BUY IT NOW
The Dresden Files RPG is now on sale!
You can learn more — and your order for both books in the set, including getting access to the final PDFs right away — at the Evil Hat Productions web store:
http://www.evilhat.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=65_72
Free shipping is available in the USA to people who place an order for both books, and the final PDFs will be made available to customers once the payment clears. They are shipping now!
Fans of the series may be particularly interested in the second book, which among other things provides a comprehensive character and creature guide up through Small Favor and a new original short story by Jim Butcher. A handy reference to have on hand as you read through the latest book!
I’m so excited about this! But why the pricy edition? I’m used to paying $30-$35 for my RPG books, but dropping $50 for a core rulebook is a hefty initial investment. I really want to pre-order these, but I can’t justify dropping $90 for the set right now.
@Gaia, $30-35 for a licensed, full color, 400 page hardcover? That doesn’t match our market research, honestly, unless you’re talking about thinner books, lower production values, or a lack of licensing issues. You can find out more about the monetary factors that go into the whole thing over at my blog at http://www.deadlyfredly.com/ as well.
(Or maybe you’re talking about the deals you can get from deep discounters online, like Amazon. That being the case, we can’t help you there — those deep discounters are kicking FLGSes right in the teeth by aiming at pricepoints well below what are needed to keep a local store in business by undercutting the MSRP.)
$90 is still below the typical buy-in (given the prevalence of multi-book sets) of many major RPG publishers, once you tally up the supplement chain.
@fred
Dungeons and Dragons books, the cornerstone of (mainstream) RPGs are $35, and that is *not* from a “deep discounter” such as Amazon (where they are, indeed discounted to ~$25).
@Michael, you’re correct! Their page count is also significantly below 400.
The D&D 4th PHB (320 pages), DMG (224 pages), and Monster Manual (288 pages) are all $35; the standard bare minimum core books come out to $105, not $90. That, of course, doesn’t include any setting information (the DMG details a single town, but in less detail than even the 1st book’s info on Baltimore)… And that’s not counting, of course, the PHB2, PHB3, DMG2, and MM2 (at least!) that are all out, plus the countless class- and setting-specific books that are already out. All of which are generally $30+.
Personally, I’m quite satisfied with the value-for-money on these books.
Considering the format they have chosen to produce the books in, I feel the price is quite fair. Hard-covered books with full color images within is not cheap. The only way to get it cheaper and EH to still make good money for their work is to go with old Palladium Books format of a soft-cover that is 90% black and white inside with, maybe, a few color pages in the center of the book. But, for 400 pages in what used to be the standard gaming format for years(hardcover D&D). I’m quite happy with it. I’ll be grabbing my pre-order when I get paid Monday.
Amen, Robin. Also, they opened up polls and such – EH is very open to suggestions… I know I was one that was hoping for a really nice hardcover full-color tome. I think a lot of folks wanted something that could also be used as a Dresden reference.
Regardless, this looks great!
Looks great! I haven’t played a table top RPG and I can’t think of anything better to start with then a Dresden RPG. Only thing is there is only one person I know who I could play with and he is on the other side of the country. I just don’t know how I would find people to play this with.
Yea, I feel your pain, Sean. I’m in Maryland, and haven’t played with my regular gaming group in quite a while. Most of them are anti-modern day magic RPG anyway.
Hi Guys,
So looking forward to this rpg system you have no idea. Will you be realising it in the UK especially in scotland becuasse if i order it from your store the price comes in at the best part of $150 dollars about £140 quid give or take which i might feel fine about the missys may string me up from the tallest tree. So after my ramblings will there be anywere in europe i can get it. Dont mind full price dont need cheap just reasonable
Cheers Roo
@roo, have you looked at any of the multiple UK-based retailers we’ve partnered with on this page?
http://www.evilhat.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=65_72
Hi fred,
Cheers for that, I apologise about my general ability to read things fully
@Matt
Matt,
Have you tried http://www.roleplayers.meetup.com or similar services? It is a way to meet new people if nothing else.
Or, if you don’t mind the PbP (Play by Post) online idea, over on http://www.dreamlyrics.com several people are talking about starting Dresden games. This route is slower to go through campaigns, but this way also gives you a daily Dresden fix.
I hope this helps.
@Jimmy
Hey, thanks! I remember seeing that years ago, but haven’t looked in a while; great idea! And I’ll check out dreamlyrics.com… I definitely need the fix!
-Matt
I actually was thinking the same thing. I mean I just bought the SE 20th Anniversary Edition of the Shadowrun core book for under $35. $50 is a bit pricey. Not that I won’t buy it. Just that I’ll have to save up.
I was told that if we Pre-ordered the games through a Local Game store, I could get the Free PDF copies. How does that work?
@Gobbo, check out this post on my blog: http://www.deadlyfredly.com/2010/04/seeds-of-trust/
Fantastic! I have sent a request to the FLGS owner to contact you and let you know I pre-ordered them from him! He is Stonebridge Games in Longmont CO and I can not wait to get playing this game! I know Jim, as I met him through the LARP we both play and will defiantly be getting them signed next time he comes out to Denver. Also, is the some kind of demo program that you do? Just curious, because I plan to run this at the local Cons too!
So, I have another perspective, who are still worried about the price versus material; I recently purchased the pdf set for $40.00, and I got an order in for book set for $90.00, thats $130.00 for 1384 pages, plus, then you can have a set for the gaming table, and on for on the go, on a flash drive, its a win/win situation… Plus all the side banters between the characters just adds to the experience just reading it, its like a dresden tale within the game itself… well worth the investment… Thank you very much
The price of the DFRPG books is right in there with similar products that are out right now.The deal becomes very clear with the EH “brick and mortar” guarantee.
omg this is so exciting I have been waiting for this for forever. I just now remembered to look at the site and was really excited to finally see that this is getting released. I am kinda disappointed that they aren’t available very well in Ohio. I bet there are a few stores close to where I live who would be more than willing to sell these books. I could prolly try to help y’all if you would want it. there is a big RPG gaming community around here.
@Zach, we’ll never turn down a fan trying to make a connection between Evil Hat and their FLGS of choice.
ok cool I will go up soon hopefully and talk to them about it. how would you like me to give you the info.
@Zach, get them to contact us via the ‘Contact Us’ page on http://www.evilhat.com
ok will do. I’ll let y’all know asap. it might be a couple days I just graduated this week so we are busy with my party and such
I hate to ask this, but will the books be available on Amazon? I just got a gift card for my birthday, and this was the first thing to come to mind. I’ll probably end up picking up Our World from my FLGS.
@Drake, possibly — it depends on how/if Amazon purchases their stock. We aren’t directly listing our stuff there, but that doesn’t mean it won’t show up. I just can’t tell you anything specific.
@fred
Unfortunately for the gaming consumer, your market research is absolutely accurate. I had this exact same discussion with a friend in the industry when the New WoD Books came out. What most of us dice chuckers dont realize is: The Cost that goes into developing, writing and printing gaming books. Game development companies are businesses, and businesses HAVE to make money.
For all of us players, I want to put the ‘high’ cost in perspective. When you buy a book that you think is ‘overpriced’ remember that you are not only paying to get the book you just purchased, you’re also paying to keep the company that made it in business so they can continue to make and print awesome material. Keep that in mind the next time you DL a PDF Torrent because you cant justify pay $90 for the core set.
I will definitely be buying $90 US for both Print and PDF is a deal for a campaign and rules based off of the FATE system as presented in SOTC is a no brainer.
As a guy who spent 1000′s on his TSR/WotC hardcovers over the years (And still plays) the value of the FATE based system and its potential entertainment value do not tip the scales in light of a apparent 15-20% price point inflation.
1 week of brown bagging it is a small price to pay for hours upon hours of entertainment.
i have a couple of questions first will there be a way to buy just the hard backs w/out the pdf second which book is actually the rule book
@Alex S – Cincy, the first book is the rule book, and there is no point in buying the books without the PDFs; the PDFs cost nothing extra when bundled with the books.
While $90 is grossly overpriced for a single book, and I agree, the $90 you pay covers two books, and the PDF downloads. So, unless you wanna play with the lower production values from Palladium, then shadddup and fork out the $90, or wait until a black & white softcover version comes out for $20 a book.
Why all the bitching and moaning??? If you dont want to drop $90 for the hardcovers (which also gives you the pdf’s) then just buy the pdf’s. Both are $40. Me, Im willing to pay $90 and I consider this a great value for full color hardcover PLUS pdf’s.
Consider me sold!!
Box arrived today, eagerly ripped it open and was severely disappointed that the Main book “Dresden Files, Vol 1, Your Story” was missing from the box. I hope this is corrected quickly.
Thanks
Have you emailed us through the store to let us know about the issue? Our psychics are on vacation!
I know you did the PDFs with the preorders, and it looks like you also got them for free with a few other places when you order. Any chance you’d consider some sort of option to get them for those of us that picked up copies at Origins a copy of the PDFs? I waited to snag my copy there since I was going anyway and signed up for a session.
@Bryan, yep, we told a ton of folks at Origins that we’d be happy to back the purchases with a PDF. Just drop us an email and we’ll figure out how to verify your purchase.
Ive never used this system before. I have been waiting for a long time to play this game, and I was following the rumors of its release when I was traveling around the globe with my job. Now does the rulebook cover the basic system of play also, or do I have to be familiar with the system before I play? I was just asking because in other games I have picked up, I have been burned when they assume you know the rules already.
@Victor, Your Story gives you all of the system.
YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY Im definitely all over this. I can order it from your store, yes?
@Victor, yep!
I would rather spend my money with you then support Amazon. COnsidering I really dont have a local book store, this is my best alternative. I do want to say how excited I am that this is finally out. I remember sitting on the web and reading about the game coming out and waiting with more waiting. This is so exciting. Thank you so much for getting this done. Now if I could just meet Jim Butcher then my life would be complete….well maybe after I get a dog like Mouse.
I don’t doubt the value but it as it is now it is prohibitively priced for me. I do small indy comics in northern CA and I tell my artists to limit their page count to make our anthologies marketable.
I appreciate that you guys took the time and the pages to make a quality product (I assume). I am looking forward to hosting a game once I get on of those allusive job-things. Is there any truth to a B+W run? Where can I buy that?
@Laconic, sadly no, we don’t currently expect to be putting out a black and white version. That could change depending on how demand and production costs change over time, but with our present data it’s not warranted.
Based on our research, $50 for a 400-page full color core book on a licensed product compares favorably to other similar products in the RPG market. It’s also as low as we could comfortably make it given our margins in distribution.
Just got my books all the way down here in the Australian outback and I am loving them. Already had the PDF versions but the books are amazing. Even played our first game session of it and the system played smooth. Congratulations to all.
All the from Broken Hill, NSW, Australia.
This looks interesting but the price is a bit steep. You’re saying 50 dollars is a good price for a 400 page hardcover. If we want to base it on page numbers, I can get a dnd bundle with all three core books, (PHB, Monster manual, DMG) for $66.12 new, or less used. That is 832 pages of content.
Perhaps if I find someone else with the book and have a chance to look it over I will be swayed, but for now I can’t justify the expense.
The cover price on the three core books for D&D totals out to more like $90 or $100 as I recall. If you’re getting them at around $66, you’re doing so because someone has decided that doing deep discounts is more important than keeping the game industry and game stores afloat, so I tend not to do price comparisons on that basis.
If we’re comparing our core book, Your Story, at 416 full color pages, hardcover, as $50, to, say, the impending release of the Deathwatch RPG, similar form factor and priced at $60, I think we’ve got a more germane comparison, and one in which the DFRPG comes out favorably.
Sigh. So my wife decides we need the books. Our FLGS doesn’t have them. No problem, I say, I’ll come to the folks here and buy direct.
Unfortunately your store page is down and I can’t order them. I need not just the electronic copies, I need the physical books. I’m hoping you’re not out by the time you have the store running.
@Joseph Teller, like the store page says you can buy the books in the meantime from Indie Press Revolution. Our store should be live again by early next week if not this weekend, that said, and as we’ve announced elsewhere, we have 4000 new copies reprinted and available next week!
I just checked Amazon for Our World. They are pricing new and used for US $44.19. I picked up my copy for $40.00 plus tax at a local game store last month. I’m not a gamer, but I felt the price was OK for all the D-verse info.