Well... no, they didn't. They sent out an email full of market speak.TOZ wrote:Well, in other news, Pathfinder has sold out of its first print run already. So regardless of the varied opinions, their marketing has worked so far. I'm waiting to see if they will give out just how many were printed in the first run. Sure they say they made a big production, but selling out of a low number isn't that impressive.
That first line just means they don't have any copies sitting around a warehouse (except, of course, the copies they plan to sell direct), which they then cleverly associated with the preorders to make it sound like every copy of the book is actually sold. Though they generally admit that isn't so by saying 'go to a retailer and buy it' and bit later on.All Preordered Copies Now in Distribution Channel, New Print Run to Arrive in Early November
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) will remain 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.
There's really a fuck-ton of marketing double speak in there, which is at best disingenuous. Yes, some of it (like the last paragraph) is standard marketing white wash, but some of it is downright shady.
Examples:
50,000 downloads of the beta = 50,000 beta testers.
7 times their biggest print run! Which was what, exactly? 10K? 12K? Give me a figure or this doesn't mean shit.
Sold out (to distributors) = "immense audience". Maybe. Or it means you've got some good marketing bitches, and suckers for an audience.
Or it just means that you're doing a standard advertising gimmick of trying to sell to the unconvinced by way of 'OMG! Limited quanities, jump on the bandwagon now!'
The most honest thing in here is at least they didn't short the preorders (unless, of course they did. We'll see if everyone who preordered actually gets a copy in the next week or so).
You have been caught in at least one lie already.
