WotC Which releases do you own?

[Mercurius]

Hard backs?

No--all print books. Paizo released ~4 hardbacks per year while 3.5 maxed out at 19 in 2006, including settings.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

And were talking 5 tops? A couple at least being adventures and one a box set.

Still VERY slow.

This year should be slower no matter what their schedule was. The pandemic is definitely messing with the schedule. Normally they've announced their 3rd book of the year by now.

 

[Mercurius]

And were talking 5 tops? A couple at least being adventures and one a box set.

Still VERY slow.

Yep, that would be my guess. Above I suggested a slow, graduated increase: 3 books per year in 2015-17, 4 per year in 2018-20, and maybe 5 in 2021-23, with 2024 being the big anniversary. Of course it is possible that they max out at 4.

 

[darjr]

4 hard backs per year, do you think Paizo’s thinner paperbacks count? Those seemed like collects rules and fluff for thier paths, with the significant rules ending up in hardbacks anyway. At least that’s how we treated them, mostly ignored unless the oath required it somehow.

 

[prabe]

Well, this isn't a representative sample, either. But it is suggestive of how the current strategy may be working out for WotC...

I wonder if in this sample, DMs are overrepresented? That'd explain at least part of why the adventure books are as well-represented as they are. I know that I as a player wouldn't buy an adventure book someone I knew was planning to DM.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

I wonder if in this sample, DMs are overrepresented? That'd explain at least part of why the adventure books are as well-represented as they are. I know that I as a player wouldn't buy an adventure book someone I knew was planning to DM.

I think DMs are probably overrepresented here. I don't know many players that go on forums and answer surveys.

 

[darjr]

I think DMs are probably overrepresented here. I don't know many players that go on forums and answer surveys.

Post a poll thread. Find out.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

My theory on the data...

5e had a massive growth spurt that is good for the brand in general...but the growth comes from a groundswell of new players who aren't as interested in creating their own world as much as using premade adventures and supplements. This is causing a bit of a rift from "old school" D&D players who want to see old rules and settings redone instead of new ground being covered. The slow pace of new books (it takes awhile to get through an adventure path) and the high ratio of setting and adventure books over generally useful crunch supplements contributes to this issue.

My theory on where this trend takes us...

Some players who like the 5e system in play are going to stray in search of the expanding crunch that they would like to see. They may turn to 3rd party or jump ship to another system. It won't be a major hit for the brand moneywise. <---this is my trajectory, waiting on the rest of the parts of my ship

The golden age of board/card/RPGs will eventually return to a normal churn and WotC is at some point going to have to make a choice between continually chasing the new blood or trying to keep their old fans happy. Good business says pick the side that pays the most cash. <----this happened to the Warhammer and Warhammer 40k tabletop

If 5e is truly determined to be "Evergreen" then a lot of people who jump ship aren't going to pop back in like they would with an entirely new experience of a new edition.

 

[Parmandur]

I wonder if in this sample, DMs are overrepresented? That'd explain at least part of why the adventure books are as well-represented as they are. I know that I as a player wouldn't buy an adventure book someone I knew was planning to DM.

My understanding is that DMs are overrepresented in the population of folks who buy any books...

 

[prabe]

My understanding is that DMs are overrepresented in the population of folks who buy any books...

That makes sense. I know I've played games I never owned the rules for. Never run any like that, though.