ATTN: Question for ALL RPG Game Publishers

[Kester Pelagius]

Greetings All,

This post is primarily aimed at anyone out there who is at the buisness end of the role-playing hobby cum industry.

To preface: I am in the process of gathering data for what will be a encyclopedic reference article about the "Role-Playing Game" (See related topic Thread here (RPGnet) and here (The Forge)) and would like to know what sort of numbers, on average, those of you in the industry can disclose about # of units moved.

Not just shipped to warehouse, but actually sold, out the door, into someone's home.  (Or PDFs downloaded, etc.)

What I am looking for are statistics; raw, refined, or otherwise.  Also I'd like opinions about how healthy you feel the industry is at present, where you see it going over the course of the next few years, and what ever other comments you might like to profer.

Thank you.

Feel free to PM or e-mail me if you do not wish to disclose your sensitive buisness information here.


Kind Regards,

Kester Pelagius

[rafael]

To preface: I am in the process of gathering data for what will be a encyclopedic reference article about the "Role-Playing Game" (See related topic Thread here (RPGnet) and here (The Forge)) and would like to know what sort of numbers, on average, those of you in the industry can disclose about # of units moved.

Not just shipped to warehouse, but actually sold, out the door, into someone's home.  (Or PDFs downloaded, etc.).

Yo, what up.

Okay, I shipped about forty copies of Dread in October.  Sold a bunch via the site (like thirtysomething), and 5 to the FLGS.  Which was pretty cool.

This month, I guess I sold about 5 so far, and I'm delivering another 5 to the FLGS the day after tomorrow.  So.  Thus far, 50.  Sold out of batch numbero uno, and now delving into my second print run for order fulfillment.

What I am looking for are statistics; raw, refined, or otherwise.  Also I'd like opinions about how healthy you feel the industry is at present, where you see it going over the course of the next few years, and what ever other comments you might like to profer.

I feel the industry is healthy enough.  

For one thing, and your mileage may vary, seems like this is because geek chic is just all over the damn place.  I talked six people into gaming this past summer.  It was easy enough.  This game?  It's like Lord of the Rings.  Yeah, wasn't that great?  Want to be Liv Tyler?  Okay.  Sword or crossbow?  Check.  That game?  Oh, it's kind of like Matrix.  But no leather pants.  And so forth.  I mean, the stuff's always been around, but my non-gamer friends just seemd to have a harder time relating to the concept.  At least, that was the case back in the day.

As for the sales, well, mine aren't really representative of jack, but most of the clerks and store owners I talk to seem to be doing okay.  Okay, that doesn't really mean squat (I "feel" that the industry is doing "great" because my friend told me!), and I shouldn't have said that.  I take it back.  I'm not really sure how the industry is doing.

But, I must say, the indie scene would not have been possible in its current incarnation ten years ago.  So that is one damn cool thing.

Word is bond,

Rafael