Link to article.

QuotePathfinder RPG Core Rulebook Sold Out!

All Preordered Copies Now in Distribution Channel
New Print Run to Arrive in Early November

August 3, 2009 (BELLEVUE, Wash.) – Ten days before the launch of their much-anticipated Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, Paizo Publishing today announced that the first print run of the book has sold out, with all preordered copies on their way to stores for an August 13 release. With preorders more than five times greater than for any previous product in Paizo’s seven-year history, orders for the Core Rulebook continue to mount even as the company speeds to produce another print run. Paizo.com has retained enough copies to handle all paizo.com subscriptions and pre-orders. Customers who have not already placed a pre-order with paizo.com or their game or book retailer are encouraged to seek out a copy immediately following the book’s retail release, as supplies are expected to run out well before the arrival of a second print run in early November.

“We thought we had printed enough to last us at least until the end of this year, but skyrocketing demand from our customers and distributors has us reprinting already,” Lisa Stevens, CEO of Paizo said. “We have a healthy amount heading to Gen Con, but we think even those will go fast, so don’t delay in picking up your copy!”

The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook is the first release in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game line of hardcover tabletop RPG rulebooks. Clocking in at a whopping 576 pages and at a weight of more than four pounds, this $49.99 rulebook is the newest incarnation of the 3.5 version of the world’s best-selling roleplaying game. Playtested by more than 50,000 players over the last year, the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook is the most hotly anticipated tabletop RPG release of 2009. A massive electronic download file ($9.99) remains available at paizo.com.

“The phenomenal support of the constantly growing community of Pathfinder RPG players has been a staggering sight to behold,” said Paizo Publisher Erik Mona. “To sell out a hugely ambitious print run before the release date just goes to show what an immense audience this game will enjoy in the years to come.”

The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook can be found wherever gaming products are sold or can be purchased directly from Paizo Publishing via paizo.com.

This is some interesting news in the Press Release. I wish we had been given some hard numbers to go along with this, but it still is fascinating stuff.

It'd be interesting to have numbers on the print run.
Since the Beta sales went way above and beyond their expectations last year at GenCon and on the site, according to their own accounts, one can only wonder how many PF RPG were printed on the first run, in the end.

Seems very promising for Paizo, in any case.

I think it's great news.  

I'm also glad I got a pre-order placed a couple weeks back.  

How much could "more than five times greater than for any previous product in Paizo's seven-year history" be? 10,000 copies? 20,000 copies? More? I would say it must have been at least 10,000 with Paizo's size, but who knows.

Hard to say for sure how many copies they printed up.

In principle, they could have under-printed to create a lot of advanced hype with the "1st printing sold out" headlines.

Quote from: ggroy;318056In principle, they could have under-printed to create a lot of advanced hype with the "1st printing sold out" headlines.

Yep. It's always a possibility.

My thoughts as well, although more power to them if it works.

A better question is where all those 1st printing copies have been allocated to.  The obvious places are:

- Paizo's online web store
- RPG distributors (ie. Alliance, etc ...)
- book trade (ie. amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Borders, etc ...)
- Gencon

It would be interesting to see what proportion of the first printing sales is through Paizo's web store and Gencon.  Taking out the middleman means more direct revenue for Paizo.

At least here in Washington, Pathfinder is reasonably popular.  On my random meanderings through the FLGS I can see Pathfinder books being used as easily as I can see 4E books.

Of note, despite only a few abortive runs with Pathfinder at my table, several of my players seem to request it for 'the next game'...


Personally: I see a few too many similarities in design philosophy behind many of the changes with the 4E changes. Same mindset in many ways.  Other changes I like quite fine, though I realized later that the 'streamlining' of things such as racial attribute bonuses, while pleasing to my inner mathmagician, are... in fact... boring.  Too much of a good thing, or what have you.

Still: A worthwhile product, though Piazo's prices are among the worst in the industry.  Seriously: the campaign setting book was almost 150% the cost of a comparable D&D book and their Modules... oops, I mean 'Adventure paths' are no better!

I'm saving my pennies for Rogue Trader... of course I'm also saving my bitter tears of nerdfury as well... I am nothing if not an optemistic pika.

And here is what Erik Mona had to say on the issue (via Grognardia):

QuoteThanks, guys. I appreciate the kind words even (or perhaps especially) from those of you who have no stake in the product because you've got a different game of choice. From where I sit, ANY success in the RPG industry is worth cheering about.

And while we have not released sales figures, I can say that we don't consider 10,000 units "hugely ambitious," and we'll be bringing well more than 1000 copies to Gen Con. Still, I'm worried about selling out, because the game appears to be moving much faster than any of us anticipated.

And while we have not formally thrown our hats into the "old school" or rules-light field, our hearts are very sympathetic to the cause, and I wouldn't be too surprised to see something down the road.

First things first, of course.

--Erik Mona

Quote from: Erik MonaAnd while we have not formally thrown our hats into the "old school" or rules-light field, our hearts are very sympathetic to the cause, and I wouldn't be too surprised to see something down the road.

This to me means that Paizo is behind the propositions of distribution of Swords & Wizardry to brick-and-mortar hobby stores.
You read it here first!

Despite my apprehensions about Paizo's system design skills, I would much prefer if Paizo came up with thier own old school rules light RPG then waste any time with S&W.

Quote from: DeadUematsu;318112Despite my apprehensions about Paizo's system design skills, I would much prefer if Paizo came up with thier own old school rules light RPG then waste any time with S&W.

Strong language. Why would you consider Swords & Wizardry a waste of your time?

Whatever the case, if Paizo does indeed produce "something down the road" in the ""old school" or rules-light field", I will be keen to see exactly what that is. I am already intrigued. If any publisher has the clout and the wherewithal, it's probably them.

If I'm a publishing outfit like Paizo, S&W is a waste of my time.

Quote from: DeadUematsu;318165If I'm a publishing outfit like Paizo, S&W is a waste of my time.

Oops. Just a misreading. And the ambiguity wasn't even what it seemed at the time.

So it's that you think S&W is not commercially viable then, even if it had significantly greater exposure and marketing (to put it mildly)... ?