Ronin Arts' Top 10 of 2004

[philreed]

I was looking over sales records this morning and thought others might find the list of our top 10 products in 2004 interesting. This really isn't all that exciting but it is useful to me (and others that watch the PDF market may find it interesting).

1. Campaign Planner
2. 101 Mundane Treasures
3. Future: Starship 1 -- The Nova Star
4. Future: Starship 2 -- The Foxhawk-Class
5. Forbidden Arcana: Magical Pipes & Tobacco
6. 101 Collection
7. A Matter of Family
8. Vault Collection One
9. Future: Starship 4 -- The Livingstone
10. Another 101 Mundane Treasures

So three of our top 10 products in 2004 were at least a year old and one was two years old. It was interesting to see that I wrote half of the top 10 products, Michael Hammes wrote three of the top 10 products, Chris Aylott wrote one, and the last was a collection of PDFs from a decade-old game.

2005 is shaping up to be heavier on the future/sci-fi end of things and is definitely different than 2004. (Even then, there is one product that was a Ronin Arts top 10 in 2004 that is currently in our top 10 for 2005.)

EDIT: I just looked at 2003 and half of the 2004 top 10 were also in the 2003 top ten. I think there's something valuable to be learned in that.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Glad to see A Matter of Family in that list.

 

[philreed]

Glad to see A Matter of Family in that list.

It was also one of the 5 that was a top 10 in 2003.

 

[JoeGKushner]

It was also one of the 5 that was a top 10 in 2003.

Was the campaign planner there too?

One of the things I like about seeing some of the numbers you've shown, is how different some of my fellow gamers are from me.

I'm weird in that I find it "good" when I deviate from the norm in that I know I'm not just getting what everyoen else is and that my own needs and uses are different from others.

For example, Green Ronin keeps reprinting their character folio and it's another one of those things that I'm like... "Hmmm.... Mr. Pen, I'd like you to meet Mr. Paper."

 

[philreed]

Was the campaign planner there too?

Yes, it was. Here's 2003's top 10.

1. Another 101 Mundane Treasures
2. 101 Mundane Treasures
3. Campaign Planner
4. 101 Collection
5. 101 Spellbooks
6. Construct Mechanus
7. The Whispering Vault
8. A Matter of Family
9. 101 Divine Spell Components
10. Mortal Magic


And since I'm already here, here's 2005 (to date).

1. Campaign Planner 2
2. Campaign Planner
3. Campaign Planner 3
4. Future: Starship 12 -- The Horizon Traveler
5. Future: Starship 13 -- Ghost Ship
6. Superline #1 -- Tomorrow's Headlines
7. Campaign Planner Deluxe
8. Athenaeum Arcane: Esoteric Libraries
9. Fantasy Player's Companion: Higher Level Feats
10. Future: Installation 1

 

[JoeGKushner]

Very interesting indeed.

I find it interesting that for once, one of the things people complain about not having, in terms of game aids, is actually selling.

I say for once because people often mention numerous other products that come out but then people don't buy it explaining, "Well, that's not what I meant."

 

[jaerdaph]

I think it's interesting that there are no d20 Modern products on this or last year's top ten list. (Ronin Arts entered the d20 Modern market in June 2004 with A Dozen Modern Rumors I believe).

 

[philreed]

I think it's interesting that there are no d20 Modern products on this or last year's top ten list. (Ronin Arts entered the d20 Modern market in June 2004 with A Dozen Modern Rumors I believe).

That didn't surprise me. Few people want their escapism to take place in a setting that resembles their lives.

(And I think you're absolutely correct on the release of Ronin Arts' first Modern PDF.)

 

[Man-thing]

6. Superline #1 -- Tomorrow's Headlines
8. Athenaeum Arcane: Esoteric Libraries
9. Fantasy Player's Companion: Higher Level Feats
10. Future: Installation 1

Hmm, where is the pesky Superline #3. It is too bad that Superline #2 didn't make the list.
Wait, for fantasy stuff selling really badly lately it seems well represented on the list.
I always assumed Installation did poorly because there never was a Installation 2.

 

[philreed]

Hmm, where is the pesky Superline #3. It is too bad that Superline #2 didn't make the list.
Wait, for fantasy stuff selling really badly lately it seems well represented on the list.
I always assumed Installation did poorly because there never was a Installation 2.

Check how many of those fantasy sales are the Campaign Planner products.

Superline #3 is in the works. We just don't want to rush it as we learn the new rules -- I'd rather be a month late than mess the line up with a poor release.

We have an Installation 2 planned, it's just taking time.