It passed Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything (see "'D&D Tasha's Cauldron of Everything'") to make it the biggest product launch in the game's 50-year history. To meet demand, WotC has printed three times the number of 2024 Player's Handbooks than the 2014 edition.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the resounding critical and fan acclaim and record-breaking launch of the 2024 Player’s Handbook, and we have our loyal fans to thank for it. They played a major role in helping make this product what it is,” said Jess Lanzillo, VP of D&D Product and Franchise at Wizards of the Coast. “Our team has been analyzing feedback from players since the release of the 2014 Player’s Handbook and have worked hard and thoughtfully to implement it into the new core rulebooks to create something that we hope everyone will enjoy.”
The 2024 Player's Handbook has several improvements over the previous edition, which perhaps is what made it such a popular product. This product soft-launched at Gen Con 2024 with 3,000 copies and sold out at the show (see "Inside the Brand-New 'Dungeons & Dragons: 2024 Player's Handbook'").