D&D 5E The Printers Can't Handle WotC's One D&D Print Runs!

One of the reasons why the three new core rulebooks next year will not be released together is because D&D is such a juggernaut that the printers can't actually handle the size of the print runs!

Jeremy Crawford told Polygon "Our print runs are pretty darn big and printers are telling us you can’t give us these three books at the same time.” And Chris Perkins added that "The print runs we’re talking about are massive. That’s been not only true of the core books, but also Tasha’s Cauldron. It’s what we call a high-end problem."

 

[Parmandur]

Wow. Many years ago I bought second hand AD&D books (late 80s). I could not count the hours spent…all night marathons, multi day adventuring! Used those same books into grad school.

It is such a cheap hobby comparatively. And we always had a few pals that borrowed books at the table…

I get not liking price increases. I bought food at McDonald’s recently and could not believe what I paid. But this is no crisis or crushing of a fandom.

Yeah, nobody likes a price increase, but the context of general prices and inflation matters.

 

[Oofta]

Only if you are spreading that value out over time, which isn't how people make purchases. Sure if I go to several movies a year, that is going to cost the same as a PHB, but each individual purchase of tickets is a small cost. The cost to buy D&D is not 60 just for the player book, and an additional 120 if you want the full game. That is a large initial purchase. I could buy a musical instrument for that and get just as many hours of use out of it maybe more. I could buy Monopoly (also made by Hasbro) for 20 bucks and get just as many hours of use of it. Also D&D is a game that keeps releasing editions every 8 years or so depending on how you average it out, so there is an initial cost, then there is an expected need to buy the books again when the new edition comes out. Contrast that with my weights, which I use because one of my forms of entertainment is exercise and they are all one time purchases that have lasted over twenty years so far.

I am not saying people who are willing to buy a 60 dollar book are shelling out excessive amounts of cash. But I do think this idea that the 20% increase isn't going to be a problem for some people is wrong. And I think people aren't understanding what budgets mean to a lot of households

Costs are relative. Relative to most other expenses in my life, even non-essential expenses, D&D is cheap. They increased the base price that didn't even keep up with inflation or average wage increases. WOTC isn't a charity. Yes it sucks if you can't enjoy one of the cheapest hobbies around. Been there, done that, lived paycheck to paycheck for quite a while when realizing I had an extra $20 left over was a cause for celebration. But even if I was still in that situation I could play without spending a single dime with the free version of the rules.

You just keep repeating the same thing no matter what anyone says, so I'm done here. Have a good one.

P.S. there's also Amazon where, if you wait, you will pay significantly less, not to mention second-hand books.

 

[ad_hoc]

I've spent most of my life either working for minimum wage or on disability support.

I've never had an issue with affording to play D&D.

If I was still on disability support I would still not be caring about this price increase.

This isn't a matter of people being out of touch with the poors. It just really isn't a big deal.

 

[Mistwell]

I would pay $100 a book for a Bard-free edition.

thinking....


That's my opening bid.

You know Snarf, I like you despite you being a rotten person

 

[Hussar]

This. There are RPGs on my bookshelves that I bought with the intent to play (and kept them because they're good reads and one day maybe I'll play them - when/if I retire), that I've never played. What's the ROI on those?

From an affordability standpoint? Far more expensive than that book you got a thousand hours of entertainment from.

 

[MichaelSomething]

looking for good TTRPG deals? Then Humble Bundle is the place for you! There's currently a bundle for Starfinder. For 45 dollars plus shipping you can get a book, a card decks, and dozens of PDFs! What a deal!!!

Humble RPG Bundle: Starfinder Solidarity Bundle by Paizo Inc.

We’ve teamed up with Paizo for our newest bundle. Get Starfinder digital RPG books, PDFs, and resources, plus the hardcover Alien Archive 2 and physical Critical Hit Deck.

www.humblebundle.com

 

[Azzy]

looking for good TTRPG deals? Then Humble Bundle is the place for you! There's currently a bundle for Starfinder. For 45 dollars plus shipping you can get a book, a card decks, and dozens of PDFs! What a deal!!!

Humble RPG Bundle: Starfinder Solidarity Bundle by Paizo Inc.

We’ve teamed up with Paizo for our newest bundle. Get Starfinder digital RPG books, PDFs, and resources, plus the hardcover Alien Archive 2 and physical Critical Hit Deck.

www.humblebundle.com

That is a great deal. Unfortunately, I have no interest in Starfinder.

 

[Hussar]

Humble bundle often has some unbelievably good deals. I picked up a raft of books recently in one of their bundles. Sure a few I’ll never use but there were so many that I will use b

 

[Plageman]

The issue with the price increase is that it is not consistent on the whole ttrpg and/or boardgame market. Only a handful of companies, WotC included, have had a major raise of price.
Can I pay for that price increase ? Maybe. But I may also wonder why other smaller companies have not increased their prices while Hasbro-owned WotC has.
For another game I certainly would have first bought the pdf and checked if it was worth having the physical product but since WotC pushes DnDBeyond I will have to wait for some time before being able to get that version of 5e since I have no use for that specific digital format.

 

[Parmandur]

The issue with the price increase is that it is not consistent on the whole ttrpg and/or boardgame market. Only a handful of companies, WotC included, have had a major raise of price.
Can I pay for that price increase ? Maybe. But I may also wonder why other smaller companies have not increased their prices while Hasbro-owned WotC has.
For another game I certainly would have first bought the pdf and checked if it was worth having the physical product but since WotC pushes DnDBeyond I will have to wait for some time before being able to get that version of 5e since I have no use for that specific digital format.

I mean, I'm seeing price increases, maybe others aren't broadcasting them as clearly, but it.is happening.