Ravenloft TSR sales numbers

[QuentinGeorge]

I'd agree with you that it's odd, but this is TSR that we're talking about.

I can confirm back in the 90s you’d see both versions of a setting in a game shop frequently. I even saw the Dungeoneers Survival Guide well into the mid 90s. They just kept pushing out new product.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

On another note these figures put a stake through the idea that the problem was inferior product - the red box and Domains of Dread were vastly superior to the Black Box in every way yet sold far worse. Clearly new D&D settings had a sugar hit in their first year and declined rapidly thereafter with any attempts at revival futile. Probably not even their fault, they got dragged down by the general decay of TSR D&D.

 

[Zardnaar]

On another note these figures put a stake through the idea that the problem was inferior product - the red box and Domains of Dread were vastly superior to the Black Box in every way yet sold far worse. Clearly new D&D settings had a sugar hit in their first year and declined rapidly thereafter with any attempts at revival futile. Probably not even their fault, they got dragged down by the general decay of TSR D&D.

Well they contributed to TSRs decay.

 

[GreyLord]

Well, these numbers certainly provide context for 3E prodyct decisions.

The biggest takeaway that I think WotC could and would make was NOT that splitting the lines caused bankruptcy (note, it wasn't that), BUT that Player focused books sold MUCH better than DM focused books. This is why, I think they made sure almost every book that went out had player material that players could use (at least after the Hasbro takeover). People complain about the bloat and power creep, but making things for the Players and making sure PLAYERS KNEW there was stuff in the book focused on players, meant a bigger audience to sell books to than just trying to cater to DMs.

WotC came out with plenty of D20 campaign settings (splitting the lines...as it were), such as FR, GH, Eberron, OA, SW, DL, GW, Modern. They made a LOT of player focused content though, and if you notice, almost every book had something for the players.

IMO of course.

 

[GreyLord]

its too bad we don't have the sales numbers for 3e/3.5e, 4e, and 5e to compare wih these numbers.

If his contact is from the Old Paizo crew, or someone with them, I'm sure that if he ever gets to that point, you'll probably have numbers for at least 3e and 3.5 and possibly even 4e.

Then it's just a matter of getting ahold of the right people and the author could easily get the numbers for 5e as well. I'd say those numbers are probably far easier to get access to and find than those from several decades ago during the TSR era...and possibly better kept.

 

[Voadam]

Spelljammer actually outsold Ravenloft,

The only thing I find surprising is that Spelljammer sold more than Ravenloft. This isn't a slam against Spelljammer, I just thought Ravenloft was more popular.

It took me a little bit to figure out you were talking about initial year campaign setting sales and not total campaign setting sales.

Initial year sales of Ravenloft looks like just under 40,000 while Spelljammer was ~53,000

Total sales Ravenloft sold about twice as many core sets as Spelljammer. Maybe ~160,000 to ~70,000?

 

[MGibster]

It took me a little bit to figure out you were talking about initial year campaign setting sales and not total campaign setting sales.

And now I'm surprised again because you came along and unsurprised me.

 

[Reynard]

BUT that Player focused books sold MUCH better than DM focused books.

I'd be curious to see the numbers of the Complete books.

 

[Jer]

Total sales Ravenloft sold about twice as many core sets as Spelljammer. Maybe ~160,000 to ~70,000?

Probably better to compare the two initial boxed sets rather than aggregating all three of Ravenloft's supplements into a single number.

Even there the initial Ravenloft black box set sold ~104K copies over its lifetime, Spelljammer ~83K. The Ravenloft box set started weaker but had a slower drop-off, Spelljammer started stronger but then nosedived quickly.

 

[Reynard]

It took me a little bit to figure out you were talking about initial year campaign setting sales and not total campaign setting sales.

Initial year sales of Ravenloft looks like just under 40,000 while Spelljammer was ~53,000

Total sales Ravenloft sold about twice as many core sets as Spelljammer. Maybe ~160,000 to ~70,000?

View attachment 253936

It might be useful to put "Initial year sales" in red or something as the base of each graph.