D&D General TSR D&D sales numbers compiled by Benjamin Riggs

D&D historian Ben Riggs--author of the upcoming Slaying the Dragon, which is a history of TSR-era (not that TSR, the real one) D&D--compiled some sales figures of AD&D 1st Edition's Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide from 1979-1990.

Behold! Some actual D&D sales numbers!

While working on my book #SlayingtheDragon I got a ton of primary source documents containing sales data for D&D. With the book coming out, I've been looking for a way to get that data out into the wide world. I'm going to start making charts, and simply posting them. If people want the raw data, I can post that too, but obviously, charts are prettier.

I'm starting with AD&D 1st ed Players Handbook and Dungeon Masters Guide. You'll notice a crash in the mid-80s, and then the sales peter out with the release of 2nd edition.

The sales point to a fact that I believe hasn't been given enough play in our hobby. Namely, TSR was in a tight spot when Lorraine Williams took over the company from Gary Gygax. If it weren't for Lorraine, D&D may have died in the mid-80s.

Just an idea for your consideration...

Oh, and if you haven't preordered my book on D&D history yet, I'll put a link in the comments.

Go get his book! It’s going to be interesting!

Slaying the Dragon - Macmillan

The secret and untold story of how TSR, the company that created Dungeons & Dragons, was driven into ruin by disastrous management decisions, then ...

read.macmillan.com

 

[Erdric Dragin]

It is, but that has to do with thr growth of the marketplace more than anything else.

After all, the 2nd best selling edition of DnD was 4e!

Followed by 3.5, then 3e, ect.

Yeah and sales numbers does not mean good quality. Just look how hard 4e tanked soon after, as I always expected.

 

[John Lloyd1]

Does anyone know how the books returned by Random House are treated in these figures?

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Yeah and sales numbers does not mean good quality. Just look how hard 4e tanked soon after, as I always expected.

sigh on the edition bashing

 

[CleverNickName]

sigh on the edition bashing

Yeah, this was inevitable.

 

[Blackmoor_Film]

This is truly wonderful data.

Gonna have to get a copy of this book.

 

[Zardnaar]

Having just finished The Game Wizards by Jon Peterson, this bit gives me pause:



No one knows what would have happened otherwise, but I am not sure painting Williams as a hero coming into the "save D&D" is the right way to go.

Objectively she did. D&D needed cash and she provided it. Doesn't really matter what she did after that but absolutely you can argue that.

Blumes, Lorraine and WotC objectively all saved D&D at one point. Subjective if you liked what they did.

 

[Zardnaar]

Knowing some of what is in the book via Bens talks and podcasts and readings, Lorraine is, INMHO treated fairly based on facts, and still comes out looking not great. But I think it’s fair and true to say she righted a sinking ship. Maybe she steared it to the rocks at the same time though.

She bought a sinking ship, patched it and then drove it onto the rocks and sold it to a salvage company.

 

[Zardnaar]

Oh, for sure. Just hang out at any OSR or old school D&D FB group. Anything not OD&D or 1e will inevitably have someone blast it. Even 2e.

Basic is usually safe as well. 2E onwards not so much.

 

[Alzrius]

So comparing Basic's sales in the same amount of time to 5E (8 years?), hows that looking?

I'm curious about this too. According to that last graph, the AD&D 1E PHB and DMG combined sold what looks like 2.95 million units, while Basic D&D sold what looks like 3.5 million. How does this compare to either the combined 5E Basic sets or the 5E PB and DMG? I can recall WotC publishing infographics about things like player demographics, but not with regard to the actual number of books sold. Was that information ever released?

 

[Zardnaar]

I'm curious about this too. According to that last graph, the AD&D 1E PHB and DMG combined sold what looks like 2.95 million units, while Basic D&D sold what looks like 3.5 million. How does this compare to either the combined 5E Basic sets or the 5E PB and DMG? I can recall WotC publishing infographics about things like player demographics, but not with regard to the actual number of books sold. Was that information ever released?

Nope they just claimed most successful ever which people took to mean peak D&D.

But Basic and 2E were sold at the same time and basic continued into the 90's.

I've seen claims TSR revenue peaked in the 80's as well they were just losing money though. Dragon was hitting 100k a month in 92 and the novels were apparently out performing D&D itself until they abused that system.

In 4 years though ,5E starter sold 800k in NA. Red box almost hit that in one year.

Adjusted for inflation TSRs 83 revenue was bigger than the rpg market not that long ago.

I got chewed out on the forums when I pointed this out though.

It might be the biggest single version if D&D but may not have been peak D&D 4-5 years ago but it depends on how you measure it I suppose.

Even numbers thrown around have been distorted as people have claimed D&D lifetime players as active 5E players.

Biggest selling D&D ever is combined sales of Basic though with 5E being a maybe. Have the various started sets and phb outsold ye olde basic? No idea.