Turjan]

So which other game, produced outside the US, sold more world wide?

My point was more that claims like this cannot really be backed with hard numbers. It's not even possible to tell the market share of D&D in the US with enough certainty (you will find numbers between 38% and 75%). Numbers for most other countries are completely in limbo. That's why I meant that the statement about WHFRP's success is most probably true for the UK, but I don't see the "world wide" claim can be proven in any way.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

I wouldn't know about that. I mean in White Dwarf 300 they were talking about how poorly the game sold and how there were like only 5000 role players in the world no? And that's from the horses's mouth.

Well, from Black Industry's own forums, there was a thread confirming that the Core rulebook for WFRP2 went to reprint after one month, and the expectation was for it to take 6 months. That would be from the horse's mouth.

As I recall, the White Dwarf comment was a prediction, not sales announcement.

Oh, and here is Chris Pramas' post from his blog on the subject of sales of his baby.