simonjrogers ([info]simonjrogers) wrote,
2008-10-20 13:07:00
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Mutant City Blues print run

Offset print dilemma time again.

The English language version of Esoterrorists has sold about 1000 copies in print. Trail is well into its second 2000 print run of Trail of Cthulhu. Fear Itself hasn't reached those levels.

So, my question is, how many copies of the Mutant City Blues hardback to print? It'll either be 1500 or 2000 copies.

If I sell 1500 copies and print 2000, then I will have wasted $2555.

On the other hand, if I get 1500 and sell through, it will have cost me $900 - and then I'd have to do a short-run reprint at a lot more a copy, probably not hardback and certainly not two colour.

How many should MCB should I print?
1500
2000
  
pollcode.com free polls
Tags: mutant city blues, pelgrane, printing

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  • 12 comments

[info]gbsteve

October 20 2008, 12:22:25 UTC 3 years ago

I think MCB is the most exciting* product you've produced but I don't think it will outsell Trail Cthulhu because that's Cthulhu. The market was there already and eager for new product.

That said, I'd be happy to be proven wrong.

[info]heliograph

October 20 2008, 19:56:58 UTC 3 years ago

Do you really think it has a hook that'll drag in someone who isn't a GUMSHOE or Robin Laws fan already?

[info]gbsteve

October 21 2008, 08:03:44 UTC 3 years ago

No, not unless Simon does a lot more marketing. It did pretty well at Gen Con, most of the softbacks sold I think.

[info]angusabranson

October 20 2008, 12:29:30 UTC 3 years ago

What was the interest like at GenCon and through pre-orders with distributors?

With MCB I'd err on the side of caution and go with 1500.

[info]viktor_haag

October 20 2008, 14:39:38 UTC 3 years ago

I would think 1500; the market has a fair amount of "superhero" games in it already, even with the unique twist of MCB. The market didn't really have a glut of Lovecraftian horror games, as far as I could tell; also, the GUMSHOE system seems absolutely and eminently suited to Lovecraftian investigation/horror. While it's possible the system could work just fine for MCB, too, I suspect that it wouldn't seem like such a natural fit to potential customers.

If you print 2K and sell 1500 only, then you will have actually spent 2555. If you sell through 1500, and only print 1500, then the "cost" of 900 dollars is only on paper and is in the vein of "d'oh! I could have made more", no?

Given what the current economy is doing, the conservative course seems far safer.

Anonymous

October 20 2008, 17:08:06 UTC 3 years ago

1500 HC and then go Soft

I'd say go 1500 HC to get the real fans (me! me!) and then go software cover and PDF later to keep it in circulation. Just a thought.

--michael

[info]kruku

October 20 2008, 17:54:22 UTC 3 years ago

I said 2000 but in truth I've got no idea what the market would stand.

[info]heliograph

October 20 2008, 19:54:34 UTC 3 years ago

You know how rah-rah I was about the Trail run, but in this case I voted 1500. The coming Great Depression mixed with the niche+niche+niche aspect of MCBs doesn't bode well for big sales. Also, Trail had a ton of positive buzz that I haven't seen for MCB.

If your incremental between 1k and 1500 is $2,555, I might even consider doing 1000 of MCB and then go with POD for anything over it. I think you should definitely promote the HC of MCB as a limited edition (once the HC are gone, you won't do more) in an effort to spur sales by creating a sense of scarcity.

Sorry for being a downer ;-) None of this is a comment on the quality of MCB, but Cop + Superhero + GUMSHOE doesn't scream big sales to me.

I am pleased to see that Esoterrorists has done as well as it has, though. What were the PDF sales like?

[info]simonjrogers

October 20 2008, 22:04:38 UTC 3 years ago

The optimist is pessimistic! Oof, I'd better be careful. I'll consider the 1000 run, too. PDFs for Eso have gone well - about 300 in all so far.

[info]heliograph

October 20 2008, 23:47:43 UTC 3 years ago

So here's the question: why do you think MCB will sell better than Esoterrorists? I think your potential market is a subset of the people who bought Esoterrorists and liked it, not a subset of the Trail fans.

How is the Trail adventure book selling?

[info]simonjrogers

October 21 2008, 08:17:12 UTC 3 years ago

I think a proportion of our customers are going to buy most GUMSHOE releases, but only a portion. I think this will appeal to a new market altogether, but I don't know how big that market is.

[info]spencerpine

October 21 2008, 23:17:45 UTC 3 years ago

I've voted 1500. I like Mutant City Blues, but I'm not feeling the same buzz that Trail got.

Graham
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