Size of Gaming Industry???

[Corinth]

A follow-up effort revealed that, on average, five gamers used two PHBs; usually the GM had one of his own and the players shared one copy. This confirmed a trend of many tabletop players not spending much on the hobby; the bulk of the money came from the GMs, who also tend to be the majority of the hardcore gamers.

 

[NewJeffCT]

THere's some useful info in this article

In particular, Dancy mentions that he believes WotC sold 100,000 copies of the PHB in 2002.

Yes, but 3.0 came out in 2000 or 2001, right? So, the vast majority of sales likely would have been in that first year... and, 3.5 came out in 2003, so the vast majority of 3.5 PHBs will be last year.

100,000 in 2002 is new players, or gamers purchasing a second copy for various reasons, or old gamers getting back in to the game after an absence. Or, it could be those that waited for a year or two for the kinks to be worked out of the system.

 

[Wombat]

I have not heard anything much about the RPG industry actually growing of late. Like movies, pen & paper gaming is (supposedly) losing out to computer games.

Again, this I only know as rumor, not as fact. I'd love to see solid information on the topic.

 

[Dristram]

I have not heard anything much about the RPG industry actually growing of late. Like movies, pen & paper gaming is (supposedly) losing out to computer games.

Something interesting I've noticed in my small gamingverse is that it seems more and more people are beginning to move away from PC games to pen and paper games. This is what I've seen...a kid comes in my store looking for a video game, and doesn't find one. But he is intrigued by what he does see, like D&D. He asks about it and I tell him. A few days later, he buys the intro D&D box for 10 bucks. Then a few days later he comes in with friends and they all start buying up the core D&D books and begin making characters right in my store! And what else is they say it's so much more fun than video games!

Another thing I've witnessed is that parents come in with their kids to check out the store. They notice D&D. They begin pushing their kid(s) to try it out and tell me it's because they want to get them away from the computer and into a more in-person social game. And D&D seems to be one that is close enough to the video games they've been playing. Gee...parents WANTING their kids to play D&D. I never thought I'd see the day!!

Since I opened my store a few months ago, I'd say a good 20 kids have begun playing D&D for the first time. And by kids, I mean between ages 10 & 17.

But, this may be, like I said, just in my small gamingverse. But I hope it's a beginning trend!

 

[jgbrowning]

But, this may be, like I said, just in my small gamingverse. But I hope it's a beginning trend!

That sounds wonderful Brad. It also sounds that you're being consciencious (sp?) with your store and upselling well.

In the long run that'll always benefit you. Glad to see it happening in at least one part of the country. I've personally introduced 9 new players and those nine have introduced a handful more. Now, how many of them stick with in for more than a few years.... ?

joe b.

 

[bubbalin]

another peripheral, but interesting to me question is how many people out there mostly pay their bills by writing for RPGs...
that would also reflect the size of the market...

but 500 mill D&D PHBs is impressive...

 

[bubbalin]

Yes, but 3.0 came out in 2000 or 2001, right? So, the vast majority of sales likely would have been in that first year... and, 3.5 came out in 2003, so the vast majority of 3.5 PHBs will be last year.

100,000 in 2002 is new players, or gamers purchasing a second copy for various reasons, or old gamers getting back in to the game after an absence. Or, it could be those that waited for a year or two for the kinks to be worked out of the system.

My interpretation of 100 000 copies in 2002 was that, in the year 2002, it was mentioned that 100 000 copies had been sold at that point in time. So 100 000 up to then, but I might be wrong, especially with what MEG Hal said...

 

[johnsemlak]

THere's some useful info in this article

In particular, Dancy mentions that he believes WotC sold 100,000 copies of the PHB in 2002.

I'm sorry forgot to post the link to that article:
http://www.enworld.org/modules.php?...ns&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=43&page=1

That's where Ryan D says, amonth other things, My "ear to the ground" sources tell me that the "whisper number" of units sold for 3E PHBs exceeded 100,000 units in 2002

 

[PatEllis15]

Not a real RPG number, but it was reported in the thread about the price increase for the next release of D&D Miniatures that WotC has sold 4 million of the little plastic fellows...

That is 500,000 units, at $10.00 a piece (full retail) they've generated $5,000,000 in Gross Revenue in about 5 months.

Pat E

 

[DaveMage]

Not a real RPG number, but it was reported in the thread about the price increase for the next release of D&D Miniatures that WotC has sold 4 million of the little plastic fellows...

That is 500,000 units, at $10.00 a piece (full retail) they've generated $5,000,000 in Gross Revenue in about 5 months.

Pat E

Although, Wizards probably gets less than 1/2 of that, while distributors and sellers get the rest.