NEWS

An update on SR6e DriveThruRPG ratings

  • 188 Replies
  • 40208 Views

FastJack

  • *
  • Administrator
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 6367
  • Kids these days...
« Reply #180 on: <01-24-20/1752:30> »
In dollars spent by game stores through Alliance Distribution on product for a game system in 2019. The top RPG game systems for 2019 were
1. D&D 5e
2. Pathfinder 2e
3. Shadowrun 6e
4. Vampire 5e
5. Star Wars (FFG)
6. Starfonder 1e

These figures were provided by Alliance to store owners who have accounts with the distributor
Weird. It's like the people who hate it are a tiny (but loud) portion.

0B

  • *
  • Guest
« Reply #181 on: <01-25-20/1444:55> »
I think Matt Colville once said "People who go on the internet to argue about RPGs aren't playing RPGs." I think it's also fair to say that folks are more likely to leave a review after a negative experience than a positive experience.

calibur12001

  • *
  • Newb
  • *
  • Posts: 10
« Reply #182 on: <01-26-20/1744:16> »
I think Matt Colville once said "People who go on the internet to argue about RPGs aren't playing RPGs." I think it's also fair to say that folks are more likely to leave a review after a negative experience than a positive experience.

I don't care what Matt Colville thinks (just like you don't care what I think), and his statement is nothing more than empty hyperbole. I think it's fair to say that there wouldn't be a legitimate negative experience if the editors had done their damn job.

penllawen

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 804
  • Let's go. In and out. Twenty minute milk run.
« Reply #183 on: <01-27-20/0811:18> »
I think Matt Colville once said "People who go on the internet to argue about RPGs aren't playing RPGs."
Well, that's just nonsense. People who go on the internet to discuss things are going to be in the above-average bracket for passion for and engagement with whatever they are discussing. Their advice won't always be coherent and won't always be useful, but dismissing them out of hand is just silly.

Quote
I think it's also fair to say that folks are more likely to leave a review after a negative experience than a positive experience.
Well, you might think that, but the reviews on DTRPG of other games don't bear that out. As covered upthread, or by a quick look through the top listing right now, aggregate review scores of 4.5-5 are pretty common. Few titles have a score below 4. Shadowrun 6e's score of 2.7 is a notable exception, not a typical result.

Lormyr

  • *
  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 820
« Reply #184 on: <01-27-20/1027:33> »
I don't know how useful any sales figures from a single site are, one way or the other, since none of that will give a good bird's eye overview. That said, drivethru is probably one of the best single sources for a general impression. Finally, people spend money stupidly, and gamers as a category are especially proficient at it. I couldn't begin to speculate whether the edition is selling well or not overall.

What I can speculate on is the quality of the work. Anyone can fairly argue whether they like the direction or dislike the direction of the rules - that aspect is just a matter of personal tastes. We all know where I fall on that, so no need to rehash. I see a lot more criticism than praise spoken about it online, and hear the same in person when the topic comes up. But again, how well does that represent the overall opinion? Hell if I know.

The state of editing they allowed the book to go live in is indisputably, unacceptably bad. There is no acceptable defense for that.

That quote by Matt Colville is also among the most foolish things I've ever heard.
"TL:DR 6e's reduction of meaningful choices is akin to forcing everyone to wear training wheels. Now it's just becomes a bunch of toddlers riding around on tricycles they can't fall off of." - Adzling

skalchemist

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 258
« Reply #185 on: <01-27-20/1044:56> »
Starfonder 1e
STARFONDER!  The new romantic game of love in a time of space opera from Paizo.  Get your copy now!

 ;D

penllawen

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 804
  • Let's go. In and out. Twenty minute milk run.
« Reply #186 on: <06-08-20/0852:06> »

   Position      Title      Score      Number of ratings      Release date      Sales award   

...

   2      Shadowrun, Sixth World Core Rulebook      2.8/5      34      August 26, 2019      Platinum (Tier 5 - 1000-2000)   

A small update, a few months later:

   Position      Title      Score      Number of ratings      Release date      Sales award   
   3      Shadowrun: Cutting Black      3.5/5      4      January 17, 2020      Silver (Tier 2 - 100-250)   
   60      Shadowrun: Free Seattle      4.0/5      1      December 11, 2019      Silver (Tier 2 - 100-250)   
   71      Shadowrun, Sixth World Core Rulebook      2.7/5      46      August 26, 2019      Platinum (Tier 5 - 1000-2000)   

It's notable that the sales tier award hasn't moved. If this post is accurate, this implies SR6 CRB is selling fewer than nine copies per day, on average (<1000 sales in 116 days.)
Another update for you below, expanded to include all the main 6e books:
   Position      Title      Score      #ratings      Release date      Sales award   
   2      Firing Squad      1.0/5      2      2020/05/26      Silver (Tier 2 - 100-250)   
   N/A      6e CRB      2.6/5      49      2019/08/26      Platinum (Tier 5 - 1000-2000)   
   N/A      Free Seattle      4.0/5      1      2019/12/11      Electrum (Tier 3 - 250-500)   
   N/A      30 Nights      3.0/5      2      2020/03/04      Electrum (Tier 3 - 250-500)   
   N/A      Cutting Black      3.6/5      9      2020/01/17      Electrum (Tier 3 - 250-500)   

(Position refers to the title's current place in the top 100 on DTRPG, as of the day of this post. "N/A" means it was not inside the top 100.)

  • In the last 8.5 months, the 6e CRB has garnered fewer than 1000 sales on DTRPG.
  • In the last 4.5 months, it has received three reviews/ratings, reducing its average score from 2.7 to 2.6.
  • Free Seattle appears to have sold fewer than 400 copies on DTRPG in the last 4.5 months.
« Last Edit: <06-08-20/1315:10> by penllawen »

Tecumseh

  • *
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 3938
« Reply #187 on: <06-08-20/1242:27> »
Thanks for the update. This is interesting. I hadn't realized that sales awards were public.

I'll note that the German version of the 6E core rulebook also has a Platinum award (same as English), and the score is 4.6/5 across 12 reviews. Does anyone know if the rules are materially different? Presumably the editing was tightened up during translation.

I wonder how frequently the Top 100 rankings are updated. Evidently a Silver award (100-249) will earn you the #2 position across two weeks (Firing Squad's release date of May 28th to June 8th, today).

penllawen

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 804
  • Let's go. In and out. Twenty minute milk run.
« Reply #188 on: <06-08-20/1248:50> »
I hadn't realized that sales awards were public.
Caveat: the "metal tiers" part is public but the corresponding number of sales is not. For that, I am relying on this post from an insider. There's no obvious reason to disbelieve that source, and when I googled it last year I found a couple of corroborating sources, but still: take it with a grain of salt.

Quote
I'll note that the German version of the 6E core rulebook also has a Platinum award (same as English), and the score is 4.6/5 across 12 reviews. Does anyone know if the rules are materially different? Presumably the editing was tightened up during translation.
There's a detailed thread somewhere on reddit comparing them (look for u/D4rvill). The rules aren't significantly different, I'd say, but they were (apparently) clearer on some points. I'd also argue Pegasus enjoys a much better reputation than Catalyst does, and probably gets more benefit of the doubt as a result.

Quote
I wonder how frequently the Top 100 rankings are updated. Evidently a Silver award (100-249) will earn you the #2 position across two weeks (Firing Squad's release date of May 28th to June 8th, today).
I haven't been able to work that out. I think it changes quite frequently, daily or every few days. But it could be calculated on a longer time period's worth of sales; a sort of moving average, if you will.