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Message: <blockquote data-quote="wingsandsword" data-source="post: 7988269" data-attributes="member: 14159">A big problem with measuring anything like this is assuming that online polls, surveys forums etc. really are accurate at measuring gamers.That assumes people are participating in WotC's surveys (if they aren't into the current edition, having been "fired" by WotC as a customer during the transition to 4e and walked away from official D&D forums and social media, or otherwise having stopped paying attention to new releases) that's right out.  They aren't on forums like this.  There are a lot of people who play D&D who aren't on forums, they aren't interacting with WotC on social media, they play their games with their friends. . .who often aren't online (or if they are, interacting with WotC or ENWorld or virtual tabletops or whatever aren't what they are doing).You really can't measure that.  That caveat belongs on any numbers about what editions or settings are played. . .that there can be significant enclaves of off-the-grid gamers holding on to older editions and settings.WotC measuring things for market research, for customers who will buy things, is one thing because they're measuring their current active customers. . .but fans of older settings and editions are basically "underground" from that perspective.When you're trying to measure who's playing old settings, the problem is assuming that fans of new rules are using settings from 20 or 30 years ago.I remember making some friends circa 2004. . .that had been playing AD&D 1st edition since the early 80's, they'd played for over 20 years with the same group of friends and family (and new family members as they were born and grew up).  They generally stopped paying attention to new releases when 2e came out, I think they said the 1e Greyhawk hardcover was their last book they'd bought.   They eventually modernized to 3.5 circa 2005, but still play 3.5 with Greyhawk even to this day, they don't touch online gaming culture, and don't need to buy new stuff constantly.I know a few people who are absolutely fanatical about Planescape, and consider that their favorite setting and the main one they run when they play D&D. . .none of them are really interacting with online D&D culture, they may have Facebook or Twitter, but that doesn't mean that WotC is anything on their radar, or that they're playing 5e (maybe a third to half my gaming friends still stick to 3.5, I'm fuzzy on the number because some prefer 3.5 but play 5e if it's all that's available).</blockquote>

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