TSR settings sales numbers from Ben Riggs, starting with Lankmar, Maztica, Al-Qadim and Planescape!

[Riley]

I still have mine.

I apparently have two copies- one from 1985, and another 1e reprint with the 1991-92 2e-era gold TSR logo.

That reprint seems worth mentioning, as TSR apparenty sold approximately zero copies of Lankhmar in 1991 and 1992 (and very few even in 1990).

(The 1993 spike was when they released a 2nd edition version of the setting.)

 

[David Howery]

I was one of the few people who bought the Maztica set. But I bought all the FR sets. Wish I'd have kept them, just have the 2E FR set left...

 

[overgeeked]

Ben shared this on Facebook earlier today. It’s a chart of all the settings’ first year of sales. It’s interesting that Oriental Adventures was the top selling setting in that graph. Makes sense though. D&D players have always been fond of China and Japan as sources of inspiration. The ’70s saw a lot of martial arts films and Bruce Lee was king. Ninja movies were huge. And anime was beginning to sweep the US at the time.

 

[CleverNickName]

I guess I was one of the very, very few who loved the Red Steel campaign setting. ~sigh

 

[Sacrosanct]

Ben shared this on Facebook earlier today. It’s a chart of all the settings’ first year of sales. It’s interesting that Oriental Adventures was the top selling setting in that graph. Makes sense though. D&D players have always been fond of China and Japan as sources of inspiration. The ’70s saw a lot of martial arts films and Bruce Lee was king. Ninja movies were huge. And anime was beginning to sweep the US at the time.

View attachment 295716

The 80s in America was all about ninjas. We were infatuated with them.

 

[Parmandur]

I guess I was one of the very, very few who loved the Red Steel campaign setting. ~sigh

Well, it did decently...but it would have to be handled super carefully if WotC wanted to do it again, like ao carefully they would be better off making a new Setting.

 

[MGibster]

The 80s in America was all about ninjas. We were infatuated with them.

I used to think the martial arts craze of the 70s and 80s were unique. But Americans, and even Europe, has had their infatuation with Asian martial arts, and Asia in general, every few decades.

 

[Parmandur]

I used to think the martial arts craze of the 70s and 80s were unique. But Americans, and even Europe, has had their infatuation with Asian martial arts, and Asia in general, every few decades.

I mean, learning a martial art is just normal?

 

[CleverNickName]

Well, it did decently...but it would have to be handled super carefully if WotC wanted to do it again, like ao carefully they would be better off making a new Setting.

Nah, I don't want Wizards of the Coast to re-release it. It's just too much of a risk for them as a company, and for too little payout. For every CleverNickName out there who would love to have an updated Red Steel campaign setting, there are a hundred others who would scream bloody murder at them for not giving them a different, more popular setting like OA or Dark Sun, or for doing this one wrong, or for just existing as a company.

I think if Red Steel 5E is ever going to be a thing, it would have to be fan-written and supported, the way @The Glen did with the 5E Mystara Project. Fans don't have as much of a financial risk to absorb, and they aren't expected to be infallible mind-readers with unlimited resources.

I worked on this for five years, converting the Known World to 5th edition. 224 pages, dozens of new subclasses, new races, spells, feats and types of magic. All original art and introduces one of the all time best settings to new players. After discussing it with friends and gamers, decided to put it up as a fanwork as the odds of WOTC opening up the guild is doubtful at this point. Enjoy adventuring in Mystara once more.

Mystara Player’s Guide | RPGMP3

www.rpgmp3.com

EDIT: sorry if I sound bitter; I pulled an all-nighter and I'm cranky. Reading through certain threads probably isn't helping my disposition, either.

EDIT: go give @The Glen some of your money if you can. The D&D 5E Mystara project is still going, and still needs artists and resources.

 

[billd91]

Don't forget the impact of samurai media. Kurosawa's Ran came out in 1985 as well. Usagi Yojimbo first appeared in 1984. James Clavell's Shogun was published in 1975, made into a miniseries in 1980. The OA pump was well-primed.