D&D General Penguin Random House To Stop Distributing D&D [UPDATED!]

A memo which went out to retailers this week indicates that Penguin Random House will not be distributing Dungeons & Dragons products in mainstream bookstores from 2024.

Effective December 31, 2023, Penguin Random House LLC will cease distributing titles for Wizards of the Coast LLC. Depending on the product, please ensure that the vendor of record for Wizards of the Coast LLC titles is changed to one of their new distributors listed here: Distributors | WPN."

WotC uses a range of distributors, including Alliance, Diamond, GTS, and more in the US, and Asmodee and others in the UK and Europe. Most of these deal with hobby trade (game stores and the like) retailers, while Penguin Random House is a general book trade publisher. Of course, the game will still be available on Amazon, also.

This isn't brand new news--WotC announced this back at the beginning of September.

UPDATE--WotC spoke to ICv2:

Penguin Random House is a valued partner and publishing licensee of Wizards of the Coast. While we deeply appreciate the excellent service provided over the years by PRHPS, we are now shifting our distribution strategy to utilize the capabilities of Hasbro to sell and distribute D&D products to retailers, and we will continue to partner with PRH on licensed D&D titles like the recently released Lore & Legends and the upcoming Hero's Feast: Flavors of the Multiverse. This change to distribution of Wizards' D&D roleplaying game publications such as rulebooks and adventure content won't affect fans as they will continue to find Dungeons & Dragonsproducts at their preferred retailers.

 

[Umbran]

Okay grandpa, whatever you say.

Mod Note:
Can we keep it rather more respectful, please? Thanks.

 

[mamba]

This is true but as a counterpoint have you considered that you are an old grandpa, dude?

my counterpoint would be that I can download the data and store it locally for just that case…

 

[Cadence]

my counterpoint would be that I can download the data and store it locally for just that case…

Does that work well for the DnD Beyond things alone (as opposed to the .pdf versions)?

For, say, a kindle, I know I can download the books and they stay when I'm off line. Is it possible for something to be recalled so that if I reattach to the system they can yank it? (Presumably with a refund?).

 

[Velderan]

Does that work well for the DnD Beyond things alone (as opposed to the .pdf versions)?

For, say, a kindle, I know I can download the books and they stay when I'm off line. Is it possible for something to be recalled so that if I reattach to the system they can yank it? (Presumably with a refund?).

No idea for DDB books downloaded to your iPad app. I know you can access the books offline and when you reconnect it tells you an update for that book is available but not sure if they could remotely remove a book for whatever reason. I know Amazon at least used to be able to do that on a Kindle. There was a pretty good example of Amazon selling a book before it came out the publisher actually didn’t have the rights to it and they removed the book remotely and issued refunds for it. From what I remember, this did nothing to help people who bought the book for school work and lost the notes they had taken on their device.

 

[mamba]

Does that work well for the DnD Beyond things alone (as opposed to the .pdf versions)?

well is in the eye of the beholder… I can download the .html and that is a local copy I can view independently of anything else, but generally every chapter is a separate file.

I would prefer an option to generate an actual indexed pdf, but that does not exist.

For, say, a kindle, I know I can download the books and they stay when I'm off line. Is it possible for something to be recalled so that if I reattach to the system they can yank it? (Presumably with a refund?).

Don’t you need a reader for the Kindle files, that means the books can be yanked eventually, at least they could in the past. The same is not true for html (or pdf)

 

[billd91]

Christian Hoffer of Comic Book dot Com got a statement from Wizards.

Penguin Random House Ends Distribution of Dungeons & Dragons, Wizards of the Coast Titles

Penguin Random House will no longer distribute Dungeons & Dragons rulebooks, but will continue [...]

comicbook.com

According to Wizards of the Coast, the change in distribution strategy is due to Wizards seeking to utilize its parent company Hasbro to sell D&D products directly to retailers. Per a statement provided by Wizards of the Coast to ComicBook.com, the change in distribution won't impact fans, as Dungeons & Dragons products will continue to be found at their preferred retailers. Additionally, Wizards of the Coast confirmed to ComicBook.com that it will continue to partner with Penguin Random House on licensed D&D titles in the future.

Cutting out the middleman. I suppose that's one way to increase the monetization of D&D.

 

[Cadence]

Don’t you need a reader for the Kindle files, that means the books can be yanked eventually, at least they could in the past. The same is not true for html (or pdf)

I have a reader for them, but I think it lets me save the books on an SD card (and not just in active memory). So I could download them to the SD card and then take it out when I connect.

 

[Nylanfs]

I don't think the newer kindles have SD card slots. They do have usb so transfering to and from a desktop/laptop is an option though.

 

[Cadence]

I don't think the newer kindles have SD card slots. They do have usb so transfering to and from a desktop/laptop is an option though.

I certainly cannot comment on a newer one

Mine is a FIre HD 8 (8th generation), so apparently the 2018 model...

 

[Queer Venger]

I was born and grew up in St. Croix, USVI. I was 12 when I first ran across the 1e D&D books at a small toy store in Christiansted. My island didnt have malls, didnt have chain bookstores, much less dedicated game stores. I found these books in a toy store.

Look at us now