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."

 

[Micah Sweet]

That's certainly one way to look at it. You could also look at it from the perspective that they currently don't have the new books to sell you, so telling you your old books will work just fine encourages you to continue buying the books they've released and continue to release until the new books are actually available, at which time they'll work on promoting all the reasons they think you might want to buy the new books.

I won't rule it out.

 

[Velderan]

Agreed. Not to say that inflation isn't real, but WotC is hardly struggling to make ends meet. This isn't a move demanded by changes in the printing industry, as much as those changes are real. It's a move given a plausible excuse by changes in the printing industry, so they can increase profits and meet their shareholders demands for ever-escalating success.

That's my take on it anyway. I can't claim insider information, and I'm sure the creative team is working to express their own ideas through the corporate filter as well.

So when other companies have expressed the exact same issue, it's still WotC just being greedy? Erik Mona from Paizo has said they've struggled with rising printing/shipping costs as well, are they also greedy for raising their book prices while largely leaving PDF prices flat?

 

[Velderan]

Oh, I live to have blood angered. I have gone straight past dislike to hatred, and have SMASHED the subscribe button to every youtube channel available that discussed the perfidy of your garden-variety bard.

I'm going to assume that's why Apple refuses to sell you AppleCare plans for your phone anymore, you're not literally supposed to smash the button btw.

 

[Micah Sweet]

So when other companies have expressed the exact same issue, it's still WotC just being greedy? Erik Mona from Paizo has said they've struggled with rising printing/shipping costs as well, are they also greedy for raising their book prices while largely leaving PDF prices flat?

Depends on how well they're doing. I don't follow Paizo, but I know WotC's huge and continuing success with 5e means that they don't need to raise prices to stay afloat. And why would they risk angering fans more by raising digital prices? They don't have that plausible excuse in that arena.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I'm going to assume that's why Apple refuses to sell you AppleCare plans for your phone anymore, you're not literally supposed to smash the button btw.

A visual representation of me, watching The Witcher, and realizing that a Bard has a major role-

 

[Oofta]

Oh, I live to have blood angered. I have gone straight past dislike to hatred, and have SMASHED the subscribe button to every youtube channel available that discussed the perfidy of your garden-variety bard.

Saying I hate bards does a true disservice to the deep well of antipathy I have cultivated toward those miscreants.

My hatred of Bards is the fuel that warms the cold, dark cockles of my heart as the sun grows ever dimmer during each Winter. I hate Bards like a young child loves Christmas morning; with unreserved enthusiasm.

Some might say I drink too much, but I only drink to separate my knowledge of the existence of Bards from my consciousness.

The lady Snarf doth protest too much, methinks

 

[Oofta]

Depends on how well they're doing. I don't follow Paizo, but I know WotC's huge and continuing success with 5e means that they don't need to raise prices to stay afloat. And why would they risk angering fans more by raising digital prices? They don't have that plausible excuse in that arena.

There's no plausible excuse for a company that sells things to make a profit?

 

[bedir than]

They keep telling everyone that they're happy if they keep using the old books, and I haven't seen them really trying to encourage people to jump on the planned revisions. Most of their effort seems focused on damage control and shilling their digital plans.

Are you suggesting that their multi-year statement of compatibility means that they don't want to sell books while they are releasing more physical products in a wider variety of formats than they have before?

That doesn't make sense.

Their ad buys make it clear that they want book sales. Their bragging about product placement at book stores means they like selling books. Their giving influencers physical books rather than download codes means they want to sell books

 

[Micah Sweet]

There's no plausible excuse for a company that sells things to make a profit?

You keep framing it as, "they just want to make a profit". They are making a profit, right now. Quite a lot of profit, given the runaway success of 5e. This isn't about them making money at all, and I explained that if you would bother to read my post.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Are you suggesting that their multi-year statement of compatibility means that they don't want to sell books while they are releasing more physical products in a wider variety of formats than they have before?

That doesn't make sense.

Their ad buys make it clear that they want book sales. Their bragging about product placement at book stores means they like selling books. Their giving influencers physical books rather than download codes means they want to sell books

I'm talking about the new core, not their current stock. Of course they want to sell that.